sneezies

topic posted Thu, December 30, 2004 - 8:28 AM by 
clyde has been sneezing and sniffling lately.... I think he has a kitty cold. He is still eating and playing... but fusses to be picked p by anyone but me..... Does he need to go to the white coats? Or is this like a people cold that he just has to wait it out?
posted by:
  • Re: sneezies

    Thu, December 30, 2004 - 9:55 AM
    Most kitty flus are viral, so yeah, like human flus, there's not much one can do unless a secondary infection pops up that's bacterial. So if his eyes and nose aren't goopy and he's still eating, playing, grooming, peeing and pooping, just keep him comfortable, warm and well-fed.

    Adding some lysine to his food might help him get over it faster. Lysine is an amino acid, and one big group of viruses that cause the cat flu (herpesvirus) metabolize arginine (another amino acid). Lysine is an arginine "antagonist", so adding 500 mg a day works quite well because it basically deprives the viruses of their fuel and it doesn't do any harm to the cat. It also works well for human cold sores, which are caused by the same family of viruses. I've used lysine on both myself and my cats and it works like a charm. If you're interested, you can find lysine for fairly cheap at most grocery stores, it's usually in the vitamin section near where all the bodybuilding supplements are.
    • Re: sneezies

      Thu, December 30, 2004 - 2:04 PM
      he's also got watery eyes now. not goopy, they just look like he's been crying.
      • Re: sneezies

        Thu, December 30, 2004 - 3:36 PM
        he has been resting. When he's awake, he sneezes. His eyes are watery but there is no mucus....
        • Re: sneezies

          Fri, December 31, 2004 - 12:32 AM
          Sounds almost definitely like herpesvirus (calcivirus, the other major cause of cat flus, tends to hit the lower respiratory tract and/or cause mouth ulcers). As long as he's not goopy and stopped-up, just make sure he's still eating, playing, drinking and using the litterbox. If anything drastic happens (he stops eating, refuses to play, there's lots of mucus production, etc.) then bring him to the vet because that's usually a sign that secondary infection has set in and he might need some medications.
          • Re: sneezies

            Fri, December 31, 2004 - 10:11 AM
            He's breathing through his mouth more but not sneezing as much, but there's still no mucus or goopy excretions. How likely is Bonnie going to get it?
            • Re: sneezies

              Sat, January 1, 2005 - 9:46 AM
              ok, so yesterday clyde became really lethargic, he wasn't eating or drinking, was really hot, dehydrated, and was like a ragdoll when i picked him up. So I took him to the vet. He didn't even fight when i put him in the crate. He perked up a little at the vets. He was really dehydrated so they gave him subcutaneous fluids and his temp was over 104. He's feeling much much better today. Still slightly lethargic but he's eating, moving around more, and not hiding. The vet said bonnie will probably get it soon too.
              • Re: sneezies

                Sat, January 1, 2005 - 2:22 PM
                Cat flus, like people flus, are extremely contagious, so yeah, Bonnie is almost definitely going to get it. Like people flus, though, individual reactions will differ. Here's to hoping Bonnie doesn't get it quite as bad as Clyde did. And I hope Clyde is feeling better soon, too.
                • Re: sneezies

                  Sat, January 1, 2005 - 2:31 PM
                  He's eating and playing a little bit today with bonnie, so it seems like he's feeling better.
                  • This is the maximum depth. Additional responses will not be threaded.

                    Re: sneezies

                    Sat, January 1, 2005 - 2:49 PM
                    Oh good! That's a relief to hear. Go Clyde! Oh, and if Bonnie's appetite starts slowing down, you can help keep her hydrated by syringing 4 to 5 cc's of water or unflavored Pedialyte into her every few hours. But definitely take her to the vet if she gets very lethargic or quits eating, of course.

Recent topics in "Feline Nutrition"