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Conference misery::feline

Title:Meower Power - Where Differing Opinions are Respected
Notice:purrrrr...
Moderator:JULIET::CORDES_JA
Created:Wed Nov 13 1991
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1079
Total number of notes:28858

999.0. "laryngitis/voice loss?" by STAR::AWARNER () Mon May 06 1996 10:49

Have any of you had any experience with a cat loosing its voice?

My (very vocal) cat seemed particurly quiet last week and then on Friday
I noticed that he would try to "meow" and only a short, scratchy "squawk"
would come out.  In all other respects he seems normal - eating, activity-wise,
affection.  He's not coughing or paying particular attention to his 
throat/mouth.  He doesn't seem to be sore or have any bumps/lumps around
his throat.  He is about 10 years old and an indoor/outdoor cat.

Any shared experience or advice is appreciated.  I didn't see any keywords
or titles that matched, but please provide the pointers if I've missed
anything.

Thanks,
Anne.
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
999.1Off to the Fun Place!WMOIS::FLECK_SLove me, Love my dogs, cats, etc.Mon May 06 1996 12:186
    
    	I've had this happen to one of my cats, and the vet gave me
    something to give her.  That was along time ago, so I don't remember
    what it was called.  I think he said it was allergies?  A trip to
    the vets couldn't hurt, unless you can get  your cat to gargle!ha ha
    						Sue
999.2check your houseplantsMPGS::WOOLNERYour dinner is in the supermarketMon May 06 1996 13:436
    Do you have a dieffenbachia (sp?) plant, aka "dumb cane"?  The "dumb"
    in dumb cane is from the temporary paralysis it gives to vocal cords...
    so if your kitty has been munching on it, s/he could very well have
    laryngitis for a while.
    
    Leslie
999.3Me too!MKOTS3::NICKERSONMon May 06 1996 13:5510
    This happened to one of my cats a few years ago.  Turned out she had an
    irritation in her throat which could have been caused by something
    getting stuck in her throat.  
    
    The dr. gave her a shot of something and then she was on antibiotics
    for five days.  She's fine now.
    
    Definitely take her to the vet.
    
    Linda
999.4Could Be A Sore ThroatPCBUOA::FEHSKENSlen - reformed architectTue May 07 1996 10:0410
    
    My old Merlin lost his voice due to laryngitis - he caught an upper
    respiratory infection from the kittens, it gave hin a sore throat.  He
    lost his appetite (like we do when we have a sore throat), and he got
    dehydrated.
    
    Get a professional opinion.
    
    len.
    
999.5UpdateSTAR::AWARNERTue May 14 1996 11:2710
I took the cat to his vet.  Definite throat irritation and everything else
seems fine.  It could be one of 2 things; pharangitis/tonsilitus type 
infection or a foreign matter irritating the throat.  We are working the
conservative approach first; antibiotics for an infection.  If that has
no results, the vet wants to knock the cat out to get a better look at
his throat for a foreign matter.  I'll post the outcome.

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

Anne.
999.6resolutionSTAR::AWARNERTue May 28 1996 15:5210
Well, after 10 days of antibiotics and 4 days off them so far, the cat
is back to normal (meow!) with no sign of any recurrance.  Must have been either
an infection from a foreign matter or a bacterial infection.

So the bottom line is if your cat looses his/her voice it is worth the tramatic
trip to the vet and fight of administering the antibiotics (I choose the
liquid form, being sensitive to an irritated throat... Inky got quite adept
at spewing them all over the kitchen after a while... ;-)

Anne.