Conference misery::feline

Cheryl,

contact Nancy Deitrich.  She's just gone through something similar to this.

Holly

    For whatever it's worth, I think this stuff is airborne, so they
    might well have gotten it anyway.  hugs to the sneezers.
    

    psst... Holly, that's DIEttrich....
    
    Younger cats shed much more virus than do older cats (so I've been
    told).   It may be airborn but keeping your kittens isolated would
    help.  Fresh air should help some too.  Now that its warm enough,
    make sure the kittens are warm and totally air out the house daily,
    if you can.  Keep the kittens in a separate room and open up the
    whole house.  Then let a little fresh air into the kitten room.
    
    Give me a call.
    
    I hope your URI isn't the same virus as what I had and STILL have!
    I have a nursery set up for Halie and CC's kittens - CC's are due
    Thursday.
      N
    

    We just visited a cattery and the 3 week old litter was beseiged
    by a bout of URI...and a few other older cats were affected.  The
    little ones were in a closet with a vaporizer and heating pad...
    and everyone was being treated with Amoxy.
    
    The breeder this this is very "typical" especially this time of
    year...and...especially amongst Ragdolls (which I was not pleased to
    hear!).  Also, must note that the house was immaculately clean con-
    sidering there were about 12 adult cats.
    
    We've routinely had 3-4 cats at any given time over many years
    now and I've never encountered URI like this.  When we got home
    we immediately washed up and threw our clothes into the laundry.
    
    I'm concerned and need to know if this indeed is "common"...a) for
    kittens, and b) for this season with the pollen count so high???
    
    Appreciate your insight and any "pointers" to published studies
    welcome.
    
    						Thanks again,
    							Nick
    
    
    					

    Nick,
    
    Did you say Ragdolls?  I have a Ragdoll cat, and I'd like to comment on
    the reason why the breeder mentioned the URI symptoms being typical.
    
    All cats can come down with URI; however, the virus is usually most
    endemic in catteries or areas where lots of cats are housed together,
    shelters included.  Symptoms can range from mild to severe.  Ragdolls
    are the result of a very small genepool of cats; outbreeding is not
    allowed to promote hybrid vigor within the breed.  So, all of the cats
    and kittens are highly inbred.  My current Ragdoll had two litter
    brothers which I owned.  Both of them contracted URI's several times
    and almost died from the symptoms (they eventually succombed to an
    inherited heart disorder -- cardiomyopathy).  Kelsey, my only Ragdoll
    left in my household, has been the picture of health his entire life
    (he'll be 4 in August).  He has had URI's, but never more than mild
    sniffles and conjunctivitis.  The breeder I dealt with had a lot of
    problems in her cattery with URI as well. and many young kittens were
    lost to it.  I'd say, in each litter of 4 or 5, maybe 2 or 3 would
    eventually make it to being sold into pet or show homes.  Many breeders
    I have spoken with have had similar problems.  The breed just isn't
    hardy enough to withstand fighting off illness.
    
    This is not meant to malign Ragdolls.  I love the breed.  I just wanted
    to add some food for thought and share what I have learned over the
    years.
    
    -Roberta
    

    My kittens are all over their URI! (YEA!)
    
    However, does anyone use (or have heard of anyone using) genosin to
    help with the sneezing and such for URI? The breeder I'm working with
    in Ohio has been using it for 20 years with success and recommends I
    use it. However, when I mentioned it to MY vet, she didn't want to use
    it . I've got an 8-month old kitten who hasn't 'completely' shaken this
    URI for about 2 months.
    
    any suggestions? Comments?
    
    Cheryl

    re .4
    
    As for URI being related to pollen, I asked a vet about that a couple of
    weeks ago.  I have a cat who is a URI carrier, and due to that he has
    eye problems (corneal sequestrum).  His eyes seem to be acting up right
    now, with no other URI symtoms, so I asked the vet if it could be due
    to the pollen.  He said cats rarely get allergies like humans, so he
    doubted it.  
    
