? Upper Respiratory Infection again - treatment options? And what to avoid?

[Panic]

A few weeks ago I made a post about a kitten I adopted from the shelter who had a URI. When I took her home she'd just finished a round of treatment (Clavamox) but it never quite went away, got worse, and then I took her to the vet who gave me a second round of Clavamox and I also started adding l-lysine powder to her food. It finally cleared up completely after that but then ... achoo! It's back!

I started adding the l-lysine powder to her food again but it hasn't helped, she's sneezing more and when I got back from work today her face was all boogery. She turned down the "fridge" wet food until I gave her fresh when normally she doesn't care so I'm suspecting she's getting stuffy and can't smell it.

I called my regular vet yesterday who said if I want another treatment then she has to have a full exam first (like $150). I tried calling the shelter since technically I'm not sure if I'm even allowed to take her anywhere - they said since I haven't signed the adoption papers yet (they won't let me until she's old enough to be spayed) that I'm not allowed to take her to the vet for vaccines, just them ... not sure if standard care is allowed or not. But they won't answer the phone and it's been two days.

It crossed my mind that the mobile vet (discount vet, shows up a couple times a month in a RV) will be in town tomorrow and he will treat her no questions asked. I was thinking about just going to see him.

Here's the thing though: she's had two rounds of Clavamox, last time was 3 weeks ago. Is it safe for her to get yet another round of Clavamox? What if he doesn't have any Clavamox on hand, what are my other options? I ask now because this vet has a habit of being vague, ie "we can give her a shot that will last ten days" and then not explain what treatment said shot it is. I'm assuming any shot should be turned down, is there anything in particular I should request or avoid? I know I've gotten liquid Clindamycin from him before, is that a no-go? I basically just don't want to be put on the spot and agree to an undesirable treatment.

 

[Ale & Bobo & Minnie (GA)]

A few weeks ago I made a post about a kitten I adopted from the shelter who had a URI. When I took her home she'd just finished a round of treatment (Clavamox) but it never quite went away, got worse, and then I took her to the vet who gave me a second round of Clavamox and I also started adding l-lysine powder to her food. It finally cleared up completely after that but then ... achoo! It's back!

I started adding the l-lysine powder to her food again but it hasn't helped, she's sneezing more and when I got back from work today her face was all boogery. She turned down the "fridge" wet food until I gave her fresh when normally she doesn't care so I'm suspecting she's getting stuffy and can't smell it.

I called my regular vet yesterday who said if I want another treatment then she has to have a full exam first (like $150). I tried calling the shelter since technically I'm not sure if I'm even allowed to take her anywhere - they said since I haven't signed the adoption papers yet (they won't let me until she's old enough to be spayed) that I'm not allowed to take her to the vet for vaccines, just them ... not sure if standard care is allowed or not. But they won't answer the phone and it's been two days.

It crossed my mind that the mobile vet (discount vet, shows up a couple times a month in a RV) will be in town tomorrow and he will treat her no questions asked. I was thinking about just going to see him.

Here's the thing though: she's had two rounds of Clavamox, last time was 3 weeks ago. Is it safe for her to get yet another round of Clavamox? What if he doesn't have any Clavamox on hand, what are my other options? I ask now because this vet has a habit of being vague, ie "we can give her a shot that will last ten days" and then not explain what treatment said shot it is. I'm assuming any shot should be turned down, is there anything in particular I should request or avoid? I know I've gotten liquid Clindamycin from him before, is that a no-go? I basically just don't want to be put on the spot and agree to an undesirable treatment.

View attachment 55214

I would go with another antibiotic. Clavamox did nothing for Minnie’s pneumonia. Seriously no effect at all. I don’t believe in it as a good antibiotic. What about doxycycline? It’s also a broad spectrum antibiotic

 

[Ale & Bobo & Minnie (GA)]

And are you giving her probiotics to counter the antibiotics gut bacteria killing spree? I’d start her on it as well. I’m not sure about kittens but my vet said Minnie could be on antibiotics for up to 2-3 months if needed

 

[Panic]

Thank you Ale! I've seen doxy mentioned here and there so I will write it down and take it with me. The Clavamox the first time never fully eradicated the URI, she came home with me still sneezing and snotty, just a little, and then I watched it progress back up to really bad. The second round cleared it up completely for about two weeks and then - urg! And I'm watching it get worse again.

