A familiar face..& a question

Question
Hi Norm, I don't expect you to remember me, but I was showing my Siamese in CFA in the early 1990's (my mentor was Pat Summers of Summermorn Siamese) and belonged to Lincoln State cat club for a few years,saw you judge many times,probably with a few of mine. I have been away from breeding and showing for awhile now but I have encountered a problem with one of my 14 yr old retired cats here. What can you tell me about how to treat a reoccurring URI in one of my cats? This is the third time now in the last 3 weeks that it has flared up again. I take him in to the Vets, they treat him with Baytril and even some Kenalog. We go the course of medicines, he's fine for a week and then two days after stopping tx he starts all over again with the stuffy nose, open mouth breathing , etc. I give him sub-q fluids, and force feed if need be to get him through these episodes. He is compromised with Asthma and diminished lung capacity in one lung, so it is a concern. Any suggestions from any experience you might have in the past??
Its nice to see a familiar name here...Thanks in advance for any help you might have. Sue/Sho Hotei Siamese

Answer
Sue,

I remember Pat, but I would need a last name to truly remember you.

What I have seen in a number of geriatric cats (and people, including myself), is a worsening of allergies with age.  This is a very, very, very, very bad year for pollen and allergies.  The general problem after an onset of allergies in people is sinus infection.  Well cats have sinuses too and they do get infected.

So, the next time you treat, you may want the vet to do a couple of things.  (1) Check the white cell count, if it is not elevated, maybe the problem is not anti-biotic specific.  (2) Check for sinus infection and treat with something besides Baytril.  After all your continued use of Baytril just may establish Baytril resistant bacteria in your cat.  You might even try Zithromax. (3) If continued courses of antibiotics have come up wanting, maybe it is time to change the regimen.

I would also be concerned that the immune system is failing (14 is a ripe old age for any cat). Given that young kittens are in a similar situation, some other things to try to relieve the stuffiness are:  Triaminic pediatric (cats hate the taste), a saline nasal spray, a nebulizer (if you do not have one, try a vaporizer in a small closed room,like a bathroom or powder room, with the cat in a carrier).  We use a vaporizer and put in Vicks and Tylan 50 to medicate the steam.  You might add at least MSM powder and Echinachea <sp?> to the diet as these are supposed to help the immune system. E-mail me at auspitzn@yahoo.com and I will e-mail you our vitamin/mineral/herb mixture that we add to our cats' and kittens' food.

I hate to say this, but, at some point, your cat's body is just going to wear out, so be prepared.

Remember, I am not a vet, so you need to work with your vet, who, hopefully, has an open mind.

Concerned regards... Norm.