Two days ago my wife and I came home from work and found smeared poop on the floor near the cat box. I picked up six month old Maine Coon Kitty, we named Bo and found Poop tangle in hair by hsi botom and on his tail. My wife and I cut the poop off him and I game his bottom a little bath using a little dial soap. I rinsed him off and dried him with a towel and he spent a few hours licking himself off. After that he started this cough and kept us up all night with this cough. Did not see anything productive. I gave him a dose of natural haiball medicine The next day"yesterday" we came home from work and he hadn't eaten most of his food. We gave him some Lactone base hairball medicine. Last night he had several coughing episodes and did puke up some food. He still hasn't eaten much and is still coughing. Do you think it could have been the soap?, Hairball, a piece of one of his play toys? What should we do?
The vet office isn't open yet
sick kitten
Re: sick kitten
Did you thoroughly rinse his fur after using the dial soap? (please, in the future, use only a kitty shampoo recommended by your vet, nothing human, and nothing with "natural" claims)
What was the "natural" hairball remedy you gave? (again, "natural" does not mean better, and could be potentially harmful)
If he was grooming excessively, he could have an impacted hairball. If you didn't rinse his fur thoroughly, he could have ingested the soap. Or, it could be something else altogether, only your vet can determine. By now, his clinic should be open, do not wait, get kitten seen immediately, and if your vet can't find anything based on exam, opt for an xray or barium xray series to rule out obstruction. Go NOW.
What was the "natural" hairball remedy you gave? (again, "natural" does not mean better, and could be potentially harmful)
If he was grooming excessively, he could have an impacted hairball. If you didn't rinse his fur thoroughly, he could have ingested the soap. Or, it could be something else altogether, only your vet can determine. By now, his clinic should be open, do not wait, get kitten seen immediately, and if your vet can't find anything based on exam, opt for an xray or barium xray series to rule out obstruction. Go NOW.
..........Traci
Re: sick kitten
I did rinse as thoroughly as he allowed.
Re: sick kitten
If he's lethargic, or weak, do not wait, get him to the nearest ER veterinary clinic ASAP...it's been two or three days since the initiating incident, if he isn't eating and has continued to cough and vomit, he could have a serious impaction, this cannot wait! You can try calliing the vet back and seeing if they can get you in sooner, tell them you are concerned about an obstruction.
..........Traci
Re: sick kitten
I am on my way. Vet will do an xray. He may have eat piece of one of his toys.
Re: sick kitten
Took Bo to the Vet. Vet diagnosed it as Cat Herpes. Probably picked it up as a kitten at the cat shelter and is something he will have for life. His coughing has eased up but is appetite hasn't returned and he periodically has spit up bile. The Vet gave us some petroleum based Lysine to give him. His breed is heavly Maine Coon which I understand react this way to this Virus. Do you know anything more about this?
Re: sick kitten
How was this diagnosed, did the vet do any testing? (such as CBC, any swab samples, etc?) Did he bother to take an xray? Did Bo have a fever?
What else was prescribed? Lysine only? What about antibiotics?
More information please, based only on your post, if the vet didn't do any testing or take an xray, and did not prescribe antibiotics, address dehydration or nutritional support, I'd strongly recommend seeking a second opinion TODAY.
Coughing can occur but is uncommon of feline herpesvirus, unless there is a secondary bacterial infection present, or a lung infection, pneumonia, or chlamydia, calicivirus present, etc. If an xray wasn't taken or any testing to confirm herpesvirus, your vet may be missing something vital. The vomiting bile could be indicative of something more serious, and the anorexia needs to be addressed/treated immediately.
Again, if the vet didn't test at all, nor xrays done, get Bo to a new vet immediately.
What else was prescribed? Lysine only? What about antibiotics?
More information please, based only on your post, if the vet didn't do any testing or take an xray, and did not prescribe antibiotics, address dehydration or nutritional support, I'd strongly recommend seeking a second opinion TODAY.
Coughing can occur but is uncommon of feline herpesvirus, unless there is a secondary bacterial infection present, or a lung infection, pneumonia, or chlamydia, calicivirus present, etc. If an xray wasn't taken or any testing to confirm herpesvirus, your vet may be missing something vital. The vomiting bile could be indicative of something more serious, and the anorexia needs to be addressed/treated immediately.
Again, if the vet didn't test at all, nor xrays done, get Bo to a new vet immediately.
..........Traci