No probiotics (wouldn't know where to start!), just the l-lysine. I've seen a lot of controversial studies done on the l-lysine though, about how it wasn't really effective but it did seem to help that second round so I'm not sure.

 

[Ann & Scatcats]

Go for the Mobile Vet and Try ask the mobile vet for this respitarory on little tiny one, in micro dosing then https://www.drugs.com/clarithromycin.html

 

[Panic]

Go for the Mobile Vet and Try ask the mobile vet for this respitarory on little tiny one, in micro dosing then https://www.drugs.com/clarithromycin.html

Thanks! I don't see Clarithromycin mentioned hardly anywhere for treating URI kitties, is it not as popular?

Oh forgot to mention in my post her medical record from the shelter said she has feline herpes, if that changes anything for treatment suggestions. Not sure if it matters what the cause is.

I'm seeing these treatments too - any of these good/bad?

Enrofloxacin (Baytril)
Amoxicillin/Clavulanic acid

 

[Olive & Paula]

Could be calcivirus. Sounds like anti viral meds might be needed. If stuffy sitting in a steamed up bathroom can help. The shot you are referring to might be convenia (sp ?). Personally not my choice. You can ask about Orbax antibiotic. If she has herpes. Probably need to keep giving lysine all the time.

FYI https://pets.webmd.com/cats/feline-herpes-symptoms-treatment#1

 

[Ann & Scatcats]

Amoxicillin is the same as Clavamox so not that one.

Baytril can be a better one.

 

[Panic]

Could be calcivirus.

Her medical records from the shelter said feline herpes. Do they test to determine whether its herpes vs calcivirus or do they just kinda guess?

Probably need to keep giving lysine all the time.

I was doing research on the l-lysine and there was a lot of controversy around it, that it doesn't actually work. But I'm not sure. Also I was hesitant to use long-term because it apparently lowers arginine levels:

Lowering arginine levels is highly undesirable since cats cannot synthesize this amino acid themselves,” he and Bunnik wrote. “Arginine deficiency will result in hyperammonemia, which may be fatal.”

So I'm kinda torn on whether I should use it or not? Or just during a flare up or all the time or none at all?

Amoxicillin is the same as Clavamox so not that one.

Baytril can be a better one.

Okay good, thank you! Will make a note of that.

 

[Olive & Paula]

I don't think it will cure it, but it helps lessen severity and possible out breaks of it.

 

[Diane Tyler's Mom GA]

I hope you find something that will work for her. She is adorable

 

[Panic]

I hope you find something that will work for her. She is adorable

Thank you! I hope so too ... they are supposed to call me soon to schedule her spay and I'm thinking we need to clear up the URI before then.

 

[Dusty & Roe]

Thank you! I hope so too ... they are supposed to call me soon to schedule her spay and I'm thinking we need to clear up the URI before then.

I just wanted to say how Beautiful she is getting . Could she be allergic to something also ?

 

[jt and trouble (GA)]

Good LORD shes beautiful!

 

[Panic]

I just wanted to say how Beautiful she is getting . Could she be allergic to something also ?

Thank you Roe! I cannot wait to see how she fills out!
Not sure ... she was pretty sick when she was brought into the shelter and I know some kittens just have a hard time kicking the flu.

Good LORD shes beautiful!

She's a keeper! <3

 

[Ale & Bobo & Minnie (GA)]

Panic, you need to share her IG account!!! Gyda is a star for sure!

ask about probiotics because I wouldn’t know the dose for a kitten, but it’s good for her to be in it while taking antibiotics

 

[Deborah & Muffy(GA) & Wendall]

What a pretty kitten!

Tell your vet you would like Azithromycin and treat for at least 3 weeks. Many years ago I had a rescue barn kitten with a persistent URI. Tucker was treated with the usual protocol (Clavamox, eye ointment) but the symptoms kept recurring shortly after treatment ended and we had to keep repeating it. The infection became so bad that it ruptured his eardrum and he needed surgery. By this time we knew he needed a different antibiotic and went with Azithromycin for 30 days. It cleared it.

