Two nights ago I took Tommy to the 24 hr vet clinic to be seen for an upper throat spasm. He had been sneezing here and there for two weeks and then during Wednesday he noticeably started coughing. It worsened into the evening and Dismal went to look online to research his symptoms. More often, Tom wouldn’t produce anything. Sometimes though, he’d end up getting some clear slime out.

We were concerned that he may have finally gotten a piece of hay lodged up behind his pallet and irritating the back of his sinuses. The veterinarian sedated him and found no foreign objects. She said the cartilage folds in his throat were swollen and he was producing a bunch of mucous. She gave him 3 shots: a steroid for the inflammation, 2nd for clearing out the mucous and the third for spasm so he’s not inclined to start coughing. I took home some L-Lysine pate/gel to give him for two weeks at twice daily to boost his immune system back up.

The caveat is that she suspects my bub may have feline herpes. When he moved in with me is was green, bubbly booger-snot, swollen-eyed ill for almost a whole week and was treated with antibiotics. Because Stewart came to stay with us awhile… He’s probably put my cat under some stress to lower his immune system. We gave bubs the steroid for his inflammation. If he has the herps then the steroids lower his body’s ability to fight it. It’s been two days and tonight he’s sneezing again. The L-Lysine may help keep his response down or he may get a kitty cold and have to go to the regular vet for antibiotics. I chose not to give him antibiotics on a precaution. Honestly, it was 2am in the morning and I ended up declining because it had nothing to do with the immediate concern I took him down there for. Sleep, talk to Dismal and then make sure we’re both prepared.

Monday he may have to go to the vet; the weekend should reveal. When my eyes and ears aren’t on him Dismal’s usually are.