New kitty mom NERVOUS~eye/possible URI

[chestersmommy]

I adopted Chester, my first cat, a week and 5 days ago, on a Saturday. He's about a year old and was super playful. When I got him, one of his eyes is smaller and all black, the other a normal amber cat eye. The "shelter" said he was born w that eye open, causing the discoloration, but his vision was fine. Monday, that eye was squinting and watering. I called the vet that treated him prior to him going from the rescue to the Petsmart where I got him. She said the eye "problem" was actually due to a scar and he could get ulcers. She actually pulled him out of the euthanasia line, as the rescue was going to have him euthanized due to the eye. She recommended a sinus pill she'd been giving him. I gave those to him for 2 days with no improvement and noticed sneezing. I took him to our vet. She said that the eye coloration was simply due to a large pupil. (3rd story of the adorable weird eye.) Anyway, she gave him Neo/Poly/Dexa eye drops. I've been giving him these 3 times daily for a week, with little improvement. I've continued the sinus meds and added 500mg of Lysine daily. Since yesterday, he's been very lethargic. No playing. I've made an appointment for a recheck at the vet for Saturday as it's the next time I'm off and they're open at the same time. However, being a first time mom, I'm almost wanting to go to an emergency vet. The problem is, I'm very low on funds after adoption fees, lots of toys, treats, and of course the last vet visit. The recheck will only be $25. Who knows about emergency vet. So.....as long as he's eating and drinking, will it be ok to wait another 36 hours to get him to the vet? I'm thinking he needs either an oral
antibiotic, or this is a bad herpes flare up that's just not going away? And I've called a few different vets for advice and gotten everything from "it takes 7-10 days for the meds to work" to "get him right to the vet." I just don't know.

 

[chestersmommy]

Also....it's spread to the other eye.

 

[chestersmommy]

IMG_20140223_101951.jpg

• chestersmommy
• Mar 6, 2014

 

[stephanietx]

He is so beautiful!  I'm so sorry this experience with the eye and all is happening, but unfortunately, it's very, very, very common for new kitties to get eye infections and/or upper respiratory infections 10-14 days after coming home to their furrever home.  The stress of being in a new home with new sounds, smells, routines, and people is the root cause in most cases.  Good for you for watching him and catching this before it escalates.

The best thing to do is to get him to the vet for a check up.  You can take him to the vet who's familiar with him or you can take him to your own vet, if you have one.  He most likely will need an antibiotic, but it's best for the vet to check him out.  It's also most likely that he has feline herpes.  You can go ahead and treat him as if he does, or you can spend the money to have him tested if you like. 

You most likely should add L-Lsyine to his diet permanently to help with the eye problem.  The maintenance dose is 500mg a day, or 250mg twice a day.  The flare up dose (like now) is 1000mg a day or 500mg twice daily.  For the lysine to be effective, it's important for it to stay in the kitty's system.  Since it's an amino acid, it's secreted out of the body with the kitty urinates.  Hence, the twice a day dose.  You can buy Lysine tablets or capsules at the store.  If you get the tablets, just crush between two spoons, mix into canned food or a small serving of plain meat baby food.  If you can find capsules, just open the capsule and sprinkle the contents over canned food, mix and serve.  I use the powdered variety from either VitaCost or NOW and it's so much easier than the tablets.  Just 1/4 teaspoon is a little under 500mg, so I give a heaping 1/4 t twice daily.

 

[chestersmommy]

Thank you so much for the advice. I've only been doing 500mg once daily, so I'll up that until the flare up goes away, then go back down the 250mg 2x daily. I was most concerned tonight with the lethargy, so I was fearful of dehydration first and foremost. I went and got a syringe, and gave him 6 syringes full of water, and he's really come back to life quite a bit. My daughter will be sure to watch his fluid intake tomorrow, and give him syringes full if needed. I feel much better now waiting until Saturday to take him to his vet instead of spending a ton at the emergency clinic.

Again, thanks for the response. Just some encouragement that I've done right so far and that this is not an uncommon problem has made me feel much better. I was never a cat person until I walked by this little guy, and he started reaching for me through the glass. I saw him, and my heart was IMMEDIATELY HIS. I'm absolutely in love, as I'm sure you are with your babies.

 

[stephanietx]

To test for dehydration, you pull up the skin on the back of the neck (the scruff).  If it snaps back down, then he's hydrated.  If it stays up like a teepee, then he's dehydrated.  You can also give him plain pedialyte (found in the baby section) to help with his hydration, especially if he's not eating as much as normal. 

How's he doing today?  Did you get a vet visit for Saturday?

 

[chestersmommy]

I just got home from the vet. After increasing the Lysine to 1000mg yesterday, he started coming back to life late last night. He was drinking on his own this morning. Was wondering around being curious in the vet office. So, yes. He's much better. She changed his eye drops to Tobramycin and told me to give him 50-100mg of amoxicillin every 12 hours for 2 weeks.

Thanks so much for checking in on him. I'll keep you posted.

 

[stephanietx]

Good job!  Sounds like the vet has given him some good meds and I really hope you see more improvement each day.  Look for those "baby steps" for him feeling better, as you've mentioned.  Interested in surroundings, grooming more appropriately, eating/drinking on own, increased appetite, and wanting to play.  I think you'll have your normal kitty back soon and you can continue getting to know each other better.

 

[chestersmommy]

Thanks. After all the holding him down, putting pills in his mouth, drops in his eyes, cleaning crust off his eyes, and just plain over "mommy-ing" I've done, he may be sick of me by the time this is over. Poor little guy.

 

[stephanietx]

Give him a treat before and after you medicate him.  My kitties like a small bite of cheese.  (They're not spoiled at all!)

 

[chestersmommy]

So happy to report that Chester seems to be making a full recovery. He has been a real character today...getting into all kinds of trouble. I wish she (the vet) would have started him on oral antibiotics sooner. Maybe we could have averted that awful period where I was afraid he was going to die on me.

Day 2 of antibiotics, and he's climbing walls, literally. Lol. 12 days to go.

 

[stephanietx]

It's better for the kitty to try and let the body heal itself, but sometimes that doesn't work so great and antibiotics are needed.  Azithromycin is a powerful antibiotic, so it's no wonder he's already feeling better.  Glad for the positive report!