Tucker to the vet today! :o(

First thing this morning, Tucker sneezed about 20 times straight ... was breathing through his mouth only and his 2nd eyelids were showing!!!! I about freaked and rushed to the vet!!!
He has 104+ fever, but wasn't dehydrated yet ... thank GOD! My vet said his lungs sound clear ... it must just be an upper respiratory virus!!! I was sooooooo afraid it was FIP!!! He gave him a mixed injection to lower his fever .... some Amoxicillin and Pet Tinic vitamins! THANK GOD we dodged what could have been tragic! I love my Tucker man sooooooo incredibly much! I was in tears while waiting for the vet to come in!!! :(

Please say a prayer that Tucker will clear up quickly and get back to his normal adorable self!

I'm sure Tucker will be doing great in no time. :) My prayers are with you.

Get better Tucker!! It's no fun being sick. :(

Tucker will be in my thoughts and prayers. I hope he gets better really soon. I know you must be very worried. When Mandy had a temperature of 105.3 I was so afraid. She had to go to the vet's office every day that week. She had a scratch on her leg that became infected. The only reason the doctor noticed was because she was limping. I still keep a close eye on her when I'm home and if either of them are sleeping a lot I'm wondering if they could have a high temperature. Try not to worry too much. Please keep us posted on his condition.

You are in our prayers little Tucker. Please get well soon.

Thinking of Tucker. Get well soon baby.

Wow! Good thing you caught this in time. Poor guy!

Well, I just tried to give Tucker his first dose of liquid Amoxicillin... he is drooling soooooo badly, I don't know if any of it went down!!! :( The vet said he was drooling from nerves, but he's been home for almost 3 hours now! :confused:
I had to leave for a while to pick up a birthday gift for my mom's birthday (today) ... but I don't think he has had any water to drink! The vet said it is crucial that he drinks, or I will have to take him in for IV fluids! He just keeps sneezing something terrible.... why do I KNOW that this is from all the strays I've brought in!!!! :(

Quote:

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Originally posted by kimlovescats
Well, I just tried to give Tucker his first dose of liquid Amoxicillin... he is drooling soooooo badly, I don't know if any of it went down!!! :( The vet said he was drooling from nerves, but he's been home for almost 3 hours now! :confused:
I had to leave for a while to pick up a birthday gift for my mom's birthday (today) ... but I don't think he has had any water to drink! The vet said it is crucial that he drinks, or I will have to take him in for IV fluids! He just keeps sneezing something terrible.... why do I KNOW that this is from all the strays I've brought in!!!! :(

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Try putting it in some tuna, or as Catsnclay suggested, baby food. We've had to give Bo antibiotics for a month now and it only works when I mix it in some tuna for her.

Thank you, I will try that!

Please don't get discouraged helping the strays. Sometimes this stuff just happens. I would suggest a vet check with every stray you bring in, if you haven't already started doing this. This could avoid a lot of problems. Also, they suggest you seclude a stray/new cat for at least 2 weeks to ensure they don't have anything contagious. Keep up the good work Kim.

I hope Tucker feels better soon!(Black and white cats are tough!);)
About getting him to drink more, Phred (Cinder and Smoke) has great advice on it from his own experience with Boots the cat. I think he recently posted in Grasshopper's thread about how to get your cat to drink more with a syringe. Cats like the juice from a can of tuna too, that may help get him to drink too.
Good luck in getting Tucker to feel better soon!

Tucker will be in my prayers. Get well soon sweetie.

Prayers for a speedy recovery, Tucker!

Kim ~ Here's the short version...

Boots was NOT drinking enough - so HE get the extra thrill of being forced to drink. The method was crude, but quite effective.

I used a standard plastic medical needle/syringe *with the sharp needle un-screwed and discarded!* as a waddur pump/sqwirt gun! Suck up a load of waddur, hold his mouth open, place the end of the *gun* over his tongue, and in about two seconds *pump* him a generous mouthful. Sounds cruel - and he DID make some frightful *GAAkk* & Gurggle* noises - but he would swallow it! And this technique WAS Vet approved! Being a BIG Kat, Doc suggested about 6 syringe fulls at a "sitting"... more than that and poor Boots made serious *Sloshing* :eek: noises when he walked away from a "wattering"!

Prayers are on the way for dear Tucker.

Prayers on the way for you and Tucker.

I hope Tucker feels better. I think TicTac caught his cold-he was sneezing this morning too, but not as bad as poor Tucker.

