Conference misery::feline_v1

    This procedure is done on humans too. Stephie Graf had this done
    after one of her major tennis tourmaments. The recovery time is
    slow if you can't control your surroundings.
    
    It just maybe that Beau's sinus cavaties were blocked from birth
    or are very small and don't allow for drainage. BE CAREFUL what
    litter you use, NO DUST and none of the sand variety. Hopefully
    this is all the problem and Beau will be on the road to recovery
    soon.
    
    Keep us posted.
    
    Barbara

    Kitty Prayers for Beau and Mom!!!  Please keep us posted.
    
    Sandy

	Thanks, Barbara - I talked to the vet a little while ago, and he's
	going to give the medication another couple of days.  He says that
	when an infection gets into the sinus cavity, it is very difficult
	to get rid of, since there's little blood supply to the area.  He's
	going to do an x-ray first to check for any obvious obstructions
	such as tumors.  He tells me that the hole is very tiny - enough to
	insert a syringe about 1/8th of an inch into the skull.  The sinuses
	are then flushed and the hole is kept open for a couple of days for
	further flushing.  (I don't know about you guys, but the thought of
	this gives me the willies!) :^}  He says that once the fur grows
	back we won't even be able to see a difference.

	The good news is that the bleeding has stopped, even though he's
	still sneezing.  He's eating, and behaving very well for the vet
	and his assistants (he even let them cut his claws).

	Sandy

    The vet might be able to do a culture and sensitivity on the mucous
    to see which antibiotic would be the best suited to get rid of the
    infection once and for all.  This is a lot less invasive than drilling
    into the sinuses.  You might ask the vet if that would work in this
    case.
    
    Hope it all works out okay.
    
    Jo

    We also send kitty hugs,, and get well soon wishes..
    Kate, Happy, Preschie and Kissy..

    one more thing I wanted to mention. In the past when we had Saint
    Bernards one of them got nose bleeds when he was overly excited.
    Pojke (pronounced Poi ka,) would bleed like a crazy and we put
    brown paper under his nose to stop it. (That works on humans also)
    
    Our vet did some exploring and found Pojke had a blood vessel in
    his nose with a real weak spot in it. He said we should just keep
    him as quiet as possible and learn to live with it. We did just
    that. (That dog was such a sweet heart and we loved each other to
    pieces. He would do anything for me and I for him.) When we had to
    put him to sleep as he was loosing a bout with cancer he still had
    the weak blood vessel in his nose. He was 10 years old.
    
    I would take the less agressive approach to this if it was my
    kitty.
    
    Keep us informed.
    
    Barbara

I wish you and Beau all the best.  I know what it is like to have a sick kitty.
You feel very helpless.  My  kitty Beau has feline asthma and each day is a
blessing for us to have him.  I will have to give him medication for the rest of
his life and I also do not allow smoking, etc in my house for this reason.

Our thoughts are with you.

Melody, Beau and Tabitha

	Thanks to all for your good wishes - it looks like they worked!

	I just called the vet and he says that Beau is doing *much* 
	better today - his nose has dried right up and his eyes look
	great.  He's also in much better spirits than he was.  Bottom
	line is that the vet doesn't feel that he needs the surgery
	at this point.  He's going to keep him on antibiotics till
	Friday, but we can take him home then! :^}

	Sandy

    
    Beau started with another nosebleed yesterday, so he's back at the vet
    right now.  They'll be doing an x-ray sometime this afternoon to see if
    there might be any foreign matter in his nose or something.  He said
    he'd also probe into the sinuses to see if he can clear them, and he'll
    only do the surgery as a last resort.
    
    And just as he was starting to trust us again after the last vet visit!
    Bummer.
    
    Sandy and the other 5 - Smudge, Tas, Jenny, C.C. and Spike (who also
    has the sniffles and is on Amoxi)
    

    Anything new on Beau? I sure hope he's feeling better.
    
    Bonnie

	Hi Bonnie - Beau had the sinus surgery on Monday (before I even had
	a chance to worry about it).  Vet said he came through it just fine,
	and that he was going to keep him another day so that he could flush
	the sinuses again.  When I spoke to him yesterday afternoon, he
	wanted to keep him another night so that he could do the procedure
	one more time.  I'll be calling again this afternoon to get an update.	
	The vet seemed to indicate that this is a fairly common procedure,
	and said that it was successful in clearing up sinus problems in
	most cats.  I hope Beau is in that category, as I'd hate to put him
	through this any more - poor baby!  He's so frightened of everything
	as it is.

	I'll try to put an update in here today or tomorrow when I know
	more.

	Sandy and the 5 others . . .

    Thanks for the quick reply, Sandy! Please do let us know how  he's 
    doing tomorrow!
    
    Bonnie

	Well, we'll be picking him up this afternoon.  The vet said he's
	still having some nasal discharge, so they've done a culture and
	are sending it out to be analyzed.  The bad news is that he'll 
	need to be on antibiotics, and he's the most difficult cat to
	medicate that I've ever owned.  They'll be giving us a piller, so
	we'll give that a try (what we probably really need is Hulk Hogan).
	Trouble is, we can get one dose into him, but then he doesn't
	trust us again for days.

