Very bad URI - Update 0125

[Unepuce]

My Biscotte and her sister Cookie have been officially given the title of "lemon" by my vet. Cookie had to have an eye removed, Biscotte has been on abs forever for her own eye issue, both have horrible teeth issues, and a couple of months ago, Biscotte developped a URI that just won't let go.

Biscotte's behavior for the last few weeks: abdominal breathing, extremely congestioned at times, sneezing, eyes covered (drowning!) in porph but no porph coming out of her nose. Her appetite rises and declines - for a while, she was pigging out, right now, she eats only to please us (note that because of her teeth issues, I have to provide her with mushed foods). She keeps herself extremely busy building nests and rearranging her few chosen sleeping quarters - this has been going on for 2 weeks now.

Medication wise, here's the background: she developped the URI while of Clavamox, the only abs able to keep her eye issue under control (all other non resistant abs failed, including Doxy). Upon diagnosis, we decided to stop the Clavamox and put her on the classic Baytril + Doxy + Metacam combo to get the URI under control... didn't work (was on it for about 3 weeks). Last week, I made a last minute appointment before my vet left on vacation and I mentionned Zitro - Biscotte is on Zitro + Doxy since Jan 10 (and still taking the metacam to help her congestion). We also took an X-ray to check her heart - her heart is fine and there is no fluid in her lungs.

I steamed her a few times since Christmas, it seemed to help at first, so I raised humidity in my appartment from 30% to 45% (windows are covered in water now, need to readjust before I add mold to the problem). Now, steaming doesn't help much, she does sneeze a little more while in the bathroom, but it doesn't sound like she is disloging anything. She doesn't gasp for air, so I know the airways are somewhat clear... my vet told me the metacam should help with her congestion, but I am not convinced it is helping that much.

On Tuesday night, I was convinced I would have to get her PTS along with my little princess Lili who has an aggressive cancer :sad3: but Biscotte rebounced a bit yesterday and is back to her normal sick self.

I'm at loss, doing all I can to help her - I feel like the only thing left to try is a decongestant. I really need your thoughts... Having to let my sweet and lovely Lili go soon is hard enough by itself, I can't stand the idea of having to take my sweet and quiet Cocotte as well... and having Cookie lose her sister... :sad3:

 

[hopefloats]

Maybe she has scarring in her lungs? Mally is noisy when the humidity is to low it flares her up. I have found the warm mist humidifier doesn't help her much. I have been using the cool mist one now.

if there is nothing in her lungs will a decongestant do anything? have you tried an inhaler? maybe her wheezy is something asthmatic and not her sickness?

You could try to give her a bit of coffee when she is wheezy. It helps with the airways. I am not saying a lot lol but let her lick some off your finger, if her wheezing stops then you might be in the right direction. Dark chocolate does the same think I believe. It is worth a shot.

 

[lilspaz68]

have you ever tried the combo of clavamox and baytril for her URI and to keep her eye issues in check at the same time?

 

[Unepuce]

@ Hopefloats: Thanks! Will definitely try the coffee (hope instant works as well?). I too was wondering about asthma, but I kind of brushed it off thinking I was being hypocondriac being asthmatic myself. If it turns out it helps, I suppose I would need to nebulize her? Hum.... that's gonna be something to figure out...

I didn't see any scarring on the X-ray. Everything looked pretty clear. I might be calling the clinic to have them check medications for me (just want to make sure I've got the zitro combo right), so I might ask for a vet to take a look for me for confirmation. My appointments have be very eventful these past 2 weeks, so I realize after I get home (and the clinic is closed) that I have lots of questions I forgot to ask. ((sigh)).

@ Lilspaz: Nope... the moment she diagnosed the URI, the vet cut the clavamox. I have an appointment next Tuesday for Biscotte's teeth. I will definitely mention it, but she will have been on the zitro for 2 weeks only and it's been helping her abdominal breathing so far. Maybe I'll go before, it all depends on how Lili hangs on with her bowling ball jaw...

 

[lilspaz68]

Strangely enough I have heard very good things of using clav and baytril for persistent URI's...and I have seen it work very well on Jenny's Delilah

 

[hopefloats]

I might try this with mally then LOL

 

[lilspaz68]

The 3 kick butt combos I suggest are;

baytril/zithro (find it works better than doxy/zithro)
baytril/clavamox
baytril/doxycycline (if you haven't already started with this one)

 

[hopefloats]

@ Hopefloats: Thanks! Will definitely try the coffee (hope instant works as well?). I too was wondering about asthma, but I kind of brushed it off thinking I was being hypocondriac being asthmatic myself. If it turns out it helps, I suppose I would need to nebulize her? Hum.... that's gonna be something to figure out...

I didn't see any scarring on the X-ray. Everything looked pretty clear. I might be calling the clinic to have them check medications for me (just want to make sure I've got the zitro combo right), so I might ask for a vet to take a look for me for confirmation. My appointments have be very eventful these past 2 weeks, so I realize after I get home (and the clinic is closed) that I have lots of questions I forgot to ask. ((sigh)).

