Stubborn herpes infection? Add Lactoferrin in addition to Lysine

So glad it's helping!

Has anyone experienced their cat vomiting because of the Lactoferrin?  Beastie never throws up, maybe 3 times in 8 years.  I started giving him the Lactoferrin about a week and a half ago.  Since then, he has thrown up his dinner three times.  He is also on eye drops and ointment, but I doubt either of those could induce a vomiting side effect. Each time he's getting sick, it's 4-5 heaving sessions so that he's not throwing up anything the last couple of times.  I am getting so frustrated.  Last year vet bills for him were over $7,000.. I literally cannot afford vet bills each week.   

If you think it's the lactoferrin, I suggest taking him off of it and seeing if he improves. He may well be having a reaction. Cats can be intolerant to all kinds of foodstuff, meds etc, just like humans. I don't think it's worth using a supplement if it's making him sick, it's counteracting any good it might do.

pushylady said:

If you think it's the lactoferrin, I suggest taking him off of it and seeing if he improves. He may well be having a reaction. Cats can be intolerant to all kinds of foodstuff, meds etc, just like humans. I don't think it's worth using a supplement if it's making him sick, it's counteracting any good it might do.

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The only way to find out is to stop giving it to him. I do recommend keeping a journal and logging what happens, when, everything you give him, etc. I think it's important right now, especially, as even though it would be a strange coincidence, it *is* hairball season.

My 20 year old cat, Gibbs has nasal herpes. Two months ago I made a long distance move. Because of this I have a new vet. I have been giving him l-lysine. The vet found that Gibbs had a high fever. It took 3 days but his fever is now normal. He is drinking water again on his own but is not eating. I am syringe feeding him. He seems depressed (or maybe that is just my interpretation.) I have isolated him in a bathroom on the main floor with a gate at the doorway so that he can be some what a part of what is going on with my other 3 cats. He does perk up when I take him to the vet or take him out and sit with him while I watch TV.

Also, the vet has him on clindamycin. I have been reading on this site that other vets are prescribing clavamox. Does anyone's vet prescribed clindamycin?

I look forward to your input.

In people, clindamycin is harder on the GI system. In cats, this does not seem to be the case. I see far, far more cats have problems with clavamox, and I much prefer seeing clindamycin used over clavamox.

If he has antibiotic associated diarrhea, try S boulardii: http://www.thecatsite.com/t/283161/saccharomyces-boulardii-use-for-diarrhea-and-gi-disease-incl-ibd

If it is a herpes flare, I would consider using the dose of lactoferrin that helps my cats, 1/2 of a 250mg lactoferrin capsule.

In fact, for upper respiratory infections in general, I have had good success without antibiotics. I use the 500mg of lysine 2x a day, 1/2 of the 250mg lactoferrin cap 2x a day, 1/4 cap of Transfer Factor Plus (for humans) 2x a day, and one 500mg cap of colostrum 2x a day. In my adult cats, this clears up URIs in a few days.

Thank you for this information! Do any of these negatively affect the liver or kidney function?

Thank you

No, they don't. Let me qualify. I haven't seen any literature or cases where they have, and I have looked. But not recently, a year or more ago.

I don't mean to butt in but I'm starting my cats on lactoferrin, and I was confused about the dosage reading these posts because many of them were also talking about lycine. Should cats around 10 pounds get 250mg lactoferrin once a day, or twice a day?

Thanks,
Sophie

Most people give 250 mg lactoferrin and 500 mg lysine per day, for maintenance. During flareups, the lysine is increased to 1000 mg a day.

Based on very recently published research, I decreased the lactoferrin to 125 mg per day. My cat had a course of Polyprenyl about a year ago and has not had any flareups since.

My guy is on Famcyclovir. I have not tried any of the other things. Been on this for maybe 6 weeks. He is chronic. Came to me like this, I adopted him in March. He has improved, not cleared totally yet. May talk to my vet about adding something to our regimen. Nice to have others to talk to about this! 

Thanks for the information. I am starting mine on lactoferrin this week. They've been on lycine for a long time but still have the URI symptoms and stomatitis. Hope this helps!

Sophie

is stomatitis a usual thing with feline herpes? Cuz mine had that also, and had most of his teeth pulled, I thought they were 2 separate health problems. 

I don't know of any connection between them. My cats don't have herpes - someone directed me to this thread because my vet recommended an immune booster. Mine have a chronic viral infection of some kind that causes coughing sneezing and runny eyes and nose, stomatitis, and Susan has colitis. They had giardia for the first 8 months I had them and their immune systems are having a hard time recovering. Vet says Susan might lose her teeth, and is hoping immune boosters can help her fight it off.

Sophie

Since I am new to the world of a cat person, excuse my dumbness. I thought there was a vaccine against this disease? Is this Lactoferrin you speak of something you give to cats as a added bonus?

~donna 

Franciscan said:

 
Since I am new to the world of a cat person, excuse my dumbness. I thought there was a vaccine against this disease? Is this Lactoferrin you speak of something you give to cats as a added bonus?

~donna 

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There is a vaccine but in some cases it may not always be effective.

My little FHV guy, about 4.5 years old, was vaccinated along with his sister when they were kittens, however, at about 1.5 years old started presenting symptoms. He has chronic FHV although his symptoms have improved with diet and lysine.

I'd like to try this lactoferrin as well, it's on my list.

I was pointed in this direction, I happily soak up all info, but not sure my cat fits this in particular. He has cysts in his ears,  being tested as we speak. I can say that he has had upper respiratory issues in the past.

Has anyone dealing with stubborn herpes infections had cysts in the cat's ears? 

The only experience I had with cysts in cats' ears was with two brothers who were turned into the humane society about a year ago.  One actually had a "cauliflower ear" from having scratched it so badly in the past.  Both of them had inflamed itchy ears with lumps from scratching.  Just by luck, I was reading a thread on here about FOOD ALLERGIES and how they can manifest in the ears.  The vets had never been able to do anything for these cats and the owners got divorced and gave them to us (nobody wanted custody).  I had them in our Petco adoption area so it was easy to put them on a special diet.  I put them on totally grain-free foods, both wet and dry, and within a week or so they stopped scratching and the redness went out of their ears.  They went to a foster home and were eventually adopted by the foster family, who kept them on grain-free diet and the ears were never a problem again.

I am not saying your cat's ear problems are the same as these two brothers, but you might try a grain free diet -- it couldn't hurt and might actually help.  There's nothing to lose by trying it.  Most cats who have allergies react to corn, wheat and/or soy, but of course some are allergic to chicken, to carageenan, to other things in the food, so we were lucky, these boys were allergic to one of the grains so it worked.

If you try this and it works, be sure to come back and let us know -- and if it makes no difference, let us know that too.  We are always trying to learn here!

Red Top Rescue, I just took this pic, it shows the stitch from where a cyst was taken for biopsy. Do you remember if the cysts in your boys looked like this?

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/...sh clouds Belle Zeus ears 013_zpsayzfm7de.jpg

Here is the link to my thread about it here. http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/posts/by_user/id/90460

Have Oliver on Lysine 250 mg twice a day in treat form, and Lactoferrin 125 mg twice a day mixed in with wet food and a small amount of salmon oil; in addition to the Famciclovir. Will see if this helps to clear up the weeping eyes and clogged nose.