My kitten is sneezing/coughing after bordetella shot. Is it serious?

It may be due to allergies or she may have developed an upper respiratory infection which can take up to 2 weeks to fully resolve. I would recommend bringing her to a veterinarian if she continues with coughing and sneezing or has any other symptoms. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would actually be more concerned about an upper respiratory infection. This is common in young cats and in most cases it responds to antibiotics. I recommend that you have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment. They would be able to check for this and start therapy accordingly. Good luck and have a good night!

The sneezing is most likely from being exposed to viruses is the air at the veterinary clinic. This is like kids going to school and getting sick from being around lots of different children. The vaccinations protect against upper respiratory infections but they can still get a mild case. Mr. Kitty should rest and he'll be fine in a few days to a week. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Mr. Kitty.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Pongkoy! Most upper respiratory infections in cats are viral. If the discharge from his nose is clear then you can just monitor him. Hopefully he can clear the viral infection. If he is lethargic, not eating, and/or the discharge changes to yellow or green he would need to see a Veterinarian for antibiotics. I would clear his nose a couple of times a day and you can keep him in a steamy bathroom twice a day for 10-15 mins. Be sure that you start Pongkoys kitten vaccinations in the next 1-2 weeks. I hope this helps and I wish Pongkoy the best!

what the staff at the shelter told you is true about the possibility of forming respiratory issues due to stress. the symptoms that you are describing are indeed symptoms of a respiratory infection and antibiotics are needed. The coughing you are hearing likely has no connection to a hairball issue and is likely the infection progressing. My best recommendation to you would be to have them seen by your veterinarian at your earliest convenience to have them treated before their illness progresses into something worse than the "simple kitty cold"

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Bunny. Sounds like she is suffering from a mild upper respiratory infection. Not sure how old she is but both kittens and adult cats suffer from these infections. Kittens get infected from their mothers who start shedding the viruses thus infecting the kittens. Many cats live their whole lives carrying these viruses. They will occasionally develop signs of upper respiratory infections during times of stress at any point in time. We vaccinate for a few of these upper respiratory viruses but we still see many many cases. The vaccines should provide some protection and usually adult cats develop very mild signs. Signs range from sneezing, runny eyes, runny nose, coughing, fever, lethargy, decreased appetite, decreased water intake, etc. Treating these infections can range from very simple to very complex cases that take weeks to months to improve. If signs remain mild, monitoring is sometimes appropriate. If the signs progress to not eating, lethargic, thick discharge from the nose and/or eyes, then you should get her evaluated by your veterinarian. They can gather a history, perform an exam, and advise you on possible diagnostics and treatment. Treatment can involve antibiotics to protect or treat secondary bacterial infections, antiviral medicines, a good deworming program, and vaccination program, eye drops/eye ointments if the eyes are involved, nose drops, a nutritional supplement called L-lysine added to his food may help, and probiotics are all things to try. Sometimes kittens have a nasopharyngeal polyp which can present as chronic upper respiratory disease which doesn't respond well to treatment. This is a polyp in the nasal passageway and back of the throat. These can be found by using sedation/anesthesia and evaluating the back of the throat and thus removed if found. Good luck.

Hi and thank you for your post on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would not recommend giving Apple Cider Vinegar to your kitten that may have a cold or the flu. There is no research to say it benefits a cold or upper respiratory infection and can be very irritating for her kitty to swallow. Kittens may begin receiving vaccines at 8 week of age. Sneezing occasionally may be a symptom of an upper respiratory infection or it may not be anything at all depending on the frequency and severity. If the sneezing is happening very frequently and is associated with nasal discharge, she may have an infection what will need antibiotic treatment from your veterinarian. If it is just occasional, I wouldn't worry about it too much unless it becomes more frequent or is associated with nasal or ocular discharge. I hope this helps and thanks again for your post!