posted on March 28, 2001 03:41:31 PM new
I'm posing this question to anyone who has ever had a cat.
I've taken my 3 year old cat to 2 vets...each ended with the same results.
If you have exprienced this problem PLEASE let me know how you solved the situation.
---She started sneezing, then her nose started running. She seemed to be getting the chills and laying around the alot.
The first vet said she had the start of pneumonia-he gave her antibiotics but since he didn't weigh her the dose was to low so it didn't do much.
The second vet said she had a respitory infection--He put her on a double dose of antibiotics. She took the meds for 2 weeks and I took her back to the vet and he said she was all better.
Guess what!?! 3 weeks later the runny nose and sneezing returned. I thought it was an allergy so I tried Benedryl(as suggested by the first vet after his antibiotics didn't work)--but the dose he told me(25 mg)almost killed her(seems they should only have 8 mg)so now I'm afraid to give it to her.
Sorry to write a book but I'm REALLY worried about her and the vets around here don't seem to have a clue.
(No exposure to feline aids or leukemia)
Thanks for any help offered
posted on March 28, 2001 04:12:06 PM new
Hi !! I have been a emergency Vet Tech. and a general practice Vet Tech for 10 YRS. This is not a big problem. If she has not been exposed, I think that she has a upper resp. Inf. Just for info, the dose for diphenhydramine is 1mg./per lb. You way overdosed your baby the first time. I do not know where you got the dosage from but, I would change Vet's Immediatly. Like I said, I have work with these people for 10 yrs. Sounds like you have a bad one on your hands (Vet). I have seen this alot. Can I ask, where do you live? A simple dose of amoxicillin liquid should fix your animal! If you have anymore questions please email me at [email protected], I will be glad to help. As you said, weight is a factor in meds. for animals.
posted on March 28, 2001 04:13:21 PM new
Oh, zkatt, I'm sorry your kitty is sick.
I'd think that if the antibiotics initially helped and the sneezing didn't return for 3 weeks then it's probably not an allergy. Antibiotics wouldn't affect an allergy, only a bacterial infection.
Did she take the entire course of antibiotics the second time? It sounds like she did if she took them for two weeks. Discontinuing antibiotics before the entire course is finished could cause the infection to return. If it's a strong enough strain I suppose it could return even if the whole antibiotic course is taken, though I'm not a doctor so I can't say for sure.
Is there another vet in your area you can take her to? Go to the next (big) town if you have to. Get recommendations from others about who is good.
It doesn't sound right at all to give Benadryl to a cat! I could be wrong, but that sounds scary to me. Isn't Benadryl cough medicine??
posted on March 28, 2001 04:25:49 PM new
She did miss a one pill here and there(she was taking 4 a day)....Sometimes after I'd get one in her she would hide until I went to bed(Out of 14 days of 4 a day she missed 3 at the most). I ttok her for a follow up visit after the 14 days---they listened to her and said she was fine.
I've had several vets tell me Benedryl was okay for cats.
posted on March 28, 2001 04:48:37 PM new
Well then, listen to gordi and not to me. I'm no vet tech... just a kitty owner. And I've learned something new today about the Benadryl!
Maybe your cat just needs another course of antibiotics, the liquid gordi recommended? I'm betting that's the "pink stuff" I was given for my cat after she got an abscess. It's actually a little easier to administer than pills since it comes with an eyedropper which you just stick down the cat's throat (they don't like that much, but it works).
How bad is her sneezing? One of my kitties was sneezing a while back but it went away without medication.
posted on March 28, 2001 05:03:38 PM new
Hi zkatt. I can't offer advice, but I sure hope your kitty gets well.
I don't know what we'll do if our Stormie Girl ever gets sick. We have to slip her valum (about 1mg crushed in some can food) just to take her to the vet for a check up. She is a real panic, and slippery as an eel. I can't even imagine having to give her meds of any kind.
