My cat has a cold. Is Clavamox right, or should I go back to the vet?

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Trixie. You would need to see a vet to get antibiotics, but they likely won't work as most respiratory infections in cats are caused by viruses. There are a few things you can try at home for her. First, you can try starting her on an L-lysine supplement - this is an amino acid that has been shown to help the immune system fight off respiratory infections more effectively. Enisyl and Viralys are both good brands, and can be purchased over the counter without a prescription - just follow the dosing instructions on the label based on your cat's weight. If she's congested, you can also try using a humidifier or bringing her into the bathroom with the door closed while you take a hot shower - the steam and humidity help to break up congestion and temporarily relieve symptoms associated with respiratory infections. I hope this helps!

Poor Link! In cats, respiratory infections are typically caused by a virus, so antibiotics won't work. I have a few things you can try at home. First, you can try starting him on an L-lysine supplement - this is an amino acid that has been shown to help the immune system fight off respiratory infections more effectively. Enisyl and Viralys are both good brands, and can be purchased over the counter without a prescription - just follow the dosing instructions on the label based on your cat's weight. If he's congested, you can also try using a humidifier or bringing him into the bathroom with the door closed while you take a hot shower - the steam and humidity help to break up congestion and temporarily relieve symptoms associated with respiratory infections. I would also recommend taking him into the vet tomorrow. An antibiotic ointment could help with his weepy eyes, but those can only be prescribed by a vet. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

A lot of times, respiratory infections in cats are caused by a virus, not bacteria, so antibiotics will be ineffective. I would keep giving them to Tofu as directed by your vet, and I can give you some things you can try at home to see if they help her. You can use these methods on your other cat as a well, and I'd take that cat into the vet for a check up this week. First, you can try starting her on an L-lysine supplement - this is an amino acid that has been shown to help the immune system fight off respiratory infections more effectively. Enisyl and Viralys are both good brands, and can be purchased over the counter without a prescription - just follow the dosing instructions on the label based on your cat's weight. If she's congested, you can also try using a humidifier or bringing her into the bathroom with the door closed while you take a hot shower - the steam and humidity help to break up congestion and temporarily relieve symptoms associated with respiratory infections. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

I'm sorry to hear Zane is having a rough time! Many times healthy pets will be able to clear common colds/viruses just like us. Sometimes bacterial infections can become a secondary issue and make Zane more sick. Each antibiotic has a different area that it targets, so the one he is on now may not help with anything affecting the respiratory tract. Additionally an antibiotic is not going to affect a virus. Many times I will recommend a supplement called Lysine for cats who I suspect of viral infections. Allergies would be another condition that would cause similar signs. I would recommend to call the original veterinarian and update them on Zane. They may recommend a supplement for him or they may ask to see him again. Best of luck!

Hello, sorry to hear about Gimli. It is really dependent on what kind of infection you kitten has. Most upper respiratory infections are viral which antibiotics cannot treat. Therefor, you must await for the virus lifecycle to end. You may talk to your vet about using lysine gel or topical anti-virals to help shorten the virus life cycle. Hope this helps.

It could be a respiratory infection. Unfortunately in cats, respiratory infections are typically called by a virus, which means antibiotics won't work. There are few things you can try at home for Esther. First, you can try starting her on an L-lysine supplement - this is an amino acid that has been shown to help the immune system fight off respiratory infections more effectively. Enisyl and Viralys are both good brands, and can be purchased over the counter without a prescription - just follow the dosing instructions on the label based on your cat's weight. If she's congested, you can also try using a humidifier or bringing her into the bathroom with the door closed while you take a hot shower - the steam and humidity help to break up congestion and temporarily relieve symptoms associated with respiratory infections.

I'm very sorry your kitty is sick. Respiratory infections are very common in kitties and almost all are caused by a virus, not a bacterial infection. Therefore, we do not recommend antibiotics if we are dealing with an upper respiratory infection. There are several things you can do at home though. To help with nasal and sinus congestion symptoms, I recommend using the shower to fill your bathroom with as much warm steamed air as possible and then place your kitty in the room for 10-15 minutes at a time. You can do this several times a day, the goal is to help humidify the air and allow your kitty's nasal passages to drain and clear some. You can also purchase over-the-counter treats or a gel formula containing the amino acid supplement L-lysine made for cats. These can sometimes help clear a viral infection. Follow the label instructions to know how much and how often to give to your kitty. If your kitty stops eating or drinking, you will need to have it examined by your veterinarian to avoid complications such as dehydration.