Traci...update on Willow's respiratory symptoms

[Tina B and crew]

She quit sneezing last weekend so I just kept the appointment I had with her on Thursday. I mentioned her symptoms to the vet and from the symptoms she thinks it highly likely to be feline herpes virus. Now that I think about it Willow did have a really bad bout of it either while we were fostering her or right after we adopted her (sneezing, runny nose, goopy eyes etc) and the vet back then believed it was herpes virus. So I'm guessing she's a carrier and it probably flared up with the stress of me going back to school? She was about 6 months behind in her vaccine so the vet vaccinated her and silly me had forgotten about using lysine to treat it...so the vet reminded me and I'm giving her 250 mg twice a day for the next couple of weeks. I will keep an eye on her for symptoms here on out but thus far I have not notice any since going to the vet. Oh...the vet said she was the picture of health and she was the perfectly behaved cat. No cussing from Willow at all, she was just precious!

My question...I am planning an extended (21 days) trip abroad in January and I know this will stress Willow out. Tim will be staying home as I'm traveling as part of my education. I'll be sure to leave some of my clothes as usual and probably a recording of my voice so she will know I haven't abandoned her. But should I give her lysine in anticipation of any stress? I swear the separation anxiety is getting worse. Mine, not hers!! I was suppose to go out of town this weekend to a wedding and believe it or not was so worried about her because both of us would have been gone, that I canceled my trip and Tim went by himself. I'm sure Willow picked up on my anxiety, poor thing....I need to learn to control it myself as I know my anxiety doesn't help things.

Oh...Gizmo is doing great since we changed his litter...he is no longer continually going outside the box. He has missed a few times or had a clingon, but he's using it regularly!! Yay!! And he's LOVING his special diet...which makes me so glad I don't have to fight to get him to eat it.

[Traci]

Did the vet rule out foreign body in the nasal cavity? Rule out allergies and/or mycobateria? Did she do a full eye exam?

I'm not sure about the herpesvirus, she has probably had some stressful events before and you haven't mentioned flare-ups before (remind me, how old is she?, if older, you really do want to keep ahead of this and make sure it is not a secondary bacterial infection and/or that she is susceptible to infections as a result of another health condition). Usually, with herpesvirus, it either resolves after the first incident, or, that it is a somewhat chronic condition, meaning it will flare up intermittently. While stress is a precursor to flare-ups, nearly anything else in the environment can trigger it.

I'd still try to rule out the possibility it was dust when you were cleaning, or, new allergies developing, or a foreign body/infection. If it flares up again, ask about antibiotics, if she responds to antibiotics, chances are it would be an infection.

There probably wouldn't be any harm in continuing the lysine, but ask your vet about scheduled treatment, not necessarily continual use of the lysine. Watch for same or new symptoms or any other behavioral change/attitude/change in routine, appetite, etc....if symptoms develop again, rule out foreign body, mycobacteria, allergies.

[Tina B and crew]

Yes, she looked in her nose and checked her eyes out. She didn't rule out allergies but thought it sounded like herpes virus especially since many cats carry the virus. That said, I have cleaned before and stirred up lots of dust and never had this happen...and yes, she has had stressful times before (like our moving) and not had a flare up. However, she had been vaccinated right before our move so I wonder if that helped stop any flare ups then. Right after we adopted or when we were fostering her she did have a pretty bad case of sneezing and her eyes running. It seems like she had a few bouts of this shortly after adopting her but I can't recall that she has had any flare ups since...if she had it was only some minor sneezing or I think I would have remembered it. We dob't know her exact age, but she's about 6, maybe 7...I don't think she's any older than that though.

I'm not treating her continually with the lysine. Just giving it to her for the next two weeks and then only when I notice symptoms.


ETA...this is sort of off topic, although it did come up when we were talking respiratory infections at the vet. What do you know about the current status of the mutated calicivirus? My vet was telling me about the newer vaccine against this virulent strain. It seems that there were several cases in this area that were thought to be mutations but tests eventually showed they were. I know there was an outbreak in CA many years ago...and wasn't there one elsewhere? Texas? I don't recall...anyway, I was just curious what you knew about it.

[Traci]

This is just my opinion, Tina, but if Willow has not had any chronic symptoms of herpesvirus, I wouldn't be quick to assume the latest incident is indeed from herpesvirus. Although, one also has to take into account the levels of stress she has previously been exposed to. Moving I would think would be a highly stressful event, but then you took every measure to ensure that move was as stress-free as possible.

You could, if you wanted to, ask the vet to test for this specifically, via swab sample and cytology.

As for the mutated calicivirus, it is termed Calicivirus VS-FCV (Virulent Systemic Calicivirus). Two problems, (an example) the outbreak in MO, where 200 cats were euthanized: the first "sick" cat never had virus isolation, two others had chlamydia, and the others were euthanized needlessly, no necropsies were done, no virus isolation, no conformation from any independent lab. I imagine there have been numerous "cases" managed in this way and it is alarming in that, the only way to confirm is virus isolation and testing.

The second problem is that the new vaccine only targets one type of strain, meaning it can mutate into several different strains and the vaccine then becomes useless. In those environments (shelters for example) where suspicion is high and sufficient virus isolation and testing is confirmative, the vaccine may be worthwhile, but in the major population, it is not known whether or not it is feasible to promote the new vaccination (and many vets feel it is controversial, simply due to the fact of the mutation problem). In those environments with sick cats, it would require at least two boosters of the new vaccine, and in a sick cat with the actual mutated strain of infection, there wouldn't be enough time to booster to expect protection. For shelters/clinics etc who actually do confirm this infection, it would possibly be wise to vaccinate as long as they have significant proof of these cases and as preventative action for new pets brought in, but that has to be an individual call between vet and owner based on data in the area, lab test findings, case histories, etc.

A third problem is the way this mutated strain affects cats. It usually affects adult cats worse than kittens, and the symptoms are quick and progressive, as well as difficult to detect/diagnose/treat/manage in a timely manner because the infection is rapid and fatality may occur before the infection is even suspected or identified. The symptoms range from typical calicivirus symptoms (sneezing, eye/nasal discharge) that quickly accelerate to more severe symptoms such as high fever activity, oral ulcerations, edema of the head/neck/limbs, pneumonia or pleural effusion, dermatitis/fur loss. Contamination and transmission is easy, as in distemper, by handling, clothes, shoes, touching objects, etc.

I think it's going to take time to isolate this in various areas of the country (and abroad), and unfortunately, since it is a mutation, there is always the potential that new vaccines won't target a specific strain.

For owners, as always, suggest they get their cats examined by their vets immediately at the first sign of a problem.

[Tina B and crew]

Thanks for the info on the calicivirus...I was mostly curious since it was mentioned. She said the cases here in this area were pretty severe and since they were adult cats the area vets thought they had a case of mutated virus but once tests were done it wasn't a mutated form. I know I've seen bits on the internet urging pet owners to vaccinate with the new vaccine but my vet did not recommend it for the very reasons you stated...that it cannot cover all forms of the mutations.

At any rate..I'm not going to have Willow tested at this point because I don't feel the need. And again, my vet didn't give a definitive diagnosis of herpes virus, just that it seemed possible. She said she's seen cases of herpes virus lying dormant for years without a flare up, especially in younger healthy cats. Willow is not a high strung cat at all...in fact she's very laid back and rarely lets things stress her out. She's a very zen cat!! Of course I'll continue to watch Willow and if the symptoms pop up again I'll be alert of her needing vet care.