upper respiratory infections

[sweetdz99]

Hi all,
I have 9 cats. Yes, you read that right...9. Lol . One came down with an upper respiratory infection last Thursday and one by one, they are all getting a variation of it. I have 2 that it seemed to have hit hard than the others, they are on their course of antibiotics now. Lysine for all.

One of my cats, Rocco has had sneezing his whole life. He will be a year old next month. He was on antibiotics for ghiardia and his sneezing stopped for a while but this seems to have hit him the hardest. He gags a lot with nothing coming out, he swallows hard and he reverse sneezes. Does anyone know of anything I can do for him to help with these things? The gagging is the worst. And reverse sneezes look awful. Aside from these things, he still plays, eats, poops, pees and drinks.

I just hope we can keep this from going back and forth!

 

[stephymeow]

Hi sweety,

I think you may go visit your vet, if they are good in your country.

In my opinion, antibacterials don't kill virus. you need antivirus.

I'm dealing with the FHV now, in the middle of the battle. Mine's on Famciclovir.

You can read my post for the story.

 

[sweetdz99]

Hi there! Thanks! They've been. She said it was most likely a cold and the antibiotics were more for support. The virus would need to run its course. The first kitty is better. The others are in the beginning stages. I just want to cuddle them all day and make them soup! They are doing okay for the most part, just sneezing and some gagging. It's day 4 for my first guy and day 2 for the others. I hope it doesn't last too long. I read your story earlier.

 

[stephymeow]

I wish you good luck, you and your kitties

Let's win the battle together!

Mine is kind of chronic now, I hope he gets better soon.

 

[sweetdz99]

Thank you!  I am hoping that doesn't happen with ours!  There are just so many!  I just bought more Lysine powder from Amazon that another member here had posted that she uses.  It will be much easier to give them than globbing it on my finger and rubbing it in their mouths.  They are beginning to hate me.  lol  We can win this!

 

[louann jude]

@sweetdz99  something you can do to help them breath a little better is getting them in a bathroom and shutting the door and allow it to steam up. It helps a little. As long as they are eating good and drinking they are ok. Just keep a eye on them and continue to baby them. 

 

[sweetdz99]

@Louann Jude  thank you so much!  They are getting babied for sure  I have two heating blankets in different rooms to keep them warm.  I will try the bathroom technique..  I was wondering about humidifiers but I think it would freak them out more than help..  considering when the door bell rings they can't get traction fast enough to hide lol  

 

[catlover73]

I second the idea of using the steam treatment.  Run the shower as hot as possible and sit in the bathroom with the door closed for about 15-20 minutes 2-3 times a day.  This has been really helpful with my cats.  All of mine have had URI's at some point.  

When I adopted Casey as a 7 week old kitten he had a URI but did not show any symptoms for about a week other than once in a while random sneezes.  When he started sneezing more frequently and his eyes got goopy I took him the vet for treatment. He had a URI and an eye infection which was treated easily with antibiotics and eye ointment.  He managed to share his URI with my other 3 cats.  Casey my youngest and Starbuck my oldest required vet care.  My other two had milder URI's and I nursed them through it with steam treatments.

The first time I went to treat Apollo he gave me hell because he does not like to be picked up and carried around.  After the 1st treatment he started demanding treatment on his own until he felt better. He would run into the bathroom in the morning and when I got home from work meowing at me for treatment.

If you do notice any changes in their eating habit's, colored eye discharge or increased difficulty breathing then please take your babies to the vet for a check-up.

 

[sweetdz99]

Thanks! I will definitely try the steam.    Of course the one who has the stuffiest nose is the freak.  He gets so excited over everything.. and not in the good way.   he should love the steam  treatment (insert sarcastic tone here) 

   

 

[stephymeow]

Mine doesn't like fish flavour TT

I have to dissolve it in 1 ml water or less, and then push it into his mouth with a syringe.

 

[sweetdz99]

The shower worked okay for my guy.  He kept looking at me through the steam as I sat there sweating as if to say..  "it's freaking hot in here!" lol  but when he sneezed he sounded less congested, like it was  more productive sneeze.  I will keep doing that for him  Thank you!!

 

[catlover73]

The look you mentioned was the same look Starbuck my oldest cat gave me when I steamed her during her last URI.  She started coughing really bad before her vet appointment while I was waiting for hubby to get home from work with the car.  I called the vet's office and told the vet what was going on and she told me to go ahead and steam her immediately. The vet said she would examine her when we got there and was willing to treat her for the URI even if my steam treatment changed her symptoms for the visit. She stopped coughing and only sneezed once on the vet during the exam.  I brought kitten's vet records with me so she could she he was being treated for a URI.  Casey was treated by a different vet because he had a free vet visit from the vet the rescue I adopted him from used.  My cats now all use the same vet usually. I hope your baby feels better soon.

I need to get my but in the shower. One of my cats has started peeing outside the box and has a vet appointment this afternoon.  I have a training class for work tonight and my vet only had appointments too late in the day.  He is going to a vet my friend has used for years and she is taking me.  I need help getting this one in a carrier and she was his foster mommy so she is coming to help me.  I am hoping I can get some answers today because hubby really does not like Sunny peeing on his chair in our den.  We have been keeping him out of the room for now.