 

[Panic]

Panic, you need to share her IG account!!! Gyda is a star for sure!

ask about probiotics because I wouldn’t know the dose for a kitten, but it’s good for her to be in it while taking antibiotics

Yes! Her IG @GydaCat is full of cute baby pictures <3

I'll start reading up on them, I'm not sure that he would have any probiotics in his little RV but I'll see!

Tell your vet you would like Azithromycin and treat for at least 3 weeks. Many years ago I had a rescue barn kitten with a persistent URI. Tucker was treated with the usual protocol (Clavamox, eye ointment) but the symptoms kept recurring shortly after treatment ended and we had to keep repeating it. The infection became so bad that it ruptured his eardrum and he needed surgery. By this time we knew he needed a different antibiotic and went with Azithromycin for 30 days. It cleared it.

Talk about a horror story!! I guess the only thing that would make me hesitate with that right now is that she's supposed to be spayed soon so I'm not sure if it'd be safe to have her on meds for a month while undergoing surgery? I'm not sure?

I guess everything depends on what the mobile vet even has in stock but after a lot of reading I'm tempted to ask for doxy first but I'll see what he says! Thank you all so much, I feel a lot better with all the input. I wish she was already spayed so it wasn't such a big deal ugh!

 

[Critter Mom]

Would it be at all possible to slip the spay date to allow time for her to complete the longer course of treatment, Elizabeth?


Mogs
.

 

[Panic]

Would it be at all possible to slip the spay date to allow time for her to complete the longer course of treatment, Elizabeth?


Mogs
.

I'm not sure! Ideally you would think they'd prefer her to be healthy for surgery but I'm not sure how picky the shelter is about it.

 

[Critter Mom]

That'd make sense to me. Anasthaesia always gives me the wibbles. Hopefully the shelter will be able to accommodate your little one's needs. S'pose it wouldn't hurt to enquire.


Mogs
.

 

[jt and trouble (GA)]

Most shelters schedule spays from time of adoption. They RARELY make exceptions.

 

[Noah & me (GA)]

As for the legal issues of whose cat it is this is beyond stupid. She's now in your care so legally and ethically you're responsible for her care. I cannot see any vet scanning the chip, then ratting you out to the shelter.

Could she be allergic to something

One more thing. Could this be a severe allergic reaction to something floating around the house? The symptoms may point to a URI and/or pneumonia but has she been swabbed or are they just making assumptions? That's a stretch but clearly it's persistent and "all purpose" Clavamox isn't working.
Unusual allergies can be the dark alleyway of medicine. We once had a member who cat was allergic to her! Add that to the fact some shelters are petri dishes and things get strange real fast. And yes she is beyond adorable, I want one too.

 

[jt and trouble (GA)]

Well I dont know Panics agreement with the shelter. BUT the shelters here do the spay for free. If you go to a vet its the added expense. That how shelters keep track.

 

[Panic]

As for the legal issues of whose cat it is this is beyond stupid. She's now in your care so legally and ethically you're responsible for her care. I cannot see any vet scanning the chip, then ratting you out to the shelter.

One more thing. Could this be a severe allergic reaction to something floating around the house? The symptoms may point to a URI and/or pneumonia but has she been swabbed or are they just making assumptions? That's a stretch but clearly it's persistent and "all purpose" Clavamox isn't working.
Unusual allergies can be the dark alleyway of medicine. We once had a member who cat was allergic to her! Add that to the fact some shelters are petri dishes and things get strange real fast. And yes she is beyond adorable, I want one too.

I KNOW Dickson it's absolutely ridiculous! They're not paying for her food and supplies anymore so it should fall on me to have a say.

As for allergies - really not sure, she came to the shelter with the URI, her mom and whole litter had it. I imagine it's just lingering. The medical records had her down as diagnosed with feline herpes conjunctivitis, URI, and coccidia (now cleared).

