URI's

[bonzii7]

Could someone tell me if URI's in cats can clear up all by themselves, or do they need antibiotics to get better? I have one kitty on antibiotics right now but my other kitties are starting the show symptoms. If my first kitty gets better, can my other kitties reinfect him? Thanks for any of the info you can give me.

 

[hissy]

They need antibiotics, they need all of the dosage even after they look like they are getting better. If I have several that are ill, I put them all in the same room, and I have a different eye dropper for each of them to help stop the spread of re-infection. I pour the medicine out on something besides the bottle (to again stop reinfection) and go from there. I also use Grapefruit Seed Extract for my cats, drop some in their canned food and their water. This has really helped stop URI in this multi-cat household.

 

[jenluckenbach]

I do not want to appear to be competing in the "smarts" department, but in my house I do not ALWAYS put them on antibiotics. If you BEGIN an routine of medicine, though, you do need to do the ENTIRE dose. But sometimes it really IS just a cold, like us humans get, and they sleep it off in a few days. It is a matter of degree. Also take into concideration the age ofe the cat. Very young or very old should be treated more carefully than your average healthy adult.

This is just MY opinion.

 

[rfox]

thats what I was kind of wondering. if a healthy cat starts to sneeze and you suspect its a cold, do you need to see the vet right away? or do you take it as it comes, like gauging a child for a cold. when Amber had a bout with sneezes I waited for a few days to see if she got better. when she didnt (though the frequency died down) I took her in and got some clavamox drops. the next day, after only the first dose, no more sneezing. I continued with the drops and her cold cleared up. can the drops work that fast, or was it only a matter of time? this would only include healthy cats with no prior medical history.