Expert: Jessica - 10/6/2010

Question
i have 4 cats at home 2 parents (age 3.5 y) and 2 offsprings (2.5 years).my problem i face is with father cat -Himalayan Persian-. he is often sick and gets constant flu, like every 2 weeks or so from the time i bought it from vet shop (at that time he was 3months old).seemed vet knew he was sick and wanted to get rid of it in any way.

the first vet told me he got asthma but never gave me any medications except simple injections..as i ofteh live at home with cat,was sure the cat has no asthma as he never showed usual symptoms of such disease. I've noticed that he has kind of allergy to the atmosphere, if one day is cold, next is hot or if he is in room with AC and then out in a room with no AC... my cat begins to sneeze lot (more at night than day) and area around his eyes become pinkish..flu stays for some days then disappears.. week or bit more its again same story

changed vet and told me such kind of cats r always subjected to such kind of flu. he gave him cortisone injection once to make him strong and eat more so he build up immunity...didnt see any real progress..instead cat is kind of thin  barely 4kg,(other 3 cats r 6-7kg) and could even feel his back bones ,area of spinal cord.

is there any real medication that could stop this illness my cat has..or it will be like this all his life?such situation is common with cats?  knowing that my cat is ranked last among his group.when he gets the flu,never infect other 3 cats
i thank you beforehand for any info. supported

Answer
Hi Ziad,

I suggest to have this cat tested for the feline leukemia and feline AIDS viruses.  These are two viruses that tend to make cats very susceptible the other illnesses, and cats who are infected, especially with AIDS, will often be chronically sick.  Your vet can run a blood test that will tell you if he's infected.  If he is infected with leukemia, he should be separated from the other cats, because this can be spread through sharing food and water and through grooming each other.  If he has AIDS, he does not necessarily need to be separated as long as the cats all get along, as this is only spread through bite wounds.  Unfortunately, there is no cure for either of the diseases.  Cats infected will need frequent treatment with antibiotics to cure secondary infections that they get, such as upper respiratory infections.

However, your cat could just be suffering from chronic herpes.  In cats, this causes flu-like symptoms.  In this case, I suggest that you place him on a lysine supplement.  Lysine is an amino acid, and it prevent this herpes virus from replicating.  An adult cat should get 500-1000mg of lysine each day.  Lysine is available at most pharmacies in 1000mg tablets.  Crush this up and mix it into his food (preferably divided into two meals).  In most areas, you can also get lysine supplements just for cats.  In the US, this is available as Viralys or Enisyl, and it comes in pastes, gels, powders or treats.  You may be able to order this online or have your vet get it for you.  The lysine should be given for at least two weeks after all his symptoms are gone, but in cats who suffer so badly, it's best to give it every day for life, even if the cat has no symptoms, to prevent him from becoming sick again.  Because cats carry herpes permanently, there is always a chance that he will have flare ups, even while he is taking the lysine.  During these times, most cats require antibiotics to prevent a bacterial infection in the sinuses.

In some severe cases of herpes, the cat will require a prescription medication to control the infection, such as famciclovir (or less commonly used in cats, acyclovir).  These medications are also used in human patients with herpes.  The success rate tends to be very good.

Cortisone is good for asthma.  It can be poor for cats suffering an infection, as it can interfere with a proper immune response.  Since it hasn't done him any good in the past, I would probably avoid using it in the future.  If you want to try to encourage his appetite, maybe ask the vet about an anabolic steroid (such as stanozolol) instead, or a medication like mirtazepine.  The anabolic steroid is felt by some to help build strength and appetite, while the mirtazepine is a long-lasting appetite stimulant.  I also would ask about using a nose drop with dexamethasone (a steroid) in it to help get rid of his nasal congestion.  Cats will often not eat, even if they're hungry, when they can't smell their food.

Best wishes!

Jessica