Need help/input regarding new kitty's nasal issues

[KLS52]

Okay, so I'm having some issues with new kitty (Bogart, a.k.a. BP). He had this nasal issue from day one which the shelter tried to shrug off as something that was normal...like he would always have a chronic runny nose/sneezing and it was no big deal. I had my vet check him out as soon as I brought him home, his chest is clear and they ran a senior panel (the shelter vet said he was around 5 years old but my vet believes he is closer to ten) and thankfully, everything came back normal.

The first few days he sneezed a few times and every two days or so there would be a small amount of thick, brown/bloody tinged discharge, after which he would seem to be good for about two days. And over the last week or so he improved considerably. But since yesterday he is becoming increasingly congested and there is more thick, brown/bloody tinged discharge again. I will be calling the vet when they open...it's 3 a.m. now. The vet did say we would try another course of anitbiotic if the congestion got worse (apparently he was on two different antibiotics at the shelter).

So has anyone who has cats ever come across this type of situation? Is this something that can really be chronic and not something to worry about? Anything that can be done to relieve his congestion until I can get him on meds? I did some google searching and it seems that cats can be prescribed antibiotics and decongestants and that a humidifier helps too. Supposedly you can also put saline drops used for infants in their nose. I don't want to do any of this on my own. Obviously I will see what the vet says but I was wondering if anyone out there has had any experience with something similar.

I can't really tell if he's sick or not. He has kind of a funny personality to start with. He's affectionate to a point...only on his terms and not a cuddler. He can be a 'hisser' but he has never swatted or tried to bite. He's definitely feeling cranky. He's still eating...seems uncomfortable with the breathing but can still breath with his mouth closed, but now I can hear the rattling in his nose where that wasn't the case previously. He wouldn't lie down and go to sleep. But I finally got him to settle down on a pillow on my lap. Guess I'll be here for a while so he can get an hour or two of rest.

Oh yeah, there was also some talk about the possiblity of polyps, tumor, nasal cavity damage from previous infections, all of which need a ct scan/rhinoscopy ($3000) in order to diagnose. I've had this cat for only two weeks and I did not get a response from the shelter when I asked if they were going to help me with the cost or if they expected me to return him to them if I couldn't provide diagnostics/treatment. I really do not want to give him up...he's incredibly awesome, I've been attached from day one, but at the same time I do not have $3000.

Let me know if anyone has any thoughts/suggestions regarding his condition...the more knowledge/ammo I have to bring with me to the vet, the better. Thanks!

 

[AeryFairy]

I'm sorry, I've never come across this. The only thing I can suggest is keeping him in as clan an environment as possible - any dirt or dust may be aggravating it. I hope the poor guy gets better

 

[mlp]

My sister's cat Willow has something chronic going on with his sinuses. The symptoms sound a lot like what you're describing. I know she has to take him in periodically to have his sinuses flushed out. I can check with her as to what treatment he's on in the interim between flushings. (This has developed in the years I've been up here, and I haven't paid as much attention to the details as I should have.)

Willow, Sebastian and Serenity are littermates who were dumped near my sister's place years ago. Sebastian and Serenity live with me. They are in their early teens. Willow's condition developed a couple of years ago.

 

[KLS52]

Thank you both for your replies.

mlp, yes...if you are able to get more info, it would be appreciated.

I'm wondering if it's time to switch vets at this point. She doesn't seem to be offering much and I wasn't happy with how stern she was when I took BP for his first visit. I mean, this poor cat was found wandering around outside after who knows how long, sat in a cage in a shelter for six weeks, and the vet is acting all annoyed/angry because he was fighting her and hissing/growling. And he's declawed so it's not like he was scratching her or even trying to bite her. He just wanted to get away. He was so stressed and scared...what did she expect? I was kind of surprised by her reaction. I felt she was way too rough with him. Plus, she hasn't offered any of the treatment options that I am seeing online.

The good news is, she gave me Baytril for him and after just one dose, he was better within a few hours which seems strange. I wouldn't think it would act that quickly. But after lying around for two days, hardly eating and being all uncomfortable from the congestion, he greeted me at the door when I came home from work, ate a good amount of cat food and now wants me to play with him with his ball and string. It's very strange but maybe it is an infection of some sort and he will be better in a few days. I just hope he sleeps tonight...I'm exhausted after three bad nights and having to go to work during the day.

