Feline Herpes

[creiswitz]

Hi everyone!

We brought in two new kittens in August that had URI's previously. They both have really runny eyes since we got them. Well, since then our two adult kitties have back and forth traded a hoarse meow, and now our big kitty has some kind of infection in his eye. I am taking him alone to the vet in a few hours to get his eye looked at.

Does this sound like Feline herpes? The kittens have not been able to kick the runny eyes or wheezy breathing. We started them all on Lysine about a month ago but it has not seemed to help. I'm curious if it IS Feline Herpes how they go about detecting it and will we need to bring ALL four in before treatment?

Thank you, attached above is a picture of all the babies.

 

[Graceful-Lily]

I have a cat with herpes. The vet tested her for FIV and when the test came back negative, the vet said it had to be herpes. We started her on Lysine but it was pretty useless. She also got antibiotics for her runny eyes but that did nothing also. I realized that her flare ups are linked to her stress level. So as long as she is happy and content, her eyes hardly run if any at all. However, she doesn't really wheeze so I'm not sure if that can be caused my herpes or not. The vet also told me that eventually, all my other cats will get it and there isn't anything I can do about it so I don't let it bother me anymore. It is what it is. In the time I've had my cat with herpes, I also realized that her diet plays a role in her flare ups. As long as she is fed a quality wet food, her eyes don't run. But when I opt for the more cheaper type of foods, her eyes swell up and run a lot. Might just be allergies though so I don't know.

 

[creiswitz]

Thank you so much for the reply. I think our cats all have URI's and I am thinking they are being caused by the feline herpes because they are not going away. This is why my kitten is wheezing. What do you feed your babies??

 

[stephanietx]

First of all, let me say that your crew is gorgeous!!

Feline herpes is not contagious. Most cats have been exposed to it, though. Many times it manifests as an upper respiratory infection, but can also show up as eye problems such as eye ulcers. Overall, it weakens a kitty's immune system and it takes longer for a kitty to recover. Stress can cause a herpes flare up, if your kitty is FHV+, but it can also cause urinary tract infections and a weakened immune system so that your kitty is more prone to other infections.

The symptoms you're describing sound a lot like allergies--runny nose, runny eyes and itchy ears/eyes. We deal with both herpes and airborne allergies with my herpes kitty. Is your weather changing? That could be the culprit. Talk to your vet about a daily antihistamine for your kitties. (We give 1/4 to 1/2 Claritin to our crew once a day.)

Wheezing can be a symptom of severe upper respiratory infection or asthma. (I also have an astmatic kitty.) That can be diagnosed with a good exam and an x-ray. Depending on severity, treatment can be as needed or daily, depending on the kitty.

Since you have a multi-cat home, I'd suggest running Comfort Zone or Feliway diffusers 24/7 and see if that helps de-stress things and helps their systems calm down. Stick to a routine for feeding and coming/going, even on days you're not at work. Feed a good high protein, meat only (grain-free) wet food and supplement with small snack size servings of grain-free dry food. Cats are carnivores and don't need most of the fillers in most food. Sometimes cats are allergic to chicken and fish in canned foods, so try turkey, venison, rabbit, or duck.

 

[creiswitz]

Thank you for your detailed response! The kittens have had eye issues since they were born, a couple of their siblings actually lost eyes. The weather is changing, but we never have the house open so I'm not sure if this would effect them?

I am taking big kitty in today to get his eye looked at then plan to get the little ones checked up to see what's going on.

 

[stephanietx]

Dust and allergens can enter your home when you come in. Allergens are on your clothes from being outside. If your home is not airtight, they can come in around door frames and things like that. My cats never go outside and we don't open the windows often because hubby has severe allergies, and we still have the weepy eyes and sneezing from my girl. It's really kind of crazy. It could also be litter dust bothering them or any kind of air freshener you spray in your home, candles you burn, or any carpet freshener.

 

[Graceful-Lily]

First of all, let me say that your crew is gorgeous!!

Feline herpes is not contagious. Most cats have been exposed to it, though. Many times it manifests as an upper respiratory infection, but can also show up as eye problems such as eye ulcers. Overall, it weakens a kitty's immune system and it takes longer for a kitty to recover. Stress can cause a herpes flare up, if your kitty is FHV+, but it can also cause urinary tract infections and a weakened immune system so that your kitty is more prone to other infections.

The symptoms you're describing sound a lot like allergies--runny nose, runny eyes and itchy ears/eyes. We deal with both herpes and airborne allergies with my herpes kitty. Is your weather changing? That could be the culprit. Talk to your vet about a daily antihistamine for your kitties. (We give 1/4 to 1/2 Claritin to our crew once a day.)

Wheezing can be a symptom of severe upper respiratory infection or asthma. (I also have an astmatic kitty.) That can be diagnosed with a good exam and an x-ray. Depending on severity, treatment can be as needed or daily, depending on the kitty.

Since you have a multi-cat home, I'd suggest running Comfort Zone or Feliway diffusers 24/7 and see if that helps de-stress things and helps their systems calm down. Stick to a routine for feeding and coming/going, even on days you're not at work. Feed a good high protein, meat only (grain-free) wet food and supplement with small snack size servings of grain-free dry food. Cats are carnivores and don't need most of the fillers in most food. Sometimes cats are allergic to chicken and fish in canned foods, so try turkey, venison, rabbit, or duck.

