My cat has recurring upper respiratory colds. Is it herpes virus?

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'm so sorry that Sally is having this problem. We commonly see viral infections in young cats that have secondary bacterial infection that respond to antibiotics, but it is less common that older cats will develop viral upper respiratory infections unless they are exposed to other cats. I have attached more information on upper respiratory infections in cats below. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=613 There are other antibiotics that we will sometimes try for some of the other upper respiratory infections we see, as well as anti-viral or Lysine treatment for Herpes virus. I would recommend discussing with your veterinarian if there are any other testing or treatment options that they would recommend for Sally since she does not seem to be responding to Clavamox. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

In an uncomplicated case of feline herpes, cats will mount and immune response to it so the infection is minimal if it even occurs again. Their vaccines also protect them against it also. Cats with severe cases and poor immune can be chronically infected. Even though yours is not symptomatic with it anymore and has a good immune system, they are a carrier for life. They do make anti viral such as Lysine treats to help with viral infections such as this

Reducing stress is an important part of the treatment, because a major cause of upper respiratory infections like this is a Herpes virus that is brought out by stress. Try to identify any stressors in the household and do your best to eliminate them. You can also buy a cat pheromone product like Feliway at the pet store, which also helps to reduce stress. If they are very congested, then you can do a steam bath at home. Below is a link to an article that explains this and has helpful info about cat upper respiratory disease. http://www.wikihow.com/Help-Your-Cat-Breathe-Easier Outbreaks like this are common amongst cat colonies. Make sure you continue treatment past the resolution of clinical signs (coughing, sneezing, discharge, etc.) and give the medication as prescribed. With good care, these outbreaks clear-up within the population over a month or so. I know it's tough to look at them like this, but stick with it and they should get better eventually. I hope that helps and all gets sorted soon.

He most likely has feline herpes virus. I suggest you contact your vet and work with them on what to do when there are flare-ups since they have the medical records, history and exam findings they can definitely tell you more. ( http://www.eyecareforanimals.com/conditions/feline-herpesvirus/ )

The distemper vaccine is against feline rhinotrachetis and calicivirus (feline herpes virus type I) which are responsible for 80-90% of infectious feline upper respiratory tract diseases. But that means there are still 10-20% of upper respiratory infections that can be caused by other things such as bacteria and viruses. It may be Alani has a respiratory infection from one of those. I would have her seen by a vet. The vet can confirm if she has a respiratory infection, and can prescribe medication to help her. I can give you some things to try at home as well, but they should not take the place of seeing the vet. 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!

The desire for running water is normal in cats and you can even purchase recirculating water fountains for cats. As for the cold like symptoms (sneezing, runny nose / eyes) many cats can get herpes virus that can flare up and cause these symptoms. I would ask your vet if you can pick up a Lysine supplement for cats to start Zinnie on as this will lessen the flare ups. One product we use here for this is Duralactin with Lysine. You may be able to find this online. If the symptoms are worsening, I would get her in to see your vet sooner rather than later as some infections need antibiotic therapy. Hope this helps! Please feel free to contact me with any further questions / concerns you may have.