Why is my senior cat's runny nose and URI not getting better?

Since there are still symptoms of the infection then he needs to be rechecked for further treatment. Some cats need pulse therapy medicine to help keep it under control. Also a lot of upper respiratory infections in cats are viral induced and take time to fully resolve. They do make anti virals you can add to the food to help clear the infection also

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Poor Man Man! It sounds like Man Man has been through a lot! I am glad you figured out that he had a food allergy and that his skin issues are resolved. Based on your picture and description of his runny nose I suspect that he has an upper respiratory tract infection. They tend to be viral in cats, the cause most commonly is feline herpes or calicivirus. Both can affect the skin on the face and the nose. If it is calicivirus, with supportive care and time his symptoms should resolve. Cats affected with herpes can be chronically affected or have flare ups when stressed (visitors, move, new pets, etc). The antibiotics are to treat the secondary bacterial infection. I hope this helps! https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=613

I am sorry to hear about your kitty. I would consider some diagnostics since Anna has not improved on the medication trials performed thus far. Dental x-rays would be my next step, to ensure there isn't an infected tooth root that could be causing these issues. It is not always obvious looking in the oral cavity that a tooth is diseased. The x-ray may also help detect any bony changes in the skull that could occur with certain types of tumors. Other options you may discuss with your vet would include antihistamine trials, a drug called Cerenia which can be used to formulate nose drops that can decrease inflammation in the nasal passages, a nasal flush and culture to check for resistant bacteria or fungus, and prophylactic treatment for possible nasal mites. CT scan is also recommended in nonresponsive cases when other options have been exaughsted. You may also consider referral to an internist if your vet is having trouble finding a cause/treatment that works. You can read more about rhinitis at https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=6274586

Poor guy. I would have him re-evaluated in this case. It sounds like he may need another round of antibiotics or the same antibiotic given for a slightly longer period of time. It is tough sometimes with kitties with URI's, because without culture we are hoping that our broad spectrum antibiotic will clear up the infection entirely. You also have the option of asking for your vet to do a culture, so that we know exactly which antibiotic will clear things up for Cairo. Your other cats immune system is likely better than Cario's, which is why he/she isn't affected. I would also consider keeping Cairo on anti-viral supplements (Lysine powder) long term to help boost his immune system to hopefully decrease the amount of infections in the future. You can find Lysine at any pet store or online retailer. Best wishes with your pet Cario and I hope that he feels better soon! Take care.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Pluto. He will need to see his veterinarian again as it does not sound like he is improving. He may require a different antibiotic or a longer course. He is so young, it is easy for him to get dehydrated. He may be given fluids as well. In the meantime, keep his eyes clear of discharge and encourage him to eat and drink as best you can. I hope this information helps!

Poor Spike! There are a few things that could be going on here. First, he may have a condition called chronic rhinitis - basically, this is a chronic upper respiratory infection that causing changes in the tissue and bone structure inside the nose, which makes symptoms very hard to get rid of even with proper antibiotic treatment. He could also have a nasal foreign body of some kind (like a piece of grass), a fungal infection like cryptococcus which wouldn't respond to antibiotics, or even a nasal tumor. Since he's been on antibiotics twice now with no improvement, you have a couple of options. Ideally, it would be best for Spike to have some further diagnostic testing to try and figure out what's causing the chronic symptoms - this would likely involve culture and cytology of the nasal discharge, skull x-rays, and possibly rhinoscopy (looking inside the nose with a tiny camera) and biopsies of anything in the nasal cavity that looks suspicious. Referral to a specialist may be required for some of these tests. Or, if you prefer not to pursue any additional testing right now, your vet should be able to talk to you about other treatment options that may help to relieve his symptoms. Many cats with this issue respond well to anti-inflammatory drugs, long courses of antibiotics (4-6 weeks), intranasal antibiotic/steroid drops, or even adjunct therapies like laser treatment or acupuncture. I would recommend asking your vet for his/her suggestions on the next step. If they don't have any other suggestions or don't want to talk with you about options, you can get a second opinion from another vet if needed.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! While I agree with your veterinarian that this can be due to an infection. However, I think a fungal infection like cryptococcus seems more likely and that would only respond to anti-fungal therapy. Another possibility is cancer such as squamous cell carcinoma. I recommend you consider having him reevaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. May be a biopsy could be done at this time since it has not improved. Good luck and have a great day!