cat respiratory infection - need advice

[themarquis]

A couple of months ago, we adopted a beautiful kitten from the humane society. He is a real sweetheart, but unfortunately he arrived with a respiratory infection.

No biggie -- we got some antibiotics for him at his well-kitten checkup. However... a couple of weeks later, he managed to pass the infection along to our adult, vaccinated cat. The "big guy" developed a bad case of pink eye (the vet said that can be one manifestation of a respiratory infection) which absolutely wouldn't go away. We treated it with liquid antibiotics and antibiotic eye drops for a week. It lingered ... we went to another vet and they gave us a new eyedrop (antibiotic + anti-inflammatory) which seemed to take care of the pinkeye finally.... fastforward a couple of weeks ... both cats are now sneezing *again* and the "big guy"'s *other eye* is infected.

What to do? We've already spent about 125-150 dollars on the respiratory infection (a lot of money for something so minor!!!!) and we are faced with having to haul both cats to the vet *again* (not a pleasant process as the kitten is hyperactive and impossible to control and the big guy is a weenie -- so frightened of the vet that he *trembles* uncontrollably the whole time). DOes anyone here have any experience with kitty respiratory infections? We are so worried the two cats will just keep passing it back and forth to each other forever!!!! Is there any way of getting rid of this thing??? Arrrrrghhhh!

 

[grlpwrd]

I adopted my 2 furbabies from a humane society, too, and one of them had a respiratory infection plus watering eyes. She didn't have a pinkeye infection, though.

The vet and staff said she has the feline herpesvirus and give her 250mg of lysine twice per day. They told me it doesn't always work, though, but it is natural and safe for cats. She hasn't had any problems since, but I don't think it ever goes away as it is like the cold sore virus for us.

I hope they get better!

 

[LiLIrishChick63]

you might have to try and keep them seperated for a little while, while you're treating them again since they keep just passing it back and forth. i don't think any of those times you gave them the meds it actually "cleared up" it sounds like they just kept passing it back and forth.

hope i helped a little! it's so great to have people like you who really take care of their pets! poor kitties! i hope they get better soon!

 

[Sherri]

I hope they feel better to them and to you for adopting. Adopted pets are the best.

 

[CheshireVal]

I had a cat with the feline herpes virus, which is really an upper respiratory infection that manifests itself mostly in the eyes (though was often accompanied by sneezing). I treated him with eye ointment, but it would always flare up again. It was just something I had to deal with on a permanent basis because there's not really a cure for it, only treatment.

However, we did adopt a kitten a few years ago who spread an upper respiratory infection to our cat, and they were both treated with antibiotics and it hasn't come back again (that was 2 and a half years ago).

 

[alldiz]

Clean out the eyes with clean gauze and saline solution..
Try putting the cats in the room when you shower,
moist air---or humidifier might help...
They might need a different antibiotic..
Good luck

 

[Laura]

Our older cat had a very very bad infection, and we eventually got rid of it with a nasal flush and follow-up antibiotics (they tested the goo and found out exactly what bacteria was in there). She has been clear for almost 3 years, and our younger cat that we got last year is fine too. Lysine is something my vet recommended; we sprinkle half a 500mg capsule for each cat in their food dish and they don't bat an eye.

Please keep in mind that this kind of infection isn't necessarily minor. If your cats are put off their food because they can't smell it, that can be very dangerous for them. If they eat normally and the nose/eye issues don't seem to bother them, that's different.

 

[themarquis]

thanks for all of your advice (keep it coming). I will have to try adding lysine to their diets -- that is really a great idea.

I think the main reason this is so frustrating is that really the respiratory infection is so minor for both of them. They are not having trouble eating/smelling their food/breathing (as a couple of people cautioned). They do not seem as though they feel sick at all. They are both lively and happy. I think I get really worried about the pinkeye because I am afraid it will cause permanent eye damage if it gets out of hand, but the "big guy" really doesn't seem to mind the fact that he is walking around with only one eye open. (We say he is a pirate ). Anyway, I really hate having to continue to seek vet care and to traumatize them at the vet for something that they are not bothered with....

