Do Sick Cats Really Need Immunomodulator?

[Rani624]

Recently I've lost my cats to panleukopenia. Before that, one of them got a chance to get checked at a vet and the vet gave me antibiotics and a bottle of immunomodulator. I got curious about what's immunomodulator and found out it's to help support immune system to fight threats. It works like allergen so the immune system will fight it and the immune will get stronger.

But then an article a vet wrote in 2016 appeared on my search results. On that article, he said he doesn't give immunomodulator to his sick patients because it actually kind of slowing down their healing progress. Their immune system was already busy fighting the actual sickness, giving the patients immunomodulator would just means the immune system will "unnecessarily fight extra against the medicine." (Maybe like before it's just a fight of 1 on 1, but because of the immunomodulator it becomes a 1 on 2)

The article stated it's not an actual, professional research and just his own thought based on various information and research journals but I can see the logic. My question is, is it really necessary to give immunomodulator to sick cats? Does the "research" actually have some truth?

 

[Heart For Cats]

I searched "immunomodulator for sick cats" on Google and did not see panleukopenia in any of the search result titles. Apparently, it is for treating FLV, FIV, and FIP because they compromise the immune system. Whatever research that vet wrote about is probably invalid.

 

[fionasmom]

There are two types of immunomodulators: immunosuppresants and immunostimulants. The first kind would be used if an animal, or human, needed to have his immune system controlled as in the case of someone with an autoimmune disease like rheumatoid arthritis, IBD, or MS. Immunostimulants ramp up the immune system so that it can fight a disease. It sounds like you were given a medication that fits the second description. Giving an immunostimulant to someone with an auto immune condition could cause their body to react in a way that would not be good for them. This applies to animals as well.

Immune-deficiency Diseases in Cats - Cat Owners - Merck Veterinary Manual

Panleukopenia is a failure of the immune system and therefore fits with the second class of drugs, if they were to be used.

I am not a vet and can't pretend to completely understand what the vet with no research meant, but I think it was his opinion only, something like you can make the immune system work too hard. Who knows if he is onto something or not? As for your last comment, he did not do "research" so it really is an opinion only.

I am sorry for the loss of your cats; you tried your best to help them.