I use to have to give Ranger (rest his hairy soul) pills for his asthma. He tolerated me shoving those pills down his throat very well. He got to where he wouldn't even run off when I was done. He would just glare at me for a second, then eat his treat.
[ edited by Meya on Mar 28, 2001 05:04 PM ]
posted on March 28, 2001 06:16:33 PM new
I'm no vet or vet tech, just the responsible human of two honkin' big felines.
I've never tried Benadryl for cats. Some years back, my vet prescribed Clavamox (icky pink liquid antibiotic) plus an antihistamine for my then 16 year old cat, who had a severe upper respiratory infection. The dosage for the antihistamine was a half of a tablet, twice a day for ten days.
The antihistamine was a small yellow pill that looked oddly familiar when I opened the little envelope at home. I realized that it was chlorpheniramine maleate (generic Chlor-Trimeton), which I've used myself on occasion!
I followed the vet's instructions with both drugs and my cat improved. Ever since, I've kept chlorpheniramine maleate tabs around for the cats. At the local discount drug store, it's about $5 for a bottle of 100 tabs (as opposed to my vet's charge of $5 for ten tabs).
I have since successfully used it for my other cats when they've had cold or allergy symptoms. I've stuck with the original dose my vet had recommended (half a tab, 2 mg., twice a day), figuring that if it was okay for a 16 year old who weighed six pounds, it should be okay for younger/larger cats. Neither of my current cats has had a problem with it, and both have gotten relief from sneezing, runny nose, and watery eyes.
Hope this helps and that your cat's feeling better soon!
posted on March 28, 2001 06:40:41 PM new
tabbs, same way other species do - sexual contact, bites from an infected cat, or possibly being infected by the mother during birth.
A cat can live for years with FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) but once it goes active into feline AIDS there isn't much that can be done.
I lost my cat to feline AIDS about two years ago.
By the way - it's a different virus from HIV. People can't get it from cats, nor can dogs - only other cats.
--------
SilkMoth only on the message boards
posted on March 28, 2001 10:48:52 PM newzkatt, I'm glad gordi could help you! Good luck and let us know the results.
I have a cat with FIV. He was tested about 4 years ago and so far (knock on wood) he's fine. He was our apartment complex wandering tomcat. The neighbors said he used to be an indoor cat that lived across the street. But he was outside the whole time we lived there, 3 years. When we moved, even though we already had 3 of our own, we took him with us not knowing about his disease. He was too neat of a cat to leave in that environment. My guess is the owner found out about the FIV and threw him out to fend for himself, thereby risking every other cat in the neighborhood with exposure.
We were devastated when we found out. We agonized over the decision on whether to keep him or not, and risk our other kitties getting it. Well, we kept him. We figured they're all spayed/neutered and they don't fight, so there's a low risk of spreading unlike the lukemia. Our other kitties are fine and he's one happy cat now! He has no urge to go outside, he's happy and content to stay right where he is. His nickname now is Happy Cat
Sorry for derailing, I just wanted to give some info on FIV! Thanks for listening
posted on March 29, 2001 06:00:10 AM new
Benadryl really is ok for animals. Our Weimaraner has allergies in the fall, to some weed around west Texas. The first time, we thought he had ezcema and took him to the vet, the same vet we'd used for years.
He charged over 100 dollars to give Merlin a series of steroids. He also told us this was not good for dogs, and could only be done twice. Then we'd have to decide on expensive allergy tests or putting our baby down!?!?
My son is working his way through college in a human allergy clinic. He told us that his doctor routinely treats his dogs with benadryl, and so did several of his patients.
It works! No skin rash, runny eyes, or vet bills. Treat your cat just like a human. Get a second opinion. Vets are fallible, too. Hope your kitty gets better soon!
posted on March 29, 2001 04:50:35 PM new
Hi all!!
Thanks for your comments and kind words.
I took her in today and they did a complete panel and put her back on antibiotics. I won't get the results back until Monday(possibly tomm...). He is pretty sure its not an allergy. I guess the panel will tell(I hope).
Hippy wannabe 
~^~