Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK

Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: swampmaxmum on February 02, 2007, 18:04:49 PM

Title: how to control chronic snuffles
Post by: swampmaxmum on February 02, 2007, 18:04:49 PM
Swampy has another chronic health problem: snuffles and coughing. He had snuffles twice as a kitten and has had chronic eye and nose drips and infections (viral) all his life. With his liver disease, he's had to stop taking Interferon drops. He was on the human Alpha kind which worked well.  My vet gave him Lysine for the bad days. It's weird in that he will have a bad day ot 2, even coughing up phlegm or just coughing a lot, then he will have a week with minimal problems etc.

He can't take anything that would affect his liver at all, but has anyone got any suggestions for his eye and nasal drip?

Many thanks.
Title: Re: how to control chronic snuffles
Post by: Sam (Fussy_Furball) on February 02, 2007, 18:30:00 PM
Poor ole swampy is really suffering at the moment isn't he!  I have just come across the article ... which is VERY long and seems to contain alot of information on various different upper respiratory tract infections etc ....not sure if it is any use to you but thought I'd give you the link anyway:  http://home.triad.rr.com/alexisandjason/felineasthma/links/gunn-moore.htm
Title: Re: how to control chronic snuffles
Post by: Christine (Blip) on February 02, 2007, 18:58:41 PM
Poor little Swampy.  :hug:  I hope that Amanda (Madformoggies) sees this, as she might be able to offer you some good input.
Title: Re: how to control chronic snuffles
Post by: Gill (sneakiefeline) on February 02, 2007, 20:22:15 PM
Poor Swampy, I hope his chest is OK cos sometimes they get fluid in the lungs so if you havent already he may need the vet to check him out.
Title: Re: how to control chronic snuffles
Post by: swampmaxmum on February 03, 2007, 14:17:54 PM
Many thanks & I'll check out that link article.
He had pus out of his eye this am. Bit better now in the sun. Long may that last!

If anyone else has an otherwise healthy cat with this trouble, an eye specialist he saw put him on a drop a day of human interferon (vet version is Virbagen) which really worked.He can't have that anymore because of his liver. We may try virbagen again but it's v expensive and didn't work nearly as well as the human one.
Would ordinary tears naturale drops make any difference do you think?

Btw tried to resize and post his french passport photo but it was still too big.
Title: Re: how to control chronic snuffles
Post by: Sam (Fussy_Furball) on February 03, 2007, 15:17:19 PM
If you want to email me the picture I'll resize it for you.  Send it to fussy_furball@hotmail.com
Title: Re: how to control chronic snuffles
Post by: Millys Mum on February 03, 2007, 16:43:42 PM
Theres something called Bisolvon, its a decongestant for snotty cats. Not sure how it is with liver but worth investigating.
Title: Re: how to control chronic snuffles
Post by: Desley (booktigger) on February 03, 2007, 18:20:48 PM
I have heard loads of people use L-Lysine for this kind of thing, but dont know how it affects the liver but might be worth asking.
Title: Re: how to control chronic snuffles
Post by: Amanda (mad4moggies) on February 03, 2007, 18:34:34 PM
Has Swampy ever had any swabs taken to rule out certain viruses like herpes, chlamydia etc?
Title: Re: how to control chronic snuffles
Post by: swampmaxmum on February 04, 2007, 13:13:36 PM
Ages ago he saw an opthalmologist who did tests. He does have herpes and sometimes conjunctivitis.  Vet says Lysine is ok for the liver and I'll ask about Bisolvon.

More dramas phew, I'll do another post as is off topic on this one.
Title: Re: how to control chronic snuffles
Post by: Amanda (mad4moggies) on February 04, 2007, 21:16:31 PM
Yes, Bisolvon might help as it dries up mucus. You could also try some Olbas Oil placed on some cotton wool near Swampy.
Title: Re: how to control chronic snuffles
Post by: Desley (booktigger) on February 05, 2007, 08:02:30 AM
Lysine is supposed to be good for herpes.
Title: Re: how to control chronic snuffles
Post by: swampmaxmum on February 05, 2007, 09:19:53 AM
Lysine goes down him sometimes (1/3rd tablet at a time as they are big) but I haven't noticed any dramatic improvement.  Has to be given away from food and he eats 6x a day so that can be tricky. I don't want to wake him to torture him with yet another pill.

His nose is not so blocked that he can't tell me that he does not like Olbas Oil! (thanks for the suggestion though). Mega coughing fit this morning so am off now to do his eye with Fucithalmic which seems to help a bit.