@ Lilspaz: Nope... the moment she diagnosed the URI, the vet cut the clavamox. I have an appointment next Tuesday for Biscotte's teeth. I will definitely mention it, but she will have been on the zitro for 2 weeks only and it's been helping her abdominal breathing so far. Maybe I'll go before, it all depends on how Lili hangs on with her bowling ball jaw...

I have an inhaler that i put a tp roll on it. It is folded on the end to hold the inhaler part. I stick the rats head in the other end, hold it there, and squeeze.

For the neublizer I put mally in a cat carrier, cover it with a towel, and prop the container upagainis the door for her to get it. The whole carrier gets full of the steam so she is getting it. I have found this a lot less stressful. I have even held them under a bowl LOL a big one but a bowl none the less.

 

[victoria]

You can try nebulizing her with even just saline (if she stays calm for that then you can try meds), saline's pretty effective at breaking apart mucus.

 

[Unepuce]

@Lilspaz - Exactely why I am calling the clinic - checking that I didn't misunderstand and that the combo she's prescribed is zitro + doxy and not zitro + baytril. If it's doxy and since she might be resistant to doxy, at next appointment I will ask to change it to either zitro + baytril or clavamox + baytril. I tend to wanna stick to zitro for now since it helped her abdominal breathing and her URI is what I really worry about right now. Taking good notes of the combos... thank you!!!

@Hopefloats - Your inhaler... is it Ventolin (or generic)? I do have this one and another one I can't remember the name of right now - the orange one, the one with cortisone. Not sure I understand how you nebulize? You prop the carrier against what door?

@Victoria - My issue with nebulizing her is that I don't see how I can do it unless I borrow your nebulizer... :giggle:

 

[hopefloats]

the container, which holds the meds, is propped up against the cat carrier door so it goes inside the cat carrier. I push it up against the wall. That holds the med cup up to the door so i can finish what i was doing.

My inhaler is an albuterol one. Nothing spectacular I use it to see if it helps but i mainly use my nebulizer.

 

[Unepuce]

OK, I think I get it: Container/bowl of "medication"/wall... and a towel covering both the container and bowl to contain the steam. Smart! I can do that!

I suppose you leave her in a tad longer than you would if you were using the actual nebulizer?

 

[Aida]

Jeez, I'm really keeping my fingers crossed that your babies will be fine. I can't help much like the others, so all I can propose is my support. So sorry.

 

[hopefloats]

OK, I think I get it: Container/bowl of "medication"/wall... and a towel covering both the container and bowl to contain the steam. Smart! I can do that!

I suppose you leave her in a tad longer than you would if you were using the actual nebulizer?

I do, when it is done making the noise, i shut it off, i leave her in there and covered since there is usaully a puff of good stuff still.

I have also put them under a mixing bowl held the edge over the table just enough to fit the med cup stem under. Most of mine do ok in that but some freak out so the carrier is safer LOL. Mally freaked out the first time so bad, she jumpd and hopped around the room in a major panic. I thought i killed her lol

 

[jorats]

Baytril and Zithro have pulled some of ours from the brink of death.
Nebulizing at this time could be more harmful especially if you use a chamber. With limited lung capacity, it makes it even harder to inhale and if she panics, then it's game over.
Dex is something I would definitely try.

 

[Joanne]

I forgot about my Lily until now. Her breathing was terrible and we were out of options so my vet suggested Prednisone. So I put her on Pred as a last ditch thing before euthanasia. This was based on the idea that it might be inflammatory (like asthma). She lived for many more months on the Pred! (Plus all the antibiotics and some Enalapril thrown in for good measure. LOL)

 

[hopefloats]

she isnt gasping. Just noisy. it is for asthma thing more than pneumonia.

 

[victoria]

@Victoria - My issue with nebulizing her is that I don't see how I can do it unless I borrow your nebulizer... :giggle:

It's available if you want it. I'm going to the vet tonight so we can maybe we meet up if you want.

 

[Unepuce]

Thank you all so much for your input and support. I feel much better, and I even have hope now that we can pull her through this.

I am adding Dex to my discussion with the vet, and will ask more info about nebulization.

@Victoria - My issue with nebulizing her is that I don't see how I can do it unless I borrow your nebulizer... :giggle:

It's available if you want it. I'm going to the vet tonight so we can maybe we meet up if you want.

I'll take a rain check on this! I feel like nebulizing is last resort... plus I decided that next time I was going to the clinic I was taking Lili to be put down... definitely not ready for this today. But don't worry. If it becomes a must and you still don't need it, I'll drive all the way to your place to get it! THANK YOU! :hugs:

PS - Guess who won the rodent basket from the clinic's draw benefiting abandoned animals? You've got it right... Took the message late Tuesday night, when Biscotte was finally getting a bit more like herself. That was a much nicer way to go to bed!

 

[victoria]

PS - Guess who won the rodent basket from the clinic's draw benefiting abandoned animals? You've got it right... Took the message late Tuesday night, when Biscotte was finally getting a bit more like herself. That was a much nicer way to go to bed!

Good for you! I was thinking of buying a ticket but bought the cards instead (as if I'll ever part with any of them) - I recognize 5 of the 6 bunnies pictured, so I couldn't help myself.

You may want to try Predisone of Dex because the latter depresses the immune system more.