[Newt]

Our cat has had an upper respiratory infection for almost two weeks. He was boarded for a week and caught something where he had a runny nose. After a week of Clavamox and chlorpheneramine he got better so they stopped treatment.

A week later and he is much worse than before. His nose is not running but it is stopped up. He has a sore throat and cannot meow. Every other day he is running a temperature from 103 to 104 (measured from the ear). The vet took him off clavamox after 4 days because it was not helping, now he is taking zithromicin. They also got us chlorpheneramine in a transdermal. He also has one eye that is tearing up badly which we are giving him eye drops with gentocin. Due to the illness he has gone from 7.5 pds to 6.0 pds.

The cat is not eating and drinking very little. We give him a syringe of water after each medicine dosage. Today we went to a different vet to get blood tests and see what they thought. No lukemia or trouble with kidney/liver. They are prescribing:

1)Continue with chlorpheneramine and zithromicin.
2)Continue with eye drops
3)Interferon once a day
4)Buprenex twice a day (for sore throat pain)
5)liquids to be administered subcutaneous once a day by vet.

This seems like a lot of medicine.

1)Should we continue with the zithromicin while he is on the Interferon?
2)Does chlorpheneramine work well as a transdermal?
3)What type of food have others had success feeding sick cats? We bought some Pro Plan Ocean Fish from the vet, and I have never seen him eat so much. We need him to be eating a can a day to get his weight back up.

 

[Aonir]

Oh there was 3 kittens that had those exact same symptoms in a shelter..! I believe all 3 died because they wasn't given any medical attention at all. I was angry when I found that out, I was trying to convince my grandma to let us take them and care for them.
Then my kitten got problems with his eye!! We used eye drops and that helped greatly.

My whole point is, if a vet suggested it, it is probably good to listen to him/her unless someone else tells you otherwise.

 

[Newt]

Thanks for the reply.

The second vet mentioned some sort of cat flu (starts with a C) that is going around and she has only had 80% success using the interferon (used to treat HIV in humans and FIV in cats). We're worried to give him to many anti-biotics at once. The interferon is apparently pretty strong because he can only take it for 7 days.

He has been eating better tonight on the Pro Ocean food. He ate almost half a can tonight, our goal is for him to eat a whole can a day. I think once he gets his weight back he will better be able to fight the infection.

 

[Aonir]

How old is ur kitty? If it isn't to young, I'd say its chances are pretty good. If kitty has all its shots, it has even a better chance. If a kitty-cold has been going around, I'd look into it and have it treated for 'that' instead of taking all of the other medicines. It would probably be better. FIV in cats is either inherited or gotten by sex I believe.. I can't remember, but it sounds very familiar! I'd look into the FIV, call your vet about gettin treated for the cold IF the vet thinks that is what Kitty has. My kittens are going to the vet tomorrow (and i dun care what anyone says! they need a vet!).

 

[Aonir]

I accidently double posted, but I'm editting it and add something in its place

If your kitty is doing good on the current food, keep it up. But I'd also like to mention the importance of dental hygene and suggest you switch/mix with dry cat food. A sick kitty would eat canned food better though (like ur doing).

I also suggest you ask your vet about any foods they suggest (but even then, Kitty might not like them!)

Don't be afraid to ask vet for any silly little thing, they don't mind

 

[Newt]

Thanks for the advice.

My cat is 1 year old. They did blood tests yesterday for leukemia and any type of viral infection in the kidney/liver...all came back negative. We have to get him eating otherwise the vet wants to put a tube in him.

Last night, he ate about half a can of the Pro Plan Ocean food. Seems to be doing better this morning, but still very liquidy in his nose. We go back today for more fluids.

 

[Newt]

Little guy was feeling better at lunch. Eating and moving around...still a little drippy in the eye.

The vet called and said his ?Pac-Cell Volume? test came back positive, but she said she thinks they didn't use enough blood. If it is positive, it would show he is anemic. Anyone have any experience with this and can explain the test?

 

[Aonir]

I don't have any experince with that. Sorry. But it's great that Kitty was eating more at lunch! Don't be afraid if they put a tub in kitty, it'd help make it all better.

 

[Newt]

Yesterday he met me at the door when I got home, hasn't done that in weeks. Walking around last night and snuck under the covers between me and my wife while we were sleeping (hasn't done that since he was a kitten). He usually sleeps on top of the covers between us.

He still has some gurgling in his nose, but he looks better. The vet checked him for anemia again...first time he had a 25 this time it was 27. She says it was probably the virus or not enough blood. Looks like he is not anemic. He gained 3 ounces after eating for a full day. Hopefully he will gain his 1 1/2 pounds back in a few weeks.

Going back today for more fluids even though the vet doesn't feel he needs to. Better safe than sorry. Oh, the virus is chlamydia that is going around.

 

[Aonir]

Oh that is great that Kitty is doing better! I love it when kitties sneak under the covers. It's great he isn't anemic. People think I am, and I say they're crazy lol. I got tested and it was negative. Some signs can mean different things. Do you have any pictures of your precious kitty?

I just lost a kitten last night. My tiger kitty is doing great though. Their story is Momless Kittens and Young, helpless and now free. Blackie was a sweetie. So I'm dealing with a death right now.

 

[Newt]

Sorry to hear that, very sad.

I'll see if I can get him to pose tonight.