Snotty kitties **UPDATED POST VET TRIP!

[sdshoars]

i am 99.9% sure your kittens have herpes. yes, herpes. my cat had it when i got her from the pound, and i saw it many many times when i interned at a vet clinic. it is a different strain, and cannot affect humans, but it can get pretty bad for the little guys. it can manifest itself as cold sympotoms and/ or a yucky eye infection. it also can reoccur, just like with humans. my cat had the cold symptoms when we got her, and 6 months later it was an eye infection. ask your vet for interferron. you will have to give 5 drops by mouth once a day for five days, off five days, and repeat for three total cycles. its not cheap, but it will make them feel and look a bajillion times better. i get a big bottle for 80 bucks, and when they are done with treatment, i freeze it, and i can use it the next time it flares up. good luck, and if you have any other questions you can pm me!!!

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

The vet tested for feline leukemia. Both came back negative. He also tested for all the other random things they test kitties for. All came back fine. They've been vaccinated for everything as well.

The first run and a half were the same antibiotic. They were on that for almost two weeks. Both improved some. The first antibiotic was pink in color. I have the name of it at home. They were due to go in for rabies shots and neutering. A couple of days before our appointment they started sneezing again. By the time I hauled them in they were both blowing green snot out of their noses. Neither one was running a fever. The vet sent them home with version two and I dosed them up again. They took that for another two weeks and showed immediate signs of improvement. They were off it for a couple of weeks before we went back for fixing. The day before we went in they started sneezing again. Clearly they did not want to be neutered. This time the vet went ahead and gave them the rabies shots and took care of their boy parts.

At no time in this process have they run a fever, gone off their food or acted sick. They rampage around the yard reaking havoc, much to the chickens' disgust. This morning neither one was wheezing or sneezing. The bigger one was doing both over the weekend. It just seems to come and go with no relationship to the weather or anything. Just one day they are sneezing and the next they are fine.

Could it be allergies? If it's viral, it seems like it would have gone away by now. Other than this they are healthy, active 6 month old kittens. I could understand re-infecting each other, but wouldn't the indoor cat have gotten it too by now. They tend to eyeball each other through the screen door and I cuddle with them when I'm outside. He surely has been exposed too. (And I was diligent when I first got them to change clothes when I reentered the house and I scrubbed my hands raw so as not to pass whatever it is on to my indoor kitty. As they got well I got less diligent and then the cycle began.)

I've never had outdoor cats before. They are a total joy, but I worry myself crazy over them (don't even get me started about them ranging near the road!). Should I try antibiotics again? I'm a big fan of saving the antibiotics for something big and not over-doing them. I just worry over the boys.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Ahhh.. hadn't thought of that. I wonder if I need to haul them back in or if he'd just give me the prescription and/or drugs.

(these free kittens have cost a fortune!)

 

[sdshoars]

yeah, like i said, with the herpes virus, it is reoccurant. i would just ask him for the rx, if he's nice he will. and DO be very careful, it is contagious, and your indoor kitty would get it. mainly secretions you have to worry about tho, if you dont get any snot/spit/eyegoo on you, you should be fine. also why your indoor kitty hasnt gotten it, they havent gotten secretions through your screen door (yet). i dont think its FL either, hence the negative test. would also explain why antibiotics didnt completely do the job.

my dad always said- there is no such thing as a free puppy!!!

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Great! Thanks!
I'll give him a call tomorrow and see if I can get the prescription.

Poor kitties!

 

[chickbea]

Quote:
Poor you as well - what a lot you have been through with these little ones!

 

[glowworm]

I wouldn't bother with more antibiotics right now. Antibiotics treat bacteria, not virus. The virus could be the main problem, lowering the kitties immune system, causing the secondary bacteria infection, which is why you see an improvement when they are on the antibiotic.

Another reason I think the main problem is a virus is because the indoor adult cat is fine with exposure. I'm guessing he is vaccinated for FVRCP? That would mean he would have immunity if it is herpes virus (which casues Rhinotracheitis).

Take the kitties back to the vet if they get worse....lethargic, not eating/drinking, fever, not playful, etc. I'm guessing you were on Clavamox (the pink stuff) the first time, get the vet to try a different antitbiotic, because bacteria can build up a tolerance for antibiotics ( especially since you only were able to do a half-cycle that one time).

If you can afford the interferon it is worth it. It used to be just a human drug to help with virus and cancer.

 

[sdshoars]

but you are a good kitty mommy!

 

[lorieMN]

the pink stuff in a bottle with a dropper is amoxicillian..it wont work for this,myself I would give them a couple rounds of shots of duo-pen,I have never had good luck with the pink stuff,just seems to drag it on forever..I give them shots with a small needle in the rear thigh,careful to get it in the muscle..seems to knock that stuff out of them alot faster,

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Thanks, ya'll! They're such sweet boys. I want them to be wheeze free, especially with winter coming on.
This is Fagin-

And his brother Dodger-

There's another vet in town. I'll go try her and run the herpes virus thing by her. Maybe she'll get me the interferron prescription.