    Also, last year in our shelter we had a severe URI that killed many
    cats and kittens.  This year, with the pollen count higher than in
    years (so I've heard), we seem to be staying clear of the real virulent
    strains of URI (fingers crossed).
    
    So, perhaps the pollen isn't related.  Severe URI in kittens is
    unfortunately very common.
    
    Sue B. + 3

    I find that the worse time of year for URI's in my house is the
    spring and fall.   I truly believe it has something to do with
    the change in the weather!  One day it can be 90 degrees and the
    next day it can be 30 degrees!!
    
    And Roberta is right...it can hit very hard when you have multi
    cats....they keep passing it back and forth!!  (sigh!!)
    
    Sandy 

    Cheryl
    
    Gentocin is strong stuff.  Most vets don't like to treat with the
    strongest antibiotics until they are certain that nothing else is
    working.  If they begin with the strong meds, then the cats can build
    up a resistance to it.  In the event that they REALLY need it, it
    won't work.  Best to play it safe.
    
    At least this is the rule of thumb my own vet follows.
    
    -Roberta
    

    My experience with having a cattery and raising kittens for several
    years has been that with careful cattery management URI's can be
    controlled very successfully.
    
    Couple of methods I use and I would think that most breeders should
    know about:
    
    *isolate litters of kittens from all other cats in house except their
    own mother.
    
    *isolate mother from all other cats in house, especially any cat that
    is being shown, has just been to the vet, or who has just returned from
    another cattery, etc.
    
    *boost mother's vaccines prior to breeding in order to ensure the
    highest level of immunity before the kittens are born.
    
    *refrain from using modified live-virus vaccines on young kittens.
    
    *disinfect litter pans and food and water bowls with either Nolvasan,
    Roccal D, or preferably Chlorox and water (1:32).
    
    If the breeder wasn't doing these things than she/he may have been
    setting theirself up for problems with the litters.  When a URI does
    hit, especially with young kittens, a vet visit is imperative.  URI's
    can quickly turn to pneumonia in young kittens.
    
    
    Cheryl,
    
    You didn't mention if the breeder wanted you to use injectable gentocin
    or the gentocin eye drops.  The eye drops can help with some cases of
    conjunctivitis (not with chlamydial infections though).  The injectable
    drug is very, very strong, and it stays in the liver for a long time.
    I once had a kitten develop a fever of unknown origin that we had to
    bring down fast.  The vet sent me home with three syringes of gentocin,
    to be given one a day for three days.  At the end of the three days I
    asked if we should give the kitten some more, and the vet replied
    "absolutely not!"  She said it was much too strong and could cause
    liver damage.  The three day dose did end up bringing down the fever so
    we were out of the woods afterall.
    
    The gentocin eye drops come in two forms, regular and Gentocin
    Durafilm.  The Durafilm contains a steroid.  It should never be used
    without a vet's approval on an eye problem because it contains a
    steroid.  Steroids can cause serious damage to the eye if the eye is
    scratched, or has any kind of lesion on it.
    
    Jo

    Here's the good one -- the answer to the gentocin is NEITHER! The
    breeder mentioned that the cat inhales it! It's a 10-day, low dose
    treatment. Now I'm REALLY confused! There's no fever involved; just
    sneezing. Basically, it's a URI that is in latency ( I think that's the
    right word...). I've got yet ANOTHER prescription for P.A. to take, and
    I actually think it's working! (I forget the name of it right now). 
    
    Gracie and her kittens have been isolated since day 1. As a matter of
    fact, Gracie has been isolated since week 3-1/2 of her pregnancy, so
    she is REALLY antsie to get out!
    
    Thanks,
    Cheryl

    It isn't a nose inhaler, the breeder is talking about the eye drops.
    I know that a lot of breeders are using it as a nose drop to help 
    with URI's.  Haven't tried it myself.
    
    Jo
    
    PS - don't hold your breath waiting for the cat to inhale the
    gentocin!!  You will have to do it for her. ;')