	Thanks for the crossed paws, Bonnie - we'll need them :^}

	Sandy

	Hmmm, now we've stumped the vet, too :^}  When I picked Beau up
	last night, he showed me the x-rays, and told me that every other
	time he's done this procedure, the cat's sinuses have dried right
	up.  Not Beau, however - he's still got some discharge.  The
	reason for the culture is that now the vet suspects that it may
	be some kind of fungus that's taken hold in his sinus cavity -
	we may know tomorrow.  He also said that he's heard of cases
	where a cat's sinuses had to be packed to eliminate the draining.
	Doesn't sound too comfortable for the poor cat.

	On the positive side, Beau was a much happier cat when we brought
	him home last night - went straight to the food dish for a munch,
	and was playing with the kitten before the evening was over.  I
	had been really worried that he'd be in pain and even more fear-	
	ful than before.

	Sandy

    kitty prayers for Beau!!!   The poor guy has been through alot...
    and the problem is still not resolved.  Hang in there Beau!!
    
    Sandy

    I have a cat that you can't pill even with Hulk Hogan - so what I do is
    grind the pill up into a powder (with the back of a spoon) and then mix
    this powder into the middle of a lump of his favorite smelliest food,
    and give it to him first when he is hungry. I now no longer have any
    problem getting medicine into him...he gobbles it right up!!!
    
    Deb Raisin Snickers
    

    The whole time I read this I get the willies thinking what the surgery
    must feel like. Ouch!  Poor baby.  He'll be fine soon, I'm sure.  In
    the meantime, spoil him rotten.
    
    Lisa Dean and Snoopy (Doorstop Cat)

	Wow!  I can't believe it's been nearly a month since I put in the
	base note.  Time flies when you're spending money :^}  Beau's
	still in the hospital, but may be coming home tomorrow.  It turns
	out that the surgery may have been unnecessary.  When the bloody
	nose returned, we brought Beau back in and the vet did a culture
	on the mucus.  I can't tell you the name of the bacteria, but it's
	the one that causes kennel cough in dogs, and it's resistant to
	Amoxi.  It does react to Gentocin, though, but that's available
	only through injection, so Beau's been at the vets for another
	week now.  If he were a more tractable kitty, we'd have been able
	to bring him in for daily shots, but that's impossible given the
	way he is.

	To make matters worse, our new kitten contracted this as well.
	He had been recovering from an ordinary URI when I realized that
	he was still sneezing, and that there was often blood in the 
	mucus.  To the vet he goes, daily, for Gentocin injections.  His
	case doesn't seem to be as severe, but he'll need to get the
	shots for at least a week

	Because of all these visits, I've been able to spend some time 
	talking with the vet.  He tells me that this bacteria exists in
	everyone, but that it takes a virus or two in conjunction with it
	to set it off.  Only the bacteria can be treated, of course.  He
	says that he sees it far less often in cats than in dogs, but even
	in dogs, the onset is not well understood.

	When I was there this morning he told me about another cat which
	came in yesterday with the same problem.  The owners had let it go
	for about a month and a half.  When he opened the sinus cavity he
	found that the bacteria had begun eating away at the bone, and 
	that the sinuses were full of pus.  I asked him what could be done
	and he said that the cat would probably have to be put down :^(
	I am *so* glad that we took Beau in when we did, even though we'll
	be paying regular vet bills for quite a while . . .

	If you or someone you know has a cat with a sneezing condition 
	that isn't responding to Amoxi, it may be worthwhile to ask the
	vet about kennel cough.

	Sandy 

    wow......gentocin is expensive......
    
    Thanks for the warning.

	Yup, it's expensive all right.  But I felt a bit better when the
	vet told me how much it would cost to treat a horse with just 
	one dose :^}

	Sandy

    We need to figure out what the bacteria is.  Was it Bordetella?  Can
    anyone remember the name of the bacteria that causes Kennel Cough?
    
    Jo

    
    I have just gone through a bout of sinusitis with Callie.  We did a
    culture and sensitivity and put her on amoxi (liquid) and gentocin
    (nasally). The gentocin made a big difference quickly.  I thought it
    was going to be a real hassle getting it in her nose because of her small
    nasal openings but if you aim in the middle it drains right into both
    sides.  As it turns out we had to switch to Trib because the culture 
    showed resistance to the amoxi.  Unfortunately she was on it almost a
    week before the results came back so we lost alot of time.
    
    

	

	I just called the office and talked to the receptionist and she 
	got the name for me.  You were right, Jo - the full name is 
	'bordetella bronchiseptica'.

	Sandy

	

    I have heard of cats getting this before.  Some cat breeders had
    actually had their cats vaccinated for it with the dog vaccine!  I
    didn't do that tho.  Before anyone considers doing this, I would
    discuss it with the vet.  Cats metabolize things differently than dogs
    do and I am not sure if it is completely safe.
    