 

[Kitties]

Can they culture the discharge to see what is actually growing?

I'd be unhappy too if a vet seemed angry that an animal was scared and uncooperative at the vet. My diabetic calico lunged at the vet more than once and they never got mad. She just had a reputation.

 

[KLS52]

I think I have to bring him in for a culture. He discharged a very large amount yesterday and I brought it in for culturing but the vet said she couldn't use it because of cross contamination. At the moment we are trying to get him comfortable and not cause stress which apparently aggravates whatever it is his condition is. Once I find another vet I will have to bring him in to their office. I'm going to get copies of his records, too, so they don't have to draw more blood and repeat tests that were already done. I think I'm looking for someone who will offer something for his immediate symptoms...something to make him comfortable while we're trying to diagnose.

 

[mlp]

I talked to my sister about Willow last night. He has some kind of deterioration of the sinuses - it's not something that can be cured, just managed. Initially, he was on antibiotics to take care of the infection which occurred because of the gunk build up in his sinuses. Since then, he has not been on medication - he goes in periodically (roughly every month or so) to get his sinuses flushed. My sister listens to his breathing and watches for discharge from his nostrils to tell when it's time for a flush. She says it's amazing, the stuff that comes out with a flush - big, slug-like stuff that one wouldn't expect to get through his nostrils.

And I agree - a vet who can't handle a scared animal, and/or gets upset at an uncooperative animal - I'm glad you're going to find another vet. I am very, very picky when it comes to vets - it's really important to me to have vets in whom I have confidence. I went through a number of vets after I moved up here until I found both a cat and dog vet and an avian vet that I trust.

 

[KLS52]

Thanks for that, mlp. He's continuing to improve so I guess he really needed the antibiotics. I definitely want to look into this sinus flushing procedure. Sounds promising!

 

[Rosie1]

Sinus flushing. Is that sorta like the Neti Pot for people?

 

[KLS52]

Sounds like it but I haven't been able to find much about how you actually do it. Every article so far just says to "flush the cat's sinuses with warm saline solution". I need a little more specifics but I'm certainly not going to try it without talking to a vet first, anyway.

I don't think this problem Bogart has is going to "go away" with this course of antibiotic. I'm pretty sure he had a fever because the back of his neck and his ears were really hot on Tuesday and now they are cool to the touch. So that's probably why he is feeling better. The mucus discharge has subsided but he still breathes funny, like he is trying to blow something out of his nose.

 

[AeryFairy]

Aww, sniffly kitty

 

[~Wonder]

If he has bloody sneezing it could be a chronic herpes infection in his sinuses that antibiotics wouldn't help. My sister's cat has that and it's rather common in cats. Go to the Vitamin Shoppe and get some 500MG L-Lysine capsules, not the tablets. Sprinkle the contents of 1 or 2 of them into some wet food for him once or twice a day. Lysine is an amino acid that has been shown to help control herpes infections. If he doesn't want to eat wet food, it's possible he can't smell it well enough, then get some canned tuna. Trader Joe's has some really stinky tuna for cats. It's the only wet food my sister's cat will eat.

 

[mlp]

The flushing that Willow requires is pretty intensive, and he is put under light anesthesia for it, because it would be too uncomfortable and scary otherwise.

 

[KLS52]

Good to know, thanks. And I have an appointment tomorrow with a new vet...not taking kitty just yet. I want to consult with him first and see if we'll make a good 'fit'.

 

[KLS52]

Wow, this new vet guy(Dr. K.) was really nice. He did say he treats many, many cats with chronic nasal problems. Sometimes he will put a cat on long-term antibiotic for even a year's time. He mentioned rhinoscopy and flushing of the sinuses without me even bringing it up. He gave me the name of someone (Dr. S.)
who travels from clinic to clinic doing different diagnostic procedures so I would be able to bring BP to my local vet and the procedure could be done there by Dr. S. I just have to find out if he does rhinoscopies.

