Tipper's Story

TIPPER’S STORY I breed a Purebred cat- The RagaMuffin. Although a healthy breed, it seems like the past 9 months I have had an issue or two. Nothing serious, a running eye in one or two, sneezing occasionally. I keep them clean and have eye ointment if needed. I keep a normal vaccination schedule. I start kittens at 8 weeks with the Heska Ultra-Nasal FVRCP vaccine. Then 12 weeks, then 16 weeks. For RagaMuffins we then do a booster of the same vaccine each year. I test for FeLV and FIP randomly and we have always been negative. The only health problem (and this is an unproven allegation) I have had is a kitten I sold to a fellow breeder that claimed he has Strep-G. One of the kittens died and she began to give the other Clindamycin and they seemed to do well and are ok now. She never tested him or provided any records to me as outlined in our contract. During research, I found Group G Strep. Are they the same thing? About 5 months ago one of my Dams had complications after delivering her kittens. We lost her. We were devasted! But, her kittens were ok except for the fact they were born in the vet’s office. I had another Mom, so I put the kittens on her and bottled fed “the odd man out”. I gave them Co- lostrum even though I think they got mamas. After a few days, only one kitten survived, “Tipper” so we bottle fed him for quite a while. Wasn’t sure he was going to make it, but after that he did very well, and since he was still a bit frail he did not receive his first round of Heska Ultra-Nasal FVRCP., but rather a trip to the vet. In January, he started sneezing, having runny eyes along with diarrhea. My vet started him on Clavamox. (5 days x2) After “Tipper” finished it I took him back to my vet since he wasn’t any better and he continued to have dingleberries. The next visit on February 27 she put him on Lincocin Aquadrops until the bottle was finished. She wasn’t giving me any answers, any possibilities or what it is. But again, he wasn’t getting better he was getting worse. I was washing his “hiney” every other day or he would get the dingleberries again. His eyes and nose crust over continually and needed to be cleaned several times a day. My friend took him to the vet for me the next occasion, March 13 and my vet prescribed Metronida- zole. However, I was appalled that she sent him home with crusted eyes and a diarrhea butt and this wasn’t the first one she sent home dirty. I believe I lost my faith in her at the moment. My vet did have an IDEXX test run and it showed, Feline Calicivirus. She said that I should vaccinate the entire Cattery with Ultra-Nasal or Injectable FVRCP, but “Tipper” must be injectable. She said that I would need to repeat vaccination to everyone in the house and “Tipper” too in 3 weeks. And that’s about all she told me. I ask questions, I got nothing. She just doesn’t give me enough information, so I do my own research. I believe I have read everything Dr. Lappin and other researchers have for Calicivirus. During all this “Tipper” continued to eat normally and play just like a kitten. He continued to stay very congested and the next Sunday his eyes were draining and crusted over with the right eye swollen shut. Both eyes had the third lid covering over half of the eye. I took him right to the Emergency Vet Clinic. I knew he was running a fever and in pain since he would not eat or drink. I hydrated him and headed to the vet. Yes, his temperature was 104.1 and she suspected Glaucoma in the left eye. She did not have a tonometry tester. She gave him more fluids and Hills Urgent Care canned food that I could syringe to feed. I also told the Emergency vet about a Dam and litter I have at home which are in their own separate room. They are 4 weeks old now and she recommended vaccinating them with the Ultra-Nasal FVRCP at 10-14 days old and then every 3-4 weeks, or at 4-5 weeks (Now) with the 3-way Merck, Nobiac HCP injectable. Really? 1 The following Monday, I was looking for a new vet. I had researched our vets in the area and I was trying to lo- cate a vet clinic which works with Catteries and with an overall plan along with extended hours. I located a vet about 45 minutes away and they seemed very nice and Dr. Christian answered my questions along the way. She tested him for Glaucoma, and he was normal. He was running a 104.7 temperature though. She gave him a Convenia Inj Antibiotic and sent us home with Bnp gramicidin Ophithalamic Drops for his eyes. I knew he was in a lot of pain, so she sent us home with Buprenorphine 0.3mg/MI Oral. I understood that he must have a sec- ondary infection if she was giving him an antibiotic. Each day he has made improvement and yesterday he was playing like a kitten should be and both eyes had a little drainage, but the swelling is gone. He’s eating normal. But, he still has a lot of sinus type congestion. He seems to know how to just blow his nose! And he can get it to come out. After sneezing for a bit, you will see him swallow very hard. I called Dr. Christian back to see if she would work with me and the cats as a Cattery and help me ensure that my household of cats are fine which so far they are. First thing, she said she was too busy to do them all. Also, she was not happy that I give my own vaccines. Guess I was not her ideal client. After I started with the regiment of the immune builders listed below and recommended by Terri at Just Answer, etc. “Tipper” (She has been the best vet I have worked with so far!!) started growing like a weed and put on 4 lbs, plays like a tiny kitten half of the day and snuggles the rest. He is such a special kitty! This is what he gets each day: 1. Young Again Pet Food 50/22 free feed 2. Fancy Feast Chicken with Young Again Immune & Digestive Health 3. 250 mg Lysine (paste)- Should I be giving him 500 mg? 4. Haven’t started the tea bags yet –so far a warm compress works 5. Fortiflora on his food 6. Warm compresses on his eyes (I do not have him on the eye drop now) He hasn’t had any problem with diarrhea at all. The only symptoms are running eyes, sneezing and swallowing a bit hard. I’m still not convinced that he does have Calicivirus since it is so easy to get a false positive from an IDEXX. What do you think? He has had 2 of his kittens vaccines. Merck– Novivac Feline 1 HCP (MLV) on these dates: 3/21/18 4/11/18 5/9/18 will be the third of his kitten vaccines On 3/13 he weighed: 4.0# On 4/1 he weighed: 4.2# On 4/1– the vet did not list a weight On 5/2 (Today) he weighs 6.7# This is one of the most special little kittens and he purrs through all of his treatments and even when he has his temperature taken. He is loving, playful and acts like a normal kitten. Never feels bad. He does like to sleep near the water bowl at times. 2 I’m sure you can see my frustrations with all the vets I have been to since they all have different opin- ions or they just don’t give me one. With the regiment that I am following right now, he seems to be im- proving every day and growing every day. I have an adopter that would love to have this kitten, but I want to disclose everything I possibly can to her and she can discuss it with her vet and it will be their decision. Do you think he went through the worst of the virus/infection with his eye and the high fevers? He does have symptoms of Feline Calicivirus, but some of the primary ones, he does not have: ulcers or any joint problems. Each day he has made improvement and yesterday he was playing like a kitten again. Both eyes had a little drainage, but the swelling is gone. He’s eating normal. But, he still has a lot of sinus type congestion. He seems to know how to just blow his nose! It does still have a greenish color to the discharge. And he can get it to come out. I get the feeling that he does have an infection and hoping an antihista- mine would possibly help with the congestion. What do you think his prognosis is? What should I do next since I cannot seem to find a vet (except Ter- ry) that give me great remedies which have helped. Tammy Ogle RagaMuffin Cat World 865-250-8005 [email protected] SEE FOLLOWING PAGE………………….. 3 4 .

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