Feline herpes and letting go

Hey all,

So, Harry's diabetes is under control. (I haven't updated his chart in over a year, so ignore that, sorry... I have been keeping track but since things are okay I haven't been very good about actually logging the numbers he's testing at.)

However, he has feline herpes.

A few months ago, he had a lump show up in his nose. This was during the smokey season, so we thought it was irritation from the wildfires. After a month, it didn't go away, so the vet put him on antibiotics. It went down some, but not much. A little while later, the vet operated, and all he found was mucous. No cancer or anything super bad like that.

A few days ago, Harry had a really bad sneezing fit. I woke up and found his face and paws covered in blood from when he had been rubbing his nose while it felt uncomfortable. He's doing a lot better now.

But I'm really wondering... when do I let him go? When he breathes, it's loud and raspy, but he's breathing through his nose, which he didn't do before surgery. He seems happy and energetic, he was chasing a fly the other day, but when I first got him (when I was 10 years old) I had this weird hunch I would lose him when he was 12. And now he's 12 and I'm scared of that "prophecy" fulfilling itself, and I guess I'm looking for reassurance that it's okay to hold onto him for a bit longer. He seems happy, his breathing is just a little difficult.

I dunno. I'm rambling and I'm worried about my baby and I don't want to lose him.

And, on that topic, does herpes usually get this bad? He sneezes blood sometimes, and it's hard for him to breathe through his nose right now. I know feline herpes is really contagious, and I'm scared that any future cats we get are going to have it. Is it usually this bad? Should I stop adopting cats until the virus is out of the house so future cats don't suffer from this, or will they be okay?

Thanks for your input in advance... I'm anxious and scared for my baby so sorry if this is a mess.

 

The virus that causes it is present in a lot of cats....it's the ones with weakened immune systems, very young or very old that have the most problems with it.

About all you really can do is treat the symptoms when they flare up and try to keep the cat as healthy as possible at all times.

As long as he's eating well and doing things he enjoys (like fly-chasing), I wouldn't count him out just yet.

 

Ask your vet about trying Famciclovir. It's an antiviral medication that has good success for treating herpes. You can also use lysine but I found famciclovir worked faster.

 

Here's an article about lysine not being effective: https://www.petmd.com/blogs/nutriti...s-lysine-supplements-cats-under-scrutin-33508

 

I'm not getting something. Your profile says you're 22 and you said "but when I first got him (when I was 10 years old)". So Harry is the same age as you?
That is old for a cat but if the vet says it's not cancer don't let a "prophecy" determine his future, let's see what we can do next. You need to be fair to Harry and think this through, I've had a cat older than that who had a very good life.

 

She edited and put in parenthesis that he is 12.

 

That isn't something that happens with herpes. Dakota's had herpes for many years - it makes one eye very leaky when he has a flare, sometimes sneezing but not like that. The vet needs to check it out.

Just because of childhood imagination said that doesn't mean it's true in any way. Many children imagine flying in space but they don't, many imagine being Superman...but they can't fly. Put that behind you with that space station and Superman...

Do try the Famciclovir if you vet has it or can get it...it's worth a shot to see if it helps.

Another thing you might try is running a humidifier in the house. Heat removes the water from the air and make sit very dry. I start running humidifiers when I turn on heat. I have 2 of my 'severe allergy' cats that get really wheesy and sneezy if I don't...

HUGS!

 

We have had many pets over the years. Making "the decision" is the hardest thing to do.

We judge by: is the pet suffering? If there is pain, distressful struggling, inability to do essential activities (like eating without intrusive assistance, or ending up laying in their own urine and feces because they cannot control nor move away fast enough), then it's time to seriously consider if it is time to let go.

If pain can be managed, then no. If struggling doesn't seem to distress them, or can be accommodated (like managing stairs, or getting up onto furniture) so that while it may be harder for the pet to do things, they can still do them without it being so hard that they are upset by trying, then no. If they can still eat, even if they need a diet change or your help (and you can do this), if they can still keep personal hygiene (yes, sounds silly to put it that way, but they know when they are messy and can't keep themselves properly clean) even if it means extra litter boxes or pee pads or diapers (if they and you don't mind), if they can do other things that they enjoy, even if just sitting in the window watching the birds and cars go by, then no.

If medical conditions can be managed to keep quality of life, without causing more pain or distress than the condition itself, then no.

But if quality of life is more negative than positive, FOR THEM, not you, then it's time to start considering if intervention might be the right thing to do. If quality of life is all negative, then it's definitely something to consider. My personal belief is that an animal should not be kept alive and suffering to keep me happy, just because I don't want to face the grief of losing them. At the same time, I don't want to take days away from a pet because I am uncomfortable with what I see happening with them, when it isn't bothering them too much.

So, if the animal is still enjoying life more than suffering, we let them be and take care of whatever issues we can to keep them happier.

 

Thank you so much, everyone. I know I've really been letting my fear get to me lately and I really appreciate all the reassurance. We just got him a prescription for famciclovir and will start that as soon as it's filled. He's doing well in general, it's just so hard to see his bad days. Starting up a humidifier and I might lock him in the bathroom when I shower so he can get some steam.

Thank you all.

 

Hi ashley,
My non-diabetic cat has had feline herpes since we adooted him. Although he's never had a flair up like your harry is having, when he does have flair ups, we give him crushed lysine in his food. Lysine is the amino acid that naturally suppresses the herpes virus. It's the main ingredient in human meds for heroes & fever blisters. You might have a little more going on there, with the bleeding & breathing issues, but at the least, lysine can't hurt.

 

Life isn't all good days. People live happy lives every day despite health issues. I love the post above by Gracie.

I have a cat that sounds awful with her breathing. We ended up having a dental done where most of her teeth were pulled since they were bad. Now we have a large supply of azithromycin. She gets five days of it in a row to start and then a dose every three days for six weeks. It normally clears her up quite a bit.

 

This is excellent!