L-Lysine questions please.....

[ncaughneeto]

I like to make my own cat treats at home and want to add l-lysine to them but do not know if the temperatures in the oven would destroy the L lysine. Does anybody know or have any advice?

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

I like to make my own cat treats at home and want to add l-lysine to them but do not know if the temperatures in the oven would destroy the L lysine. Does anybody know or have any advice?

You might need to contact whatever company you are buying the L-Lysine from and ask them than question

 

[barbarag42]

I'm glad to see this discussion about L-Lysine, I've got two 6 month olds that haven't really exhibited severe symptoms of Herpes flair ups but they do occasionally get the sneezes, six or seven in quick succession. I asked the vet and she said L-lysine was fine. I grind a 500mg tablet between 2 large spoons and sprinkle it on their dry food. I don't worry too much about whether they get it all because I know eventually they will and this way all 3 cats (the kittens and the adult) get the benefit. Because L-lysine is an amino acid I don't think it's going to hurt them unless 1 cat consumes a huge amount like the equivalent of one or two tablets.

 

[babydaisy]

Also, please try lactoferrin. Only when sick. One capsule opened into one teaspoon of can wet cat food mixed with a teaspoon of bottled water three times a day. Google lactoferrin for cats, don't rake my wird for it. Saved my cat's life four times.

 

[babydaisy]

Using my phone... please ignore typos, no edit here. Should of read: word not wird

 

[molly92]

The science behind using lysine to treat URIs is pretty cool. Herpes simplex is easily contracted and can cause flare-ups of URIs in cats. The herpes virus uses arginine, another amino acid, to build itself, however lysine is very similar in properties and shape to arginine, and if there is a lot more lysine floating around than arginine, the lysine will be used instead and then the virus can't function! So, the more lysine there is, the less effective the virus will be when it decides to replicate, which is why keeping cats on a maintenance does is really helpful. It's the same principle with human herpes, so lysine can reduce the severity of cold sores. You can buy human-targeted lysine powder in bulk and use that for your cats and it's pretty inexpensive.

(When my foster kitten got a URI the vet did put him on an antibiotic because his immune system had been through a lot recently and she didn't want to risk him developing a bacterial infection, so apparently even though the antibiotics don't target the herpes, they may be a good idea in some cases.)

 

[jag007]

I could be wrong  BUT dont think so- an infected feline WILL NEVER BE CURED OF HERPES-that is 3 different vet's opinions- & they're accurate because the infection can lay dorrnant for years- If you stop giving l-lysine it will only encourage an outbreak- Presci has been outbreak free for over 2 years since she has been getting l-lysine sprinkled on her wet food twice daily-AND TWICE DAILY IS NECESSARY because being an arnino acid whatever is not usedup is elrniinated in urine so for it to stay in use it should be given twice daily

 

[jag007]

rsgreenjeans- THAT IS A GREAT QUOTE- EVRY LIFE SHOULD HAVE 9 CATS because right now I do-7 (2 boys & 5 girls) in the house & 2 in crawlspace under the kitchen

 

[tcsparky]

Are there any side effects from the Lysine? I've been giving my kitty 150 mg / 2x day ( he LOVES the maple syrup flavored gel!!) and he has been having diarrhea lately.  Could this be from the Lysine?

 

[valkyri]

Viralys vs Ensyl F...both products made by Vetoquinol corporation

How are the two different in respect to the treatment of feline herpes? Are they interchangeable? Is one better than the other for stubborn infections? Does one have a better or more effective active ingredient?

We have been using Ensyl but I just recently bit the bullet and purchased Viralys from Amazon hoping that it will work better. The Ensyl helped, significantly, but not as much as I hoped for.

I apologize if this has been asked and answered already. I haven't read the entire text of the thread. Thank you so much. Hugs. -V

 

[backwoodsvet]

Just want to get my two-cents worth in on using Lysine ( I use spring valley brand from walmart, 500 mg tablet that I crush up and mix in wet food )  I am currently treating many strays,  let me just use one strays story,  Bernie, I found him at about 2 months old with running eyes, rapid sneezing, and blood filled nasal discharge, bad shape to say the least,  knew I was dealing with FHV-type-I put him on 500mg lysine daily 250mg morning and 250mg in the evening, I noticed a difference the next day, in a couple days the flare up cleared completely and them I started giving him 250mg every morning weather he looked like he needed it or not, as long as I give him his daily lysine you'd never know he even has FHV,  but stop giving him lysine, he'll go right back to runny eyes, rapid sneezing and nasal discharge........If you have a cat that is going through these symtoms, please get them on Lysine.............P.S.  I've also found that Lysine works well on cuts from fighting on the strays that you can't touch, just mix it in their wet food.................

