RESPIRATORY ILLNESS NOT GOING AWAY...

[Lisa]

I'm curious to know if anyone else has experienced anything similiar with their cat, and if so, what we can do to help. We've spent about $500 over the last three months trying to diagnose and cure our cat of whatever illness is afflicting her. In May, my cat started coughing, had difficulity breathing, sneezing, and came down with a "drippy" eye. The vet thought she had contracted a virus and was showing signs of asthma, so she put her on steroids and an ophthalmic antiobiotic ointment. Althought my cat did seem to improve somewhat, she never fully recovered. She continued sneezing, and her eye still dripped. Shortly thereafter both my cat's eye and nose started oozing thick, white mucos. Her sneezing increased and her cough came back. The vet determined that she had contracted a bacterial infection and put her on oral anitbiotics and another ophthalmic antiobiotic ointment. Although she did impove somewhat again, she still never fully recovered. The same symptoms remained...drippy eye (clear, though) and sneezing.

AGAIN, within two weeks the thick, white mucos returned to both her eye and nose. She was put on yet another oral antibiotic and another ophthalmic antibiotic suspension. This time I was also instructed to give her a half a tablet of LYSINE twice/day (a dietray supplement that is supposed to help cats overcome viruses quicker). Although her cough, and sneezing seemed to vanish for several days, her eye remained drippy. Once again, though, her cough and sneezing returned and the vet suggested we check her for heart worm. The bloodwork and x-rays came back negative (thankfully), so she doesn't have that to worry about.

However we are now back AGAIN to the white, thick mucos oozing from her eye and nose. I am so FRUSTRATED, and I don't know what to do. I think we have tried every atibioic known and nothing seems to help. I am running out of patience and money!!! I love my cat dearly and I just want to see her get back to her healthy, playful self again.

Has anyone else experienced something similar, and if so, what did you do about it?

[jason]

might want to check out another vet at this point just to be sure your current one is not overlooking some possibilities.

some things to ask/check for:

• lung/fungal disease
  
  possibly cryptococososis
• have a serology performed to rule out calicivirus
  
  its an upper respiratory viral disease

please keep us updated.

[Guest]

Thanks for the input. I think I will call anohter vet...it certainly couldn't hurt getting another opinion.

Will keep you updated. Thanks again!

Lisa