I'm not sure if I am going to switch vets at this point. Dr. K. knows my current vet, Dr. P. and said she is pretty much on track. He even offered to talk to her and offered to give her his notes on current treatments that he has been reading up on. AND he didn't charge me for the office visit. So I guess I have a decision to make soon. First I will call Dr. S to see about the procedure and how much it costs. I am then going to call the shelter to see if they are going to be willing to offer any support in his treatment costs. I am going to play the "I may have to return BP to the shelter" card to see if they even care. The fact that they never responded to or acknowledged my first email leads me to believe I may not get anywhere. But once I get someone on the phone, it will be hard for them to ignore me.

Anyway, BP was doing better on the Baytril, but yesterday he refused to take it not matter what I did to disguise the chewable pill. So I've wasted four pills now and will have to pick up a few more so he gets the full ten days. And I am going to get the liquid version...I think I can do that easier since I had practice with the liquid Albon last week.

I wish he wasn't so frikkin' cute...he just came up to me and nudged me with his paw...he wants something but I haven't figured him out yet so I don't know what he wants. He was pretty uncomfortable last night so we both ended up on the couch...it was the only way he would settle down. Guess I'll go see if he wants some breakfast.

 

[mlp]

I find pilling to be easier than getting liquid meds down a cat, but then, I've been doing it a long time, with a lot of cats, including pretty feral ones. It takes ruthlessness to get it done fast and efficiently, before they have a chance to put up a fight.

What's easiest of all is injections - Baytril can be gotten in injectable form, and just needs to get under the skin, not into the muscle. I use insulin needles - they are so fine that the cat doesn't even realize he's getting a shot. I pull up the loose skin right above the shoulder blades and inject there. I'm generally squeamish about sticking needles into anyone - it takes an effort of will for me to do an injection into the muscle, but the injections that only need to get under the skin and can be done with an insulin needle - very easy.

Also, if it turns out that he needs antibiotics long term or repeatedly - you may find it to be most cost effective to buy a bottle of the injectable liquid Baytril - I have one on hand at all times.

 

[KLS52]

I really appreciate your input, mlp! I used to give my mom insulin injections so maybe that is something I will consider if it comes down to long-term antibiotic need.

I am also going to go with a rhinoscopy...I found out the cost is $600 and I can apply for CareCredit...no interest, monthly payments for up to 18 months. I will feel much better getting that done. They should be able to at least rule out some things, even if they don't find anything wrong. But I can't imagine they won't see 'something'. I think they flush out the sinuses while doing that, too. I will find out more on Monday when I talk to the vet to set it up.

Right now I have to drive a few towns over to get him the liquid Baytril. At least I know I can do that since I was able to give the Albon.

 

[KLS52]

Had two really good days in a row...we are on day two of liquid Baytril after three days of the chewable. I am curious to see how long he will continue to be ok once he finishes the antibiotic. Depending on the outcome, I will make my decision as to whether or not I switch vets and opt for the year-long-term of Zithromax.
I had company today and he surprised me by being extremely social with everyone. I thought for sure he was going to run and hide but I guess he's getting over the jitters he had of strangers. That makes me very happy!

 

[Rosie1]

I haven't had experience with Baytril for cats, but I did have to give it to my rats when they had an infection. It worked really well!

 

[KLS52]

Regressing a bit since yesterday. He is all stuffed up...you can hear the mucus rattling in his nose. He does sneeze and gets it out, but I feel like he's been on antibiotic for 7 days now and I wasn't expecting him to get congested again so soon. I thought I would at least have a few days even after the he was done with the meds. First thing tomorrow I am going to schedule the rhinoscopy. It doesn't seem right to continue to guess what his problem is and I don't see how a putting him on a year-long course of Zithromax is going to help if he is already getting all mucus-y while still on the Baytril.

Plus, he's been very unsettled the last few nights. When I first brought him home he quite lovey-dovey and slept on the bed with me. The last 4-5 days he roams around the house between 11 p.m. - 3 a.m. howling that weird cat cry. Then he'll just sit on the floor looking up at me as if to say, I want something (and I have no idea what he wants). If I try to pick him up and put him on the bed with me, he runs away. I tried giving him food, which he nibbles at, but then he starts the prowling/howling again. He does not seem to be in any specific pain. Maybe he is just uncomfortable from whatever it is that's going on with him. Or he's a true nocturnal creature who likes to sleep all day and wander around at night?

In any event...rhinoscopy it is. Can't wait any longer and I am anxious and hopeful it will yield something that can be rectified.