Get well soon, Tucker. Lucky you've got a great mummy who got you to the white coat's early. :)

Thanks everyone for the prayers. So far, so good .... Tucker licked his vitamins off of some fresh Tuna. He never eats the Tuna, just licks the juice off ... silly boy!!! :rolleyes: But right now, that is something! He also nibbled a bit of his dry food and tried to drink from his fountain... but he was sneezing so violently I thought he would drown! I called the vet to see if Benadryl would be ok for his sneezing... he said yes and I forced some of that down him too. POOR BABY! He is resting fairly peacefully under my bed right now. He has been drooling so unbelievably, he is absolutely soaked... and so is everything around him! :eek:

I'll keep you posted on my baby boy... thanks so much!;)

Tucker, we are so worried about you. Please get well soon.
:( I'm glad that you are getting some rest.

Please get well soon, Tucker!

{{We're prayin' for a quick recovery!}}

Ahh, i hope you can get some sleep tonight, Tucker...its hard when your not feeling well. Sweet Dreams :)

Robyn

I'm so sorry to hear that Tucker is sick. :( Prayers are on the way for a speedy recovery. Please take care.

It seems we now have a viral outbreak amongst my cats! :( :( :(
At least 4 more have come down with this cough, sneeze virus!!!!
I was up ALL night keeping a close eye on Tucker and Hallie, and checking regularly to see who else was symptomatic. This is very bad and I'm so scared ..... especially for the 6 kittens!!!!! :(
I isolated them from the others, I just hope it isn't too late!!!! I'm just sitting here waiting for my vets office to open this morning ... hoping he will have some "good" solution to this???? :confused:
I'm thinking about asking him to make a house call and do whatever he can for everyone. I have done some research online all night and it sounds like they have Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis. (FVR) or also known as Feline Herpes Virus I.
From what I have read, even cats that have been vaccinated against this can still get the "wild" form .... also, if they were ever exposed to it before, they can be carriers and shed the virus to others even though they don't show any symptoms!!!! :confused: Stress.... such as overcrowding :( can bring it on. I feel so negligent and responsible for this whole mess ... I've really done it this time!!!!!!!!!!!!! :( :( :( :( :(

Oh no, how scary! :( I'm so sorry to hear about that! First Tucker, and now the others!

Would it be possible for you to seperate those who still seem to be healthy from the others?

Yes, I think asking your vet for a house call would be a good idea. I don't have any experience with that virus, but I hope it's something the poor kitties can get rid off with amoxicillin or another antibiotic!

Best get well wishes to your sneezing felines!

Kirsten

Kim, please do not panic. ANY URI would be highly contagious (meaning if one got a cold, the others may follow). I am sorry that this happened, but I hate to see you beating yourself up from it. As you state in your post (about FVR), adults do not always show symptoms. You could have this problem even if you did not bring any strays in to the house. Any one of us who adopt a new kitty could have this happen to them, but that does not make us regret doing it. Hopefully this will all be just a distant memory very soon. Best of luck to those kitties. {{{{{HUGS}}}}}

Kim, I'm so sorry to hear that now more of your cats are sick. :( Prayers are on the way for all of them. Please don't blame yourself. You've been a great cat mom and I don't see how you could've prevented something like this. I sure hope the vet can make a house call and help all of your sick kitties. Please take care.

Kim: I'm sending you more prayers across cyberspace. You are a good Mom so don't blame yourself. Those kitties are very lucky to have you looking after them. Hopefully things will get better real soon. Please keep us posted.

I sure hope Tucker is feeling better soon!!!

My hubby and I went to the vet 1st thing this morning. Last count 9 cats are sick. :( We are to take each cat's temperature rectally ....... any fever over 104.2 (which we have 2 at 105 already) is to have an injection of a steroid twice a day. All cats are to have an antibiotic injection twice a day as well! Dr. Brunner sold us a whole box of syringes (100 count) to adminisiter these shots ourselves. (all new to us) We have to save all the needles in a plastic container and return them to his office .... for proper disposal. We completely cleared out his supply of this antibiotic vial :eek: ---- just lucky he was so willing to accomodate us!!!! All cats are to be monitored very closely ... any one not eating / drinking .... even after the steroid injection ... will need to be taken in to the office for fluids and force-feeding! :(

My main concern right now are the six baby kittens. Mom, Lacie, is the most recent to show symptoms .... this does not look good for the babies!:( :( :( :(

Please keep us ALL in your prayers!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't give up hope. Sounds like you're headed in the right direction. Hang in there....we're all thinking of you. When this is over, cats are all well, you'll feel good about it.

