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Does anyone out there have a kitty with allergies? I have been told by my vet that he can be given antihistamines just like people take but I have to wonder what kind of effect they will have on him since the ones recommended are the kind that cause drowsiness.
Henry has been sneezing and has a runny nose and I have to say since we are still dealing with Tumnus having had a stroke, I was immediatly worried when I noticed this in Henry but thankfully its nothing so serious.
His little sneezes are kind of cute but I should imagine he doesn't think so.
That's odd, b/c my vet told me just the opposite, that antihisamines don't work in cats. I have a male who has some kind of chronic respiratory infection that doesn't bother him at all. He never sneezes or has watery eyes. But twice now he has had itches on his face where he scratched them until they bled and he was given a steroid shot for the itching. The steroid "woke up" his infection and he could hardly breathe the first time. That's when I asked the vet about antihistamines. The second time he got just as sick and so I don't get the steroid shots anymore. The scratches eventually heal on their own. The sneezing and runny nose also eventually heal on it's own. I don't understand the discrepancy is what our vets are saying!
I'm really not sure why the difference. I did come home and check out Dr. Foster Smith and they do sell several different types of antihistamines for kitties.
Maybe its the difference in what they are suffering with. Henry doesn't have the problems that your baby does. The doctor suspected they were more like seasonal allergies in people.
I DO have a kitty with allergies and you most definitely CAN give them certain antihisthamines! She has seasonal allergies in the early spring that cause sneezing fits, runny eyes and itchy skin.
Upon my vet's recommendation, I give her Chlorpheniramine Maleate (Chlor-Trimeton) 4 mg tablets - 1/2 tab every 8-12 hours as needed. She's always been a kitty who needs slightly higher doses of medication, so I actually tend to give her 1/2 tab every 7 hours and try to overlap the doses - the vet reassures me that is perfectly safe. It does make her a little sleepy, but as long as she's getting up to eat, drink, use the litter box, etc., I consider it a better alternative to being miserable with allergies.
At her worst allergy problems - I had her on it pretty constantly for about 5-6 days. I would just try to start weaning her off of it after 2 days and use her symptoms as my measurement of whether or not she needed to stay on it. I did call my vet just to check in (for good measure) after the 4th day of being sick, and I closely monitored her eating habits the entire time (even resorting to bringing the bowl of food to her when she was at her sickest and sleepiest).
Severe allergy symptoms can easily be mistaken for an upper respiratory and vice versa, so it's good to check in with the vet if it goes on for more than a few days - or if the kitty stops eating.
I would not recommend benedryl - it's been known to cause weird side effects in cats.
You can also give Dimetapp - in VERY SMALL DOSES - like 1-2 DROPS (of the liquid) every 8 hours. I had an entire household full of kitties sick with upper respiratory for like 3 months. Dimetapp was useful in that situation because it helped (a little) with congestion.
But if itching is the problem - I'd go with Chlor-Trimeton. You can get the generic at your local grocery store for like $2-3 for a bottle of 100 pills. It's super cheap.
Also - my vet recommended taking a damp cloth and just running it all over the cat's body - in case the cat is reacting to pollen - it will help wipe away any pollen that could be clinging to the cat's fur. I find that to be a pretty useful technique - especially on the face.
And - for my girl with itchy skin.... I bathe her in oatmeal shampoo. Yes, I bathe my cat. And it is a traumatic experience for all... but after the drama, she's much perkier and less sneezy.
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Lindsey, your cat stories are always so interesting and informative to read. Thanks for posting.
Gracie has severe seasonal (spring and summer) allergies . She would scratch herself literally until she bleeds if I would allow her to do this. These allergies necessitate her getting cortizone shots every few weeks. I am wondering if these have any long-lasting side effects. Would anyone know that?
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People may not recall what you said to them, but they will always remember how you made them feel .
Luckily Henry doesn't have any itching, I just notice the sneezing and a little CLEAR fluid from his nose, just like when a human has an allergy.
I don't know what the long term effects of cortisone use in a cat, I would ask to be sure because I know there can be some bad ones in humans but we live alot longer then cats and take higher dosages.
