Conference misery::feline_v1

    I've only had a URI/FUO problem once, with Eirene, whose temp went to 105
    in a matter of hours (and on humid day that it was 90 in the shade to
    boot). Because I have multi-cat household and because the cats tend to
    groom each other, etc, my vet decided to treat Eirene for either 2 or 3
    weeks (I can't remember which). She had pretty much isolated herself
    for a few days before she got sick, and I kept her isolated from the
    others for a few days so luckily, noone else got ill.
    
    I can sympathise with you, though. Bladder infections seem to make the
    rounds in this house and we have found that if a cat has FUS sysmptoms,
    unless kitty is put on antibiotics  for a full 21 days, there will be a
    relapse, and there is a good chance that in a about a week a second cat
    will show symptoms.
    
    My vet told me that often they don't treat for the maximum period
    because a) it isn't usually necessary and b)to try to keep the cost
    down.
    
    Deb

    Here's another vote for longer treatment with the antibiotics.
    This must be really stressful for you, as I remember how miserable
    Holly was with a respiratory infection.  I assume the vet warned you
    to be sure they didn't get dehydrated, and to bring them in for
    a fluid shot if they did....
    

    I know its tough, but the best way to knock this out may be to
    put all the cats on antibiotics at the same time for three weeks.
    It'll be expensive, but it could get worse if the cats keep re-catching
    the infection.  And it sounds like the infection is mutating into
    something worse as it makes the rounds.
      Nancy

    My crew, seven in total, have also been put back on Antibiotics.
    This is the second time in about four weeks.   The symptoms I 
    noticed was that a few of them were sneezing, throwing up, and
    felt warm.  My vet said that this winter as been real nasty on
    cats...and he has seen many with the same symptoms.  He also said
    that with a multi cat household...it is real difficult to try and
    get rid of it ....that's why they are all on the Antibiotics.
    
    Another point my vet noted was that he has seen many cats who have
    aborted their kittens this year.  I wonder why this year is so tough
    on the furfaces?   Is it because it's warm one day and then freezing
    the next????
    
    Good luck in getting them all healthy.  
    
     Sandy

    Nancy...antibiotics for three weeks????   My vet suggested we
    keep them all on it for one week.  Well I have a 4oz bottle and am
    allowed two re-fills.....so hopefully this will do the trick...last
    time he only gave me a 4oz bottle.
    
    Sandy  
    

    I just got the new Cats magazine last nite.  In it is an article on
    disinfectants. I found it to be very informative on different types of
    viruses, bacterias and fungi.  It may help you to understand what is
    going on in your house and how the germs are spread and also how to
    help control it.  Best of luck!
    Karen, Ruby, Stinky, Wing
    
    ps, in case you can't read it, bleach mixed one part to 10 parts of
    water can be a very good disinfectant.  It also removes stains from the
    counter top pretty well too!

    
    Yup - 3 weeks.  If a 7 day course of antibiotics isn't knocking it
    out you go to 2-3 weeks of medication.  Bob was on a 3 week course
    for his UTI per the vet's orders.
      Nancy

    You should do as your vet tells you, of course but he may be 
    trying to save you a little money.  I think I'd at least want
    them on 10 days.  7 days is the absolute minimum amount of time
    anyone should take antibiotics - human, canine, feline etc.
      Nancy

    Well Nancy....that answers why it came back.  Four weeks ago
    he suggested only giving it to them for 4 or 5 days because he
    said we caught the beginning of the cold....but this time he
    did give me enough to last probably 10 days. 
    
    The funny part is he didn't have the medicine on hand (he ran out)
    so he wrote me out a prescription for a pharmacy.  Well the name 
    was made out to Sandy Cat Merritt.  I tried using my PCS card...
    but he wouldn't take it.  Oh well...I had to try!
    
    Thanks again...and your right humans always take it for atleast
    10 days.
    
      Sandy

as a treater of 5 cats, I have additional advice....buy an eyedropper for
each cat...and wash thoroughly after each medication dosage.  that eyedropper
can be your primary source of virus spread if you use it again and again
without washing it in between...and if you use it on all cats, it is even
worse as a source of infection.

Ask your vet for some 1cc feeders - one for each cat...Do NOT use the eyedropper
in the med for any cat..and medicate all cats for at least 10 days, being
very careful to clean and dry all dosage mediums completely between meds.
Eyedroppers come completely apart (if you use them) and you can pop off the
top from the glass part so you can make sure all is clean.

