My cat has feline herpes. How often do outbreaks occur & how to prevent them?

It's probably not a "cold". It is most likely herpes virus. If it is herpes virus, it will never go completely away. They will have recurring episodes. All you can do to minimize future episodes it is to reduce stress. You can try some Feliway diffusers, they may help. You can continue with the lysine but it has not really shown to be that effective in studies. There is another immune booster you can try though that seems to work pretty well. The link is below. ( https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/feline-herpesvirus-infection-or-feline-viral-rhinotracheitis ) ( https://www.feliway.com/us/Products/FELIWAY-CLASSIC-Diffuser ) ( https://www.petwellbeing.com/products/immune-sure-for-feline-immune-system-support )

Hi there. I’m sorry Snow got sick! Yes, feline herpes virus usually stays in their system for life. Similar to people who get herpes virus cold sores. However, most cats do. Especially those who have been in a shelter. Most cats never have clinical signs after they recover. Some will have recurrence during times of stress, such as a move or boarding. Even more rare are cats that end up with chronic eye problems second to the virus. So, yes she will have it for life but unlikely that it will play much of a role in her life. I hope this helps! Best of luck to you and Snow! Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would recommend making sure he does not have an underlying disease that may be predisposing him to these infections. Test him for feline leukemia (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) at your veterinarian's clinic to rule these possible causes out. Some cats will have chronic viral infections their entire life and we just treat these as they come. If you are not giving lysine supplementation and not giving Purine Fortiflora, I would definitely recommend doing so as both of these have been shown to lessen the severity and duration of the herpes virus flare ups. I would also consider an upper respiratory culture to make sure that there are no other bacterial causes that may be resistant to the antibiotics currently being given. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

I would recommend talking to your vet about supplementing Lola with the amino acid lysine. I'm not sure of the exact virus your vet thinks she has, but if he suspects herpes virus, lysine can be very useful in helping to control the clinical signs of the disease, including sneezing and watery eyes. If Lola does have herpes (and many cats do) she will never completely be cured, but lysine can help her get over the symptoms faster.

No, feline herpes will not kill Meika but it has the potential to make her quite sick. It is the most common cause of respiratory infections in cats, and it can be treated symptomatically. If she shows signs of a respiratory infection, I would take her into the vet for treatment. Check out this website for more details on the virus: https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/feline-herpesvirus-infection-or-feline-viral-rhinotracheitis I hope this helps!

Hello, and thanks for using PetCoach. This is a great question! Yes, future vaccinations still have benefit, even if a kitten becomes infected with feline herpesvirus and it's "too late" to completely avoid the virus. Giving the vaccine booster can help decrease the flare-ups of symptoms, and decrease viral shedding from the kitten. Here's a link with more information on the virus and the vaccination, with the key excerpt listed below: https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/feline-herpesvirus-infection-or-feline-viral-rhinotracheitis "A cat that is a carrier of FVR may benefit from periodic boosters with the intranasal herpes and calicivirus vaccine (up to 2-3 times per year), which may stimulate local immunity against reactivation of the virus, thus decreasing the likelihood of recurrent infection and of viral shedding." Hope this helps!

How lovely of you to foster this young cat! It's great that Cleo is up to date on her vaccines, which will help minimize her risk. Given that this new cat is potentially showing signs of herpes, you should isolate her from Cleo while she is symptomatic. Make sure this new cat has her own litter box, food, and water bowls, and be sure to keep them clean. You might try a humidifier in the new cat's room to help her if she has any congestion. Make sure she is as rested as possible, and gently warm really smelly wet food if her appetite goes down. When cats can't smell their food, they won't eat, which is why I recommend gently warming the food. Once her symptoms are clear, it's fine to allow her near Cleo. I hope this helps!