    Jo

    Baytril is a relatively new antibiotic that not many bacteria are
    resistant to.
    
    Nikki has a skin infection right now and is being treated with
    Clavamox, which is supposed to work well for skin.
    
    Amoxi doesn't seem to do a darn bit of good for my cats.  It mostly
    wreaks havoc with their systems and they either throw up a lot or have
    diarrhea.
    
    

	Roberta, I *love* your personal name :^}

    Thanks, Sandy.  If you met my cats, you'd know why I chose it!  :^).
    

    re: .20
                          
    Treating a horse w/ Gentocin.....you need mega bucks for it!  But it
    works real well.  WE've used it in conjunction with penicillin for 
    infection and have had good results.

	Latest chapter in this ever-lenghtening saga:  Beau came home from
	the vet on Tuesday, Nov. 12.  Spike continued to have Gentocin shots
	every morning through the following Saturday.  I've been watching
	their sneezing carefully (looks crazy, but ....), and by last Friday,
	I knew that Spike was still having a problem with the bacteria.  I
	remember thinking that the treatment probably should have gone on a
	bit longer, but I hate to second-guess a doctor.  Anyway, we're now
	on a two-shot-per-day schedule, which means I get to run to the 
	office every day at 7:45 and 5:15.

	So far so good with Beau - he's still sneezing a bit (but then he
	always did) - no blood so far, fingers tightly crossed.

	Happy Thanksgiving to all Feliners! :^}

	Sandy, Andy, Smudge, Tas, Jenny, C.C., Beau and Spike 

    If the treatment was gentocin shots before, then the normal protocol is
    to only give that for three days (give or take a day).  Gentocin is a
    very strong antibiotic and I believe that it can cause some liver
    damage in some cats.
    
    Gentocin can be given sub-q. Ask your vet to show you how to do it. 
    Then you wouldn't have to take the cats back and forth so much and
    everyone would be less stressed.  The vet can send you home with as
    many pre-filled syringes of gentocin as you will need.
    
    Good luck.  Hang in there.
    
    Jo

	Thanks, Jo - I don't know if I could do it, though - I'm such a
	wimp with needles :^}  Sub-q is how he's getting it, though, and
	the little guy doesn't seem to mind at all - I'm the one that
	winces for him.  I'll run it by the vet when I go later today -
	maybe I can talk Andy into giving Spike the shots . . .

	Sandy_the_wimp

    Sandy...I'm sure it would make it easier...but I'm like you
    I'm not sure I could do it!!
    
    Thoughts and prayers are still with Beau!!  Keep us posted..
    
    Sandy the other wimp!!

    I KNOW that BOTH of you could do it. :')  It is really very easy and it
    doesn't hurt the cat.  Think of the convennience too.  And, once you
    get the hang of it, it will be a snap to give your own vaccines and
    give sub-q fluids if the need ever arises.
    
    :')
    
    Jo

         I'm a real wimp when it comes to needles - I can't stand having
    blood tests taken from me - I swear the needle *hurts* and my husband
    swears I'm crazy ;-) .  He's lucky I got up the nerve to get a blood
    test before we got married ;-) ;-) ;-) !
    
         Anyway, when Loki needed insulin I was so *sure* that I couldn't
    do it, that Loki would cry and wince and carry on and that I would feel
    so guilty and so ... malicious ... giving him the shot.  Boy, was I
    wrong.
    
         It's only really scary the first couple of times.  Loki never
    moved; I don't know whether he even felt it 8-) !  The worst part is
    the puncturing-the-skin part; pushing the medication out of the needle
    and withdrawing it (yeah!) is much easier.  Watch out for puncturing
    yourself though, I did that a couple of times :-( !
    
         I know you could do it.  And if you gave a treat after the shot,
    it might make it more pleasant (Loki got his shot just before he ate -
    he actually looked forward to the shot as it meant he could *eat* 8-)
    !).
    
         I'm glad Loki's controlled by diet and not insulin now, but I now
    have the self-confidence and courage to do it again if he needs it
    again.  Now if *I* needed insulin, that would be another story ... ;-)
    
    					- Andrea

    I am the same way.  I can handle lots of things with the cats, but try
    doing them to me and I freak.  I have assisted on surgery on my cats,
    but when I cut my finger I passed out from the sight of the blood!!
    (this really happened to me a few years ago).  I have passed out at the
    sight of my own blood twice in my life.
    
    Just so you don't feel bad about puncturing yourself Andrea, I have
    done that too. :')  I am fully protected against Feline Leukemia Virus
    now. :')  I did this when I was trying to boost Monroe's Felv shots. 
    The amazing thing was that I didn't even feel the needle going through
    my skin.  At least not until my neice screamed "Aunt Jo the needle is
    in your finger!!!"  Once I heard that it hurt like you-know-what!
    
    Jo