 

[mphscat]

Ok I am so frustrated. Has anyone read this article?

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4647294/

Now they're saying not only does it not help but could be detrimental . But I've read so many success stories!

Your thoughts? @stephenq ??

 

[valkyri]

My thoughts:

The study was exhausting to read. It compares a few studies that have been done, but the studies that they used were not entirely thorough or comprehensive. The testing was incomplete. The results seem to indicate using Lysine appears to be slowing the growth of kittens; also that the impact on controlling the cat’s virus seems to be negligible.

It even lists that (of the small amount of vets who answered their survey), 91% recommend Lysine for FHV.

I think Lysine is better for the virus than their findings indicate.

We all know about what we have heard about and read on these forums. It is called “anecdotal evidence.” That means that people tell stories about how it works, and the anecdotal evidence seems to indicate that it DOES help lessen the severity of symptoms in cat’s eyes and sinuses.

I would take this with a grain of salt. Witches used to be burned for relying on anecdotal evidence when using herbs for healing. Nowadays, you cannot get away from “holistic” therapies and cures. How about that old standby of chicken soup for a cold? What makes the use of Lysine any different?

I would say to use your best judgment. If your cat is struggling with FHV and homeopathic nasal remedies aren’t really working, or are not working WELL, add Lysine to the cat’s diet. Try it out. We use either Viralys or Ensyl-F.

My cat Peaches sneezes much less,  while the other cat, Charm, has better use of his one eye, because it reduces the inflammation of the third eyelid. It is more open.

Lysine is a good thing. Hugs. -V

 

[mphscat]

I agree with your conclusions. I was concerned to r ad that the state that usage would increase ammonia in the body but the studies did not seem complete to me either.

I have a 15 year old cat that has developed a URI that she hasn't been able to shake in 3 weeks. The vet has put her on an antibiotic to combat any secondary infections and Cerenia which they are finding is a good anti inflammatory in several areas. I bought a vaporizer that we use at night and I also have been putting her in a steamy bathroom twice a day.

The Viralys arrived today and I gave it to her with her evening meal. Her appetite is so so but she is eating several small meals throughout the day.

How long should it be before I see an improvement?

Thanks for the input!!!!

 

[valkyri]

.I am not an expert, just an owner of 10 kitties!

For a FHV, taking into account the correct doage according to the label, twice a day, I saw improvements immediately (second dose?), but significant improvements in about 3 days.

Good luck with your kitty, love. At 15 years old, with a URI.... that must be rough for both of you. Prayers coming your way. Hugs. -V

 

[kittens mom]

I like the Viralys gel because I can put it into my cats mouth and the gel melts. No spitting out. they hate the process but  know it's in them. I keep a tube in the house at all times even though I don't use it right now. When I did it took Amazon almost 10 days to ship it.

 

[valkyri]

It was a vet's office that initially gave us the Ensyl-F pump and a little needle-less (?) syringe and the syringe makes it easy to squirt the stuff into the cat's mouth. We bought Viralys gel next through Amazon and it is a big tube (like toothpaste) and there is no "delivery system". Our mostly blind cat (maybe 90% of hs eyesight is gone) doesn't eat wet food or human food so I have had to adapt by putting the amount on a popsicle stick and inserting it into his mouth. It is not fun for either of us, but it has become routine. If that make Viralys in a pump, I would buy that in a heartbeat.

Still waiting to hear if anyone knows whether one is better than the other....

 

[mphscat]

Following. I gave Maggie her second dose (powder) about 8am this morning. I put it in some slightly warmed up baby food and what she didn't lick I put on my finger and swabbed on her tongue so I know she got the full dosage. I may order the tube as well. I am curious to everyone's opinion on which brand and form is better (and the results may vary based on the cat itself...)

 

[kittens mom]

I don't know if one is better than the other. Always considering you are getting it from a source where the concentration in a dose is consistent. It's making sure it gets into them. My firs L liysine cme in a tube where you put it in the cats mouth dose adjusted on the pump. they spit it out fairly often. Because the Virilays melts on contact it's in.

 

[mphscat]

Well after the second dose she's come out of the bedroom several times to visit, her eye isn't leaking (it had started again last night) and her nose doesn't seem as stuffy (she's making less noise from her nose when she breathes). The vet had done an X-Ray and her chest is perfectly clear.

I did go online and buy the Viralys gel to see if I can get to her take that off my finger. That would be less stress for her, too.