Conference misery::feline_v1

    Yup - sounds very familiar - I just brought 3 in for 3 different
    reasons - what really made me mad, is when I got to the vet's
    office, all three looked FINE. sigh.  Guess they just wanted
    to go visit Dr. Buz and see me spend $100.00 !!  creepoids.
    
    I think that drastic changes in weather, hot, cool, rain, cold,
    pollen, etc. can do funny things to cats as well as people.
    Use yourself as a "go-by" - if you haven't been feeling up
    to par and blame it on the crazy weather, chances are your
    fuzzy faces may be feeling the same way!
    
    E.T._who_runs_out_of_guesses_to_explain_"why" !

    Happens with my guys, too!  As Elaine stated, weather changes do
    crazy things.  All five of my guys just got over a URI and each
    time one of them went off to the vet, their symptoms magically
    disappered!  Then as soon as they got home, it was cough, cough,
    sneeze, sneeze, all over again!
    
    Also, their annual visits go like this:
    
    - T.K., Kelsey, Shelby:  November
    - Chauncey:              December
    - Nikki:                 January
    
    - Roberta:               FLAT BROKE!
    

    .. Hmm. sounds familiar..Pookie had surgery in january, a root canal...
    then Feb came the Pookie flu.. then in March, she had a benign tumor
    removed from her leg....then since april we have been in 3 times,
    we "suspect her thyroid to be the problem., she has lost some weight,
    all her other tests are negative(thank goodness)my vet and I are 
    use a wait and see type approach, one because of her age, she is not a
    good surigical risk, and most of the medications for thyroid have side
    affects, and first and foremost, the tests have been coming back as 
    " suspect"..so she has been getting "xtra food", mush to Happys
    delight.. she waits "IMPATIENTLY" for Pookie to finish eating..
    then she moves in.. it is funny,..!!! I am quite sure she is
    saying to Pookie.. hey old crabby sister of mine.. hurry up..
    my turn..heh=heh.. this is good this is very good.. yummy..
    ,, as far a Happy is concerned, she had an ear infection.. poor little
    sweetie..and the Happy flu"..and this Saturday is our yearly
    check-up, last week we had our teeth done.. ..we do this in s
    stages with Happy.. heh-heh.. she is not amused when she has to go
    to Kitty Kamp.. but Mummy, I can't go.. it is really POOKIES
     turn to go,,etc
    regard
    Kate

    Another weather phenomenon is my cats don't eat ... at least
    they don't eat a whole lot. I guess it's the heat. They don't
    have a lot of appetite in humid weather. All that fur just
    makes it worse!
    
    lp

    I have had my share of health problems this month too.  The eleven
    week old kittens have a raging upper respiratory infection right
    now, so they and their mom are in isolation (they are still nursing
    or I would keep her from them too, she is a sitting duck right now,
    the only well one in the bunch).
    
    I have had another problem too, but I think I will start a new topic
    for it since I learned alot, and I think others might too.
    
    Jo

    
    
    	Since there is a lot of talk about URI's in here...
    
    	When we first brought Duke in for a check up and his
    	first set of kitten shots, the doctor told us he had
    	an upper respiratory "problem".  Is this the same as
    	an URI?  the reason I ask is, the vet didn't give us
    	anything for it.  He has ulcers on the roof of his mouth
    	and we were told this was from sneezing and coughing.
    	(although I very seldom see it)
    
    	Thanks
    
    	JJ
    

    Maybe the vet was saying that Duke's problem was chronic or not
    severe enough to treat.  But, the ulcers on the roof of the mouth
    don't sound too good.  You might want to get a second opinion.
    
    URI can be caused by a number of different things.  Rhino, Calici,
    and Panleuk can all have upper respiratory symptoms.  I don't remember
    which one, but I think one of them can cause mouth ulcers.  I will
    have to check the books tonight and let you know what I find out.
    
