My senior cat's severe congestion isn't responding to treatment?

Chronic upper respiratory issues in cats can be frustrating. At this point Jaxson may need further diagnostic testing. Your vet may consider a sedated exam to look for nasal pharyngeal polyps or a foreign body. If there is an infectious component blood tests may be used to try to find out what the cause is. If no answer is found referral for imaging such as a CT scan may be able to determine if there is a mass or foreign body in his nasal passages.

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

Hi, and thanks for your question. This sign could be compatible with an upper respiratory tract inflammation/infection or possibly to a chronic rhinitis (inflammatory, allergic, infective). A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics or antiallergic (steroids medications) may be needed. It is not necessary to perform expensive tests as treatment can be attempted to resolve the problem. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Hi and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am sorry that Miso is not feeling well. From the medications that Miso has been put on it sounds like your veterinarian may suspect Miso may have a virus causing the upper airway congestion, we sometimes use Lysine to help with viral upper airway congestion. The Herpes virus (along with some other viruses) causes chronic upper airway congestion. This can cause watery eyes (not always), sneezing and nasal discharge (not always)-recurs with stress. It can have a secondary bacterial component to it that responds to an antibiotic like Clavamox. Or this can be just a bacterial upper respiratory infection that is not responding well to the antibiotic of choice. Clavamox is typically an antibiotic that does well with upper respiratory infections. My biggest concern with your note is the looking bloated. I would have Miso evaluated by your veterinarian for looking bloated and discuss an alternate antibiotic, an antihistamine or I will even sometimes use saline nasal drops with a humidifier to help with moisturizing the airways. I hope this helps and good luck with Miso!

I am sorry to hear that! It sounds like he has had a good work up so far. I suspect your vet may want to recheck imaging (if not done already) to ensure the foreign object is no longer present. If there is a concern the infection has never fully resolved, you could ask for a referral to an internal medicine specialist (https://www.ecvim-ca.org/specialist-listings/internal-medicine-specialists-list). If the infection has been cleared but keeps recurring, you could ask to review the pros and cons of therapies such as anti-viral medications, probiotics, Cerenia or long-term antibiotic courses. I hope this helps!

I would recommend having Miss Gray seen by a vet to be prescribed medication if she is miserable. It's not really fair to leave her untreated in that condition, and if she is miserable, I would say she is seriously ill enough to need medication. The problem with congestion is that cats can stop eating if they can't smell their food, and if a cat stops eating, they become prone to developing a fatty liver. A fatty liver is fatal without treatment, so it's best to avoid that. I would take Miss Gray into a vet immediately for an exam and medication. I can give you some things you can do at home that will work well in conjunction with medications from the vet. Please keep in mind they cannot be used as a substitution for 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. Since 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.

Upper respiratory infections in cats are caused by viruses as well as bacteria, so if Jade has a respiratory infection caused by a virus, antibiotics will not help. In addition, some cats have ongoing problems with these infections, and will have bouts of illness throughout their life. You can take her back into the vet for a health check, as she may benefit from some medications, but I will also give you a few things you can do at home for Jade as well. 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.