You have my sympathies - I went through this during December and stopped it
at 2 cats...luckily.

    thanks for the info...yesterday I got a large 453ml bottle of ditrim
    (strong antibiotic) and 11 syringes from my vet;  the cost was only $30
    vs. approx. $150 for the equivalent amount of small bottles of
    cefadrops or amoxycillin, and ditrim is stronger for upper respiratory
    virus diseases.  I also talked with a friend who runs a cat shelter in
    Pueblo (Co) and she had been through the same kind of thing before, and
    treated everyone under her care, whether sick or not, with antibiotics
    for 10-14 days.
    
    The only problem I have is that ditrim causes massive salivation for
    15-45 minutes;  I treated 8 cats last night and 3 this morning (the
    latter bunch had received cefadrops the previous morning, and I didn't
    want too much stuff in their system);  last night I had 8 cats running
    around with red saliva flying all over the place (red because the
    ditrim is cherry flavored and colored, probably because it's also a
    kid's medicine under another name).  The cats are extremely upset from
    this uncontrollable drooling, etc., but it seems to pass quickly. 
    Hopefully the subsequent dosages will cause less of a reaction.  Also,
    the syringes work much better than droppers for those who refuse to
    open their mouth wide enough for the 2ml droppers, which are pretty
    fat.
    
    I figure 10-14 days, and hopefully we can put this behind us.  Thanks
    for the help.
    
    Al

    sounds like sound advice to me.   Of course I have been using
    one eyedropper on all seven cats....and then back in the bottle
    it goes for the next time.   What hurts is I think I have about
    5 eyedroppers at home....just never thought of it.
    
    Thanks...Sandy  (dumb mom!!)
    

    Re: disinfectant
    
    Be careful not to use Lysol, which is poisonous to cats.  Also,
    bleach and something (ammonia??) when mixed produce cyanide
    gas.
    
    Re: drooling from antibiotic
    
    Holly has that reaction, the vet prescribed a different
    antibiotic (maybe a pill form, I don't remember) but perhaps that
    isn't an option for yours.
    

    That reminds me of the time I had to have a prescription fillled
    at the Pharmacy for Pussycat Kolling, and the pharmicist's
    assistant was rolling around on the floor when she read the
    bottle....
    

    Smirk, Grin.. giggle.. a friend of mine has a kitty named  Mittens
    Kitty Levine.. or M.K.Levine,,,  Kittys correspondence (mail)
    is addressed to MS M.K. Levine..
    Kate..

    re: bleach & ammonia - it releases chlorine gas.  (also deadly)
    

    Just to stregthen what I said earlier and in regards to the previous
    note:  ONLY mix the bleach with water 1/10 and not with any other
    agents.  Not only could it release a poisonous gas, but it could also
    render the disinfectant properties useless.
    Karen, Ruby, Stinky, Wing
    (who needs to wash and disinfect the floors tonight for the imminent
    delivery of Ruby's progeny)

    I use either bleach and water or Nolvassan and water to disinfect
    my cattery.  I swap each week, one week bleach, the next Nolvassan.
    I also have 2 mops, 1 for the bleach solution, 1 for the Nolvassan
    solution.  
    
    Also, I have 2 sets of mops for each "living space" in my house
    so I don't transfer germs, etc from the main cattery to the nursery
    cattery to the upstairs rooms.
    
    According to my vet, there are "things" that bleach works for that
    Nolvassan won't and vice versa.
    
    This is just what I do, your mileage may vary!
    
    cin
    

    I do the same, I switch off between bleach solution and Nolvasan.  We
    keep them both premixed in spray bottles in each room.
    
    When dealing with upper respiratory illnesses, if you can separate the
    sick cats into another room, that would at least make it more difficult
    for the virus to get to the well cats.  Also, squirt yourself off with
    the bleach and water or Nolvasan solution after handling the sick cats.
    This will cut down on the transfer of germs.
    
    Good luck.  I have been there and it ain't no fun.
    
    Jo

    Jo,
    
    I only keep the Nolvasan solution in spray bottles in each room....for
    spraying down cage floors, hands, etc.   For between weekly cleanings,
    and after handling certain cats.  Maybe I gotta invest in a couple
    more squirt bottles!
    
    Amazing how alike we do things!
    
    cin
    

    Cin,
    
    I think we both learned these things the hard way.  Wish I could have
    read it here first.  That would have been the easy way. :^)
    
    Jo