And for agreement with the shelter - the only thing I got to do was sign the foster forms. But they've already sent me her microchip tags and I've gotten all the "congratulations on your adoption!" emails from them and the microchip company. The spay hasn't been officially scheduled, all I could get out of them is that they "will call around 16 weeks". It's included in the adoption fees (which were waived due to kitten season overcrowding) and they told me I was NOT allowed to take her elsewhere for her spay. I have a feeling she's slipped through a crack though; they told me I had to get all her boosters at their shelter but never called to tell me when they were due. When I asked after I took it upon myself to take her in for a booster about when her next shot was, they said "it says that was her last shot, and she's been adopted already so she's not in the system anymore."

 

[Noah & me (GA)]

This is for later but when Andy escaped it was welcome to Microchip Hell. He came from a certified shelter, neutered, chipped, first vaccinations.
Most people feel safe knowing their pet is chipped. Only later did we realize we didn't have the code and both the shelter and the chip company ignored us despite my offers of bringing in person my niece the documented adoptee, written testimony from the vet and dozens of photos. After all that he was never chipped to begin with.
Bring your pet in to be scanned to make sure the chip still works, then keep the number in a dozen different places. Then pray if a shelter picks him up they scan him with a scanner built before 1965. Just more ineptitude from loving, caring shelters.
If you think I'm being over the top go to
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microchip_implant_(animal)
then go to "Cross-compatibility and standards issues". Canada's main chip company is selling their client list of chipped animals and moving strictly into pet health insurance. Honestly, you're better off looking for free kittens on craigslist. And then there's the vet who comes once a week to check on 500 cats and dogs.
Not to drag this out but when we looked for Andy at the shelter the city uses (another shelter in another town because the mayor hates cats) the three old biddys who were busy knitting and wouldn't make eye contact thought we were there to adopt a cat so we filled out numerous forms. Finally a younger woman came out and made things happen. There's no IQ test to be a volunteer. It was Facebook and 1,000 posters that found Andy.

 

[Ann & Scatcats]

@Panic
How has the day worked out?
Did you and baby decide on the Mobile vet, or did it become something else?

 

[Panic]

@Panic
How has the day worked out?
Did you and baby decide on the Mobile vet, or did it become something else?

Currently still at work, I'll be heading home soon and taking her to the mobile vet before he's gone. Will update you when we get back

 

[Critter Mom]

Most shelters schedule spays from time of adoption. They RARELY make exceptions.

I can understand why they might take a firm stance in general on that in order to ensure that adopters get their little charges spayed/neutered in a timely fashion, but I think it would be a bit jobsworth of them if they wouldn't budge when there's a legitimate reason to ask for a short delay due to matters directly pertaining to a kitty's well-being and safety.


Mogs
.

 

[Panic]

Back from the vet - they only had two options for me, a shot (long name that starts with a C, not Convenia though) or Clindamycin drops. I asked about doxy and the girl said the only kind they carried were in tablet forms that they don't recommend for cats, so I opted for the Clindamycin. They said that's their go-to for URIs. I know it wasn't mentioned in the thread here but I do see on google it's used for respiratory infections and well, that's the only option I have right now. >.< I just want her at LEAST cleared up enough to hurdle that spay, and if it comes back again well at least I can do what I want!

That'd make sense to me. Anasthaesia always gives me the wibbles. Hopefully the shelter will be able to accommodate your little one's needs. S'pose it wouldn't hurt to enquire.

Same! If they DO call I plan on explaining she's got a URI and should wait, hopefully they'll be understanding. If I'm right that she really did fall through a crack and she's not on their radar anymore they won't think to call so I can wait until she's better and then phone them up.

This is for later but when Andy escaped it was welcome to Microchip Hell.

That is crazy!! This little one's microchip is working (vet beeped her when I took her in for treatment after the URI came back the second time) but where I live I think they're pointless. We live out in the country and people just like to shoot on sight! A tagless collar is better protection than a microchip.

Honestly, you're better off looking for free kittens on craigslist. And then there's the vet who comes once a week to check on 500 cats and dogs.