    Jo

    If memory serves me correctly, I believe it is the Calici that causes
    the mouth ulcers.  Could be the Rhino, though, but think the Rhino
    is mostly eye discharge and lots of congestion??
    

    maybe it is the strange weather; Pip, Eirene and Argus all have bladder
    infections. Luckily, Pip and Eirene responded almost immediatly to the
    amoxcilian. Argus was on it 5 days and still was passing blood (and
    hogging the litterbox) so the vet changed him over to clavox last
    night. He thinks that Argus might have built up a tolerance to
    amoxcillian. Anyhow, well see how it goes.
    
    Deb 

    When SilVee has a bladder infection, the vet gives her tribrisson(sp?).
    Seems to work - has some sort of sulpha medicine in it.

    Are bladder infections different than the FUS?  Barney has Uroeze,
    Prednasone (for straining), and I think Clavox (cuz he built up a
    tolerance to the Pred).  You should see my kitchen counter... tons
    of medicine bottles, all for the cats and mostly for Barney.  I'm a
    regualar kitty pharmacy!
    
    Mary
    

    We have tried tribrisson on the big guy before but it never seemed to
    do the job. However, as of this morning, Argus wasn't doing the
    litterbox dance and his urine seems to have cleared up. He also got in
    line to be combed, something that he hasn't done in a week.

    What I think is interesting here is that a few months ago Niky wasn't
    responding to the amoxcillian so he got switched over to the clovax and
    it took a few days before that really had an effect (and the vet said
    that was common), but it seemed to clear Argus up overnight.

    Oh, well, I'm not going to try to figure it out; I'm just glad that it
    worked.

    Deb

    Tribrissan is a multi-purpose antibiotic.  All of my cats have had
    it at one time or another but it is very bitter tasting and made
    poor Kelsey foam at the mouth.  Clavamox is another good antibiotic
    but when my cats weren't responding to it for their recent URI,
    the vet prescribed Cefatabs.  They really did the trick!
    

    This bladder thing is a new wrinkle for SilVee so she isn't 
    used to the tribrisson 'yet' - I'll remember the clovax for
    future reference for sure!  From what Dr. B. said saturday,
    they have to stay on the med. for 3 weeks to prevent recurrance.
    SilVee isn't exactly a lap cat - she is sweeter than sugar but
    doesn't like to be held - loves to be patted and scratched on
    her own terms when she wants the attention.  Likes to stay
    by herself a bunch - she's not a groupie - she is so sweet -
    and pretty~!  Looks very much like Needy (some of you know
    Ineeda Nudda Cat (Lauren's baby girl) - Persian breeders
    would kill for SilVee's tail - a coat that doesn't quit!
    She's easy to pill when I can catch her! (off guard). sigh

    re: .13
    
    Yes, there are also CephaDrops - for those that don't pill well.
    I had always thought that the tribrissan was used primiarly
    for the bladder thing - always heard folks talk about the
    2 together.  Never had bladder problems before SilVee.  Hope
    we don't have any more.

    Elaine - my vet told me she prescribes Tribrissan for URIs, infections,
    diarreah, and coccidiosis.  It seems to be an all-purpose drug!
    
    I had never heard of the Cephatabs or drops until a few weeks ago.
    It really worked miracles on my kitties!

    Cefatabs and Cefadrops are the same drug as Keflex.  Very strong.
    We used Tribrisserin for Kaitlin's pyometra and it seems to be working
    very well.  Safe enough for the nursing kittens too!
    
    What is the basic drug in Clovax?  Is this something new? or is
    it similar to Clavamox?
    
    Jo

    Jo, I think that I ment Clavamox (I saw the name of the drug and must
    have ignored everything between the va and x; I guess I've been
    weorking here too long :-) ).
    
    Deb

    re: 18
    
    Gee Deb, I only saw the VAX also!!!  must be a disease!!!
    
    DEC-longevity
    
    E.T.