- Joined
- Mar 14, 2016
- Messages
- 3
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Hi Cat Lovers!
I'm new to these forums and I am desperate for any advice for my 17-year-old cat named Mama Kitty. She's had a bit of a cough for a couple of years. Not bad, just a little coughing episode 2-3 times a week. Until a couple of months ago. The cough left and her nose became stuffed up. She doesn't enjoy mouth breathing so her stress level goes extremely high and she becomes buggy-eyed with large pupils and paces and yowls, even though she can't breath! She's been in to the vet 4 times in the last 2 months. She's had 2 cortisone shots that work wonders for a week, and then it comes back. At one point we had to force feed her because she was refusing food. Tried prednisone tabs, but that makes her really crazy and panicky. My vet wanted to sedate her and do x-rays, she thinks it may be a nasal polyp or tumor. I don't like the idea of sedating her, and if it is a polyp or tumor there isn't anything we can do for her. So now that her cortisone has worn off from 12 days ago, my vet suggested us going to a specialist (which I can't afford) or putting her to sleep. I'm thinking I'm not going to give up on her yet, even though she was very upset all night and is pretty stressed out today. She's drinking water and is eating a little, but is extremely finicky. I bought some Zyrtec and thought I'd try that route before throwing in the towel. I'm going to have to force it down her, and I was thinking 5mg 2x a day. She's 10 pounds. I did research online and that seems to be the standard dose. My question is (sorry for the long build up to it) how long does it usually take for Zyrtec (Cetirizine) to start working? Not sure how long I should wait and watch my girl go through this nasal torture before I make other decisions for her.
Thank you for reading my story!
Blessings...
Cheryl
I'm new to these forums and I am desperate for any advice for my 17-year-old cat named Mama Kitty. She's had a bit of a cough for a couple of years. Not bad, just a little coughing episode 2-3 times a week. Until a couple of months ago. The cough left and her nose became stuffed up. She doesn't enjoy mouth breathing so her stress level goes extremely high and she becomes buggy-eyed with large pupils and paces and yowls, even though she can't breath! She's been in to the vet 4 times in the last 2 months. She's had 2 cortisone shots that work wonders for a week, and then it comes back. At one point we had to force feed her because she was refusing food. Tried prednisone tabs, but that makes her really crazy and panicky. My vet wanted to sedate her and do x-rays, she thinks it may be a nasal polyp or tumor. I don't like the idea of sedating her, and if it is a polyp or tumor there isn't anything we can do for her. So now that her cortisone has worn off from 12 days ago, my vet suggested us going to a specialist (which I can't afford) or putting her to sleep. I'm thinking I'm not going to give up on her yet, even though she was very upset all night and is pretty stressed out today. She's drinking water and is eating a little, but is extremely finicky. I bought some Zyrtec and thought I'd try that route before throwing in the towel. I'm going to have to force it down her, and I was thinking 5mg 2x a day. She's 10 pounds. I did research online and that seems to be the standard dose. My question is (sorry for the long build up to it) how long does it usually take for Zyrtec (Cetirizine) to start working? Not sure how long I should wait and watch my girl go through this nasal torture before I make other decisions for her.
Thank you for reading my story!
Blessings...
Cheryl