Could you explain what you mean by it not being contagious? Why would my vet tell me that my other cats would show symptoms as well?

 

[stephanietx]

The feline herpes virus is not contagious. It cannot be spread to other kitties and herpes positive kitties don't need to be quarantined from other kitties. Secondary infections such as URIs can be contagious, but most kitties don't catch it unless there is a stressful environment, lowered immunity from another issue, or the kitty has herpes, but it is mild and unknown. My oldest kitty and longest resident who is 15 is my herpes positive kitty. We have added 3 additional cats to our home in the 15 years we've had her and none have ever caught an URI from her, even with her at her worst and most severe.

 

[Graceful-Lily]

That's surprising to hear since everyone has told me that it is contagious and even a quick Google search says the same. Thank you for letting me know.

 

[stephanietx]

The herpes virus is more likely to be found in kitties who have been under a lot of stress, malnourished, and then put in crowded shelters. It's an autoimmune disease in kitties. It does not go away, but can become dormant in some kitties with proper treatment. Other kitties can be exposed, but not show any symptoms until put into a very stressful situation such as a move, change in living environment (someone moves in or out), change in routine, or a new cat is added to the home. The herpes kitty is more likely to get sick, but other kitties in the household may not. Herpes kitties can also take longer to recover from "normal" illnesses such as an upper respiratory infection. Most kitties can recover with a 14-day round of antibiotics, but it can take 21-28 days for a herpes kitty to recover. That's why it's so important to boost immune system and keep to a routine. Also, vaccines aren't necessarily a good option for your kitty since your kitty already has a compromised immune system. Talk to your vet about skipping vaccines or doing a titer to see if antibodies are present and then vaccinating.

 

[KatherineE]

I’ll be honest that every source I’ve ever consulted have emphasized that feline herpes is highly contagious. I’m confused by statements to the contrary.

 

[stephanietx]

It's contagious if cats are in stressed situations, malnourished, or already immunocompromised. The upper respiratory infections that are common with herpes kitties can be contagious, but if you are in a household with other kitties who are healthy, they are less likely to contract herpes, but can get the upper respiratory infection. As I mentioned earlier, I have 4 cats in my home. One has feline herpes. When her herpes flares and she gets sick, none of my other kitties get sick.

 

[creiswitz]

Hi there, after the vet appt yesterday, they have said all of our kitties have feline herpes. We are bringing the two kittens in saturday and I am not realizing that I think the one kitten has Asthma. I did not realize it was a thing until you mentioned it. He has wheezy breathing sometimes and then occasionally he will have a coughing fit that I thought was hairball but now I am realizing it is probably the asthma attack. Weirdly I have asthma so I have faced similar things. What do you do for treatment?

 

[Graceful-Lily]

In terms of treatment, the vet said there wasn't much I could do so I just try to manage Fayola's stress as much as possible. I hope you will find something that works for you however. But just for us, this is what is working right now. Her eyes have been clear for several weeks.

 

[white shadow]

.
Hi creiswitz !

L-lysine is the acknowledged 'go-to' to control feline herpesvirus...........

You wrote this above

We started them all on Lysine about a month ago but it has not seemed to help.​

Do you remember the dosing you used....how much & how often ?
.

 

[KatherineE]

One of my cats had a herpes flare recently. He just would not get better. Then the kitten got sick. Both received an oral antiviral called Famciclovir that seemed to really help. Something to think about if their illness lingers and/or flares.

 

[creiswitz]

So we use 500mg a day per cat. This is also what the vet recommended. What do you think of that dosage?

 

[She's a witch]

Have your other kitties been vaccinated for FHV? That’s standard vaccine. If so, even if they got this virus from the kittens, the symptoms should be minimal. It’s also possible that it’s some sort of bacterial infection. To know, it’s worthwhile to test them via PCR Respiratory Panel that will show what’s your dealing with. Unfortunately the false negative is possible when it comes to Herpes, but it’s reliable test for other sources of URI. It’s expensive so it’s be best to test one cat first imo.

as for asthma, It’s important to diagnose him through X-ray and other tools (mainly ruling out other causes of coughing), as feline asthma is one of the most misdiagnosed conditions in cats. If that’s indeed asthma, your cat needs steroids to manage the inflammation and symptoms. Inhaled steroids have the least side effects and are the safest option.

 

[stephanietx]

Hi there, after the vet appt yesterday, they have said all of our kitties have feline herpes. We are bringing the two kittens in saturday and I am not realizing that I think the one kitten has Asthma. I did not realize it was a thing until you mentioned it. He has wheezy breathing sometimes and then occasionally he will have a coughing fit that I thought was hairball but now I am realizing it is probably the asthma attack. Weirdly I have asthma so I have faced similar things. What do you do for treatment?

My asthma kitties are both mild cases. They get a steroid shot (methylprednisolone) once or twice a year. My male kitty can no longer tolerate the shots, so he gets the pill form of prednisone as needed.