Hi,
So sorry to hear about Izzy... How old is she now?
Another member forward me this post, as I have a cat that had herpes, and one that had cat flu.
Firstly, if it IS cat flu, it can take a LONG time to clear up. I'm a vet nurse, and took Leon on as a stray at 6-months old, and he had terrible cat flu - green/yellow thickened nasal discharge, severe sneezing, runny eyes... I used a long course of Clavaseptin antibiotics on him, along with Bisolvin on his food to loosen the mucous so it'd clear out. Also used fucithalmic eye ointment. After a month of severe symptoms, he gradually cleared up, and once he was fit and well, I vaccinated him and he's been fine since(this was almost 3-years ago). Of all the cats (I have 11!), he is the one I am most observant with when it comes to boosters. It is a case of perseverance to get them well, and monitoring their demeanour, eating, sleeping and toileting etc.
I also took Nina on as a stray about 5-years ago, and she was fit and healthy until last year. She started getting very sore-looking eyes and sneezing. It is VERY difficult to isolate and confirm herpes, as it can lay completely dormant for a long time with no symptoms showing (a bout of stress can bring it out). We ended up doing a biopsy of nina's eyelid and send it to the lab. On confirming it was herpes, she started what is a human herpes drug (I'll try to remember the name) which was very expensive (about £8 per tablet, but it is cut into quarters), and I ended up getting 2-prescriptions of £55 each!! The vet should be able to do a prescription, as few vet hold the medication in stock as it's a large pack and VERY expensive drug if they don't use it. Also keep up the eye ointment/bathing.
Finally, I don't think the vet you used has been good at all... getting a history from the previous owner is not patient confidentiality!! If the previous owner has consented, your vet/receptionists would contact the previous owners vets and they would fax over a history. This is done commonly, so I have no idea why your vet would say that!
Secondly, no good vet would send her away without a course of antibiotics in the first place when they're sneezing like that...
Thirdly, yes, there is treatment available - the vet obviously did not know if it, or care to look into it for you!! I got the treatment, and Nina has been great since! You should not use that vet again (sadly, there are a lot of very poor vets out there - I've had to work with a lot of them!)
Go for as good a quality diet as you can afford (do you only have 1 cat?) Keep the eyes bathed with warm water on cotton pads if the gunk up, same with the nose, but use separate pads.
I'd get another vet quickly, too! I think you're wasting your money using someone who appears to have no idea. Anyone near Tamworth may be able to offer advice on a good cat vet locally.
I'll get the name of the drug I used on Nina for you, too.
They seem to have confirmed herpes easily! Especially if they just looked at the eyes without further tests...
Hope this helps, and that little Izzy gets the proper treatment to help her recover.
Liz