 

[Cindyluwho]

I'm really surprised that your vet would charge you for any "re-check" visits. Our vet only charges for the initial visit, not to see the animal again for follow up visits. I like the idea about the vet testing the gunk and finding out exactly what bacteria they're fighting. Throwing antibiotics at it is usually not the best idea, especially if it's just a virus.
Big Hugs to your kitties!

 

[Syrreal]

We deal with the whole pink eye/allergies/respiratory infection thing sometimes here too. One of my cats has allergies that make him sneeze A LOT and I don't mean a sneeze here and there but sneezing like 20-30 times in a row (because of boogers mainly- and you do NOT want to see what those boogers look like when he actually lets one loose- so gross!) Anyway, the other one gets seasonal allergies in her eye that makes it seem like pink eye except no redness. Then the baby came home with both a respiratory infection and pink eye.
For the sneezing allergies there is really nothing for it. The vet said that he could give the cat some kind of shot if it got too bad but it hasnt (he sneezes badly like that only about once a week and it never seems to bother him)
For the seasonal allergy, he gave us an eye ointment that works great.
For the baby cat he gave us an antibiotic and an antibacterial eye ointment. I think the eye ointment works better than eye drops because it sticks to the eye.
It was a Terramycin ointment (not sure on spelling)

You may want to check with your vet and see if the ointment might be a better option.

 

[themarquis]

yeah, they charge for re-checks. I love the idea that rechecks would be free, though I'm pretty convinced at this point that its a feline herpes virus, which unfortunately can be impossible to get rid of (like human cold sores -- just keep coming back). I think they kept giving us antibiotics because secondary bacterial viruses can invade, causing serious problems -- but of course the antibiotics won't touch the virus itself. It is very frustrating. I really thought this was one of the upper respiratory viruses that cats got vaccinated for. The kitten could have picked it up before he was vaccinated, but why would the adult cat get it??? What is most tragic is that now "the boys" can't have playdates with their buddy (a friend's adolescent neutered male who was practically raised with the big guy) for fear that he will catch it... sniff ...

 

[lisajl]

Give them time to get over it. Soemtimes it takes a month or two. Depends on how bad the infection is.
Def. keep them seperated like someone else suggested.

BTW, thanks for taking care of your kitties!

Lisa

 

[themarquis]

oooh keeping them separated -- I wish I could but ... I can't.... they're in love . If I shut them in different rooms, they pine and cry for one another. The little one becomes depressed and just huddles ....

 

[Syrreal]

We never kept any of ours separated. You may want to call your vet and see if you can treat both of them at the same time. That way it stops being cyclical and being passed from one to the other.
I know what you mean about them being in love with each other. All four of ours couldn't survive without the other ones. Even if we take one to the vet the others start wondering where he/she is. It's so cute!

 

[alldiz]

My cat has similiar problems....She is a year now...and better.
I think she might have herpes as well....
Someone else mentioned lysine in their food... my vet
suggested the same thing....
Funny thing is in the summer when its hot and humid,
my cat likes the upstairs room where its hot...
She was much better then...
now cold dry air and her stuffiness is back ....
and yes she also gets snots that are beyond gross!

Good luck
Kerri

 

[jenm2878]

We took in a pregnant cat who got a respiratory infection after giving birth. Of course she gave it to all four kittens and my other two cats got it as well. They all got over it pretty well except one kitten. We ended up having to separate her until she got better. I don't remember what the vet gave us for the pink eye, but I remember getting interferon (sp) for the respiratory infection. He told us it was the same medicine they use for people taking chemo to boost their immune system. It was just in a much smaller dose, of course. This seemed to work well, and she is three years old and healthy from what I hear. (a friend adopted her)