When I decided to get another kitten, the first place I looked was Craigslist and those local Facebook "free cats" pages in my area. I looked for nearly a month and despite it being kitten season I saw maybe 5 local posts on Craigslist for kittens. I was also being a little picky this go round - cats have always fallen in my lap, I've never gone out of my way to get one, and this time I wanted a certain kind. Call me superficial but Panic was gorgeous, longhairs are extremely uncommon here and I wanted my longhaired beauty back, dangit! So I scoured the papers and Facebook pages for a longhaired female kitten (tuxedo preferably, just like Panic) and I couldn't find a single one! I could barely find a free kitten! Anyone that answered my posts "seeking female longhaired KITTEN" would respond with shorthaired males or full grown cats. I really didn't want to use a shelter - for these exact reasons, not having full control of the situation - but I just couldn't find any kittens that fit the description. And even in the 5+ shelters in the surrounding cities I only spotted one or two longhairs. I finally found this little one, all sickly looking on the "for adoption" page. Sigh. I never asked for any of this. I just wanted Panic to get better.

I can understand why they might take a firm stance in general on that in order to ensure that adopters get their little charges spayed/neutered in a timely fashion, but I think it would be a bit jobsworth of them if they wouldn't budge when there's a legitimate reason to ask for a short delay due to matters directly pertaining to a kitty's well-being and safety.

You would think!

 

[Noah & me (GA)]

So aggravating. Then there's mommy dearest who paid way over $1,000 each for a continuous stream of purebred/overbred teacup poodles. Yappy little mutts.
For a nanosecond we considered giving away Noah and his brothers but only because we weren't sure we had enough love for nine cats. We had one reply, a woman had backed over her cat in the driveway and needed a replacement.

 

[Ann & Scatcats]

@Panic
Hope the Clindamycin will clear up baby.

 

[Panic]

We had one reply, a woman had backed over her cat in the driveway and needed a replacement.

That is a hard pass from me.

@Panic
Hope the Clindamycin will clear up baby.

I hope so too.

 

[Critter Mom]

Glad to hear the mobile vet was able to do something to help, Elizabeth. Fingers and paws crossed here for a successful outcome.

Same! If they DO call I plan on explaining she's got a URI and should wait, hopefully they'll be understanding. If I'm right that she really did fall through a crack and she's not on their radar anymore they won't think to call so I can wait until she's better and then phone them up.

That's a very cunning plan! I might have to start calling you Baldrick...


Mogs
.

 

[Dusty & Roe]

E

That is a hard pass from me.


I hope so too.

Elizabeth I think you are doing the best you can to get this little one better . I don’t think there is one person on here that wouldn’t agree what a Great mom you are . Please let us know how she is doing

 

[Panic]

E

Elizabeth I think you are doing the best you can to get this little one better . I don’t think there is one person on here that wouldn’t agree what a Great mom you are . Please let us know how she is doing

Thank you Roe! I do what I can but it doesn't always feel like enough. This morning her third eyelid is very red and puffy. She is still acting upbeat and eager to eat but her eye looks terrible. I really hope the Clindamycin and the prayers I sent helps.

 

[Ale & Bobo & Minnie (GA)]

Could she have an eye infection too? Poor baby. We’re all sending prayers and healing thoughts. I second what Roe said, you are doing amazing!

 

[Panic]

I would assume it's just conjunctivitis from the URI like before? It's the same leaky eye that was giving her trouble the last time and the photo from when she first came to the shelter had her eyes all puffy too.

 

[jt and trouble (GA)]

Elizabeth I want to come back as your kitty.

 

[Panic]

Elizabeth I want to come back as your kitty.

Make sure you're a healthy kitty with good genes, Jeanne! I'll want to keep you around forever!

 

[jt and trouble (GA)]

berrroooow

 

[Dusty & Roe]

Make sure you're a healthy kitty with good genes, Jeanne! I'll want to keep you around forever!

Elizabeth how is our little girl doing ? Just checking in on you

 

[Panic]

Elizabeth how is our little girl doing ? Just checking in on you

Thank you Roe! Clinically about the same, her other eye is getting a little runny too though. I think the Clindamycin takes a few days before you can see improvement but at least she's still her same silly playful self!