Boy I was waiting for an update. Sounds like you've got your work cut out for you. If I lived closer I'd be there to help you in a heartbeat. You are all in my daily prayers and we'll be looking for regular updates. Hang in there.

Kim ~

Prayers and {{{Huggs}}} offered for ALL of you!

Have you *isolated* everyone into groups - sickies :(, healthy ones ;), and Newbies?

And what did the Vet recommend for hydration? Did he suggest the forced watering if they don't drink on their own?

Best of Luck!!

Sounds like work, but I know you will do fine. Did the vet say what they had? Hope everyone feels better very soon. Hugs to you and kisses to all the kitties.

how is Tucker doing now?
poor baby! try giving him canned food mixed with water, it has water in it already but a little extra will help him.. good luck , I hope Tucker is better soon!

Kim,
prayers are on the way for you and the gang. I pray that this weekend will be the worst of it, and that some of it can be controlled....{{{{{HUGS}}}}}

I can't even imagine how scared/tired/anxious/sad you are feeling. We (me, Cleo and Izzy) will keep you in our thoughts and prayers. It is so hard when they aren't well...and we just want to be able to fix it....I hope that with each update we will hear more and more good news.

(and don't forget that you guys need to take care of yourselves too!...this kind of stress and round the clock worry can do you in if you aren't careful so stay well!

Kim, I just got home and am really sorry to hear about the viruses. :(

You have been so good and have done so much for these kitties that I know you will be able to pull them through. I can’t add any advice, but make sure you take care of yourself too. Perhaps someone from a shelter or a vet tech could come by to give you a hand.

Kim, we had the same thing when our RB Naomi came to live with us. Vasea got the virus from her, although she looked perfectly healthy. We had to administer some shots and give him some pills. I was also VEEEEEERY scared. But he got well in a few days.
We even had a hilarius situation when he escaped from my brother's hands and started running through all the apt with the needle and syringe in his rear end :) That made us take it easier. If he was able to run like that, that meant he can get well.

I hope you will remember it one day just like a minor problem.
And, don't give up with the good work you're doing for all those cats.

Just wanted to give you a quick update. Tucker is showing the first signs of improvement. He no longer has that terrible drooling, he isn't struggly for breath as badly, and even his coughing has eased up! I think the poor baby is finally actually able to doze off for a bit. He has been on my bed with me tonight, instead of hiding under it! Also, he is eating his tuna and drinking some water...ALL of which are GOOD signs!!!!

At this moment, the worst seems to now be Boots (tuxedo feral). I am sure he has never had any shots, so this is going to really be tough on him. He doesn't have the profuse drooling like Tucker had, but he is mouth breathing and coughing alot. He also is no longer eating. I am still giving him the steroid shots, and am going to force some High-Calorie supplement on him as well!

Harper, Hallie and Smokey are obviously not feeling well and sneezing ... but so far are still eating. Hallie is the worst of the three.... slight mouth breathing and not eating quite as well as the boys. Harper is the only one who has the eye infection along with this, which I am putting Terramycin in that. Overall though, I think these three will be fine.

Dexter, Roxie, and Grace and Lily (Lily is a rescue who was previously owned and indoors) are the least affected at this point! Dexter is eating, and only slightly sneezing .... Roxie seems playful still, maybe a bit of sneezing, and Grace is getting a little worse, but still nothing as bad as Tucker or the others!!!! I thing these three are fighting this very well, and I feel pretty comfortable with their resistance!!! (fingers and paws still crossed though)

Emma (mother cat #1) and Bonnie (Emma's grown baby) are slightly sneezing but still energetic and eating. Lacie (mother cat #2) is now sneezing and coughing some, but doesn't seem too terribly bad at this time. These three are rescues .... Emma and Bonnie were together and indoor / outdoor. Lacie was a feral ... probably no shots ever.

Babies.... Duncan, Amber, Tubalina, Gwen, Casper and Newton are all appearing to be fine at present .....They are separated from all other cats now, and I am hoping and praying that these little ones (9 and 7 weeks old) will be spared this awful ordeal!!!!

Chandler (5yr old Black Coon mix- previously well cared for) is completely separate (as he prefers anyway) and seems to be fine at this time.

Thank you so much for your continued prayers ... I will keep you updated.