My brother had a dog that had to take shots for an allergy to fleas and it made him sleep all the time.
I was thinking of the chlorimperamin although it does cause drowsiness, I am thinking and hoping it will only be a small part of the year that this is a problem. If it turns out he has to take it all the time then I guess that will be the time to re-evaluate what to give him.
He will LOVE the suggestion of wiping down his fur with a wet cloth, NOT. He does go out on to a screened in lanai but not outside unattended.
Lindsey, your cat stories are always so interesting and informative to read. Thanks for posting.
Gracie has severe seasonal (spring and summer) allergies . She would scratch herself literally until she bleeds if I would allow her to do this. These allergies necessitate her getting cortizone shots every few weeks. I am wondering if these have any long-lasting side effects. Would anyone know that?
Hi Nancy - I know that Prednisolone, another steroid, can cause diabetes in cats if given for too long of a period of time, so I wouldn't be surprised if cortizone had the same side effect.
BUT - according to my vet, even if the kitty does develop diabetes from the steroid, all you have to do is take them off the steroid to reverse the effect (and stop the diabetes).
I have another kitty on pretty regular pred for asthma attacks (he was abandoned by his kitty mama at 1 week old, so he's kind of my sickly little one - I did the best I could, but I'm no kitty mama. ).
Hi Nancy - I know that Prednisolone, another steroid, can cause diabetes in cats if given for too long of a period of time, so I wouldn't be surprised if cortizone had the same side effect.
BUT - according to my vet, even if the kitty does develop diabetes from the steroid, all you have to do is take them off the steroid to reverse the effect (and stop the diabetes).
I have another kitty on pretty regular pred for asthma attacks (he was abandoned by his kitty mama at 1 week old, so he's kind of my sickly little one - I did the best I could, but I'm no kitty mama. ).
You know he loves you like you are his real Mama. I am so glad to hear stories of people who love their pets enough to stick by them even if they aren't perfect. There are many people out there who would just put the animal to sleep which hurts my heart to just type that out.
My little Henry and Tumnus (who is deaf) get extra love and I tell them both how much I love them. Even after all Tumnus has been through he lays in my arms and purrs.
You know he loves you like you are his real Mama. I am so glad to hear stories of people who love their pets enough to stick by them even if they aren't perfect. There are many people out there who would just put the animal to sleep which hurts my heart to just type that out.
My little Henry and Tumnus (who is deaf) get extra love and I tell them both how much I love them. Even after all Tumnus has been through he lays in my arms and purrs.
Thanks! That's sweet. He's convinced I'm his kitty mama - his really really big kitty mama... with no fur. And he is my little orange furry baby. My husband makes fun of the fact that I refuse to give his age in years - only in months - because he's a baby - my baby that I bottle fed. Good Lord help me when I have human children.
I used to work at a vet clinic, so I always joke that the people who work at vet clinics always wind up taking the hard luck cases home with them. We're always the ones with pets missing limbs, eyes, chronic diseases, partially paralyzed... etc.
I bet your deaf baby can hear you when you say you love him!!!!
Thanks! That's sweet. He's convinced I'm his kitty mama - his really really big kitty mama... with no fur. And he is my little orange furry baby. My husband makes fun of the fact that I refuse to give his age in years - only in months - because he's a baby - my baby that I bottle fed. Good Lord help me when I have human children.
I used to work at a vet clinic, so I always joke that the people who work at vet clinics always wind up taking the hard luck cases home with them. We're always the ones with pets missing limbs, eyes, chronic diseases, partially paralyzed... etc.
I bet your deaf baby can hear you when you say you love him!!!!
Its funny because I immitate his meow so it almost sounds like he can hear me but its because I know how he talks. When he is annoyed he says Meow wow !!
Henry just got his first dose of liquid medicine and he was not best pleased, he ran and hid in a closet with blankets. Poor baby but I can hear his breathing is not right.
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And it is a traumatic experience for all... but after the drama, she's much perkier and less sneezy. 
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