Dear TB: First and foremost, any cat that has chronic "cold symptoms" should be evaluated by your veterinarian again. It is very likely something other than a "common cold."
Think about it. Pets get colds just like people do and exhibit many of the same symptoms. Colds are caused by upper respiratory viruses that we contract through exposure when these viruses are expelled by others when they cough and/or sneeze. We currently do not believe that human cold viruses can cause upper respiratory illness in dogs and cats (and vice versa). The signs and duration of cold symptoms is fairly classic: first there is the scratchy throat which then progresses to the stuffy nose, sneezing, and (sometimes) coughing phase. The good news is that most cold symptoms are gone within a couple of weeks (at the most). This holds true for our pets as well.
Occasionally, in weakened, geriatric or debillitated people and pets, upper respiratory illness can progress into the lower respiratory tree and create pneumonias. Pneumonia is sometimes very difficult to detect (evidenced by people who sometimes carry out their normal activities despite having "walking pneumonia"). Usually, however, pneumonia presents with a deep, productive (or wet) cough, sometimes with fever, and usually with lethargy and lack of appetite. All pneumonias are serious and require long term care and physician follow-up. Although the doctor is sometimes able to detect changes in the lung fields when listening to the patient breathing with a stethascope, this is sometimes very difficult to detect. After all, I can't tell my patients to "take a deep breath and hold it" like our human counterparts can. The best way to determine if pneumonia is present is to take x-rays of the chest. Bacterial pneumonias usually respond to long term antibiotic therapy, but follow up x-rays are essential in following the course of the pneumonia.
If the pnemonia is not responding to antibiotics, there is probably another cause for the pneumonia. Through sophisticated testing, the veterinarian hopefully will be able to determine the cause. Sometimes, allergies (see suggestions below), fungi, inflammation, or cancer can cause pneumonias. The doctor may recommend diagnostic procedures like bronchoscopy or a "tracheal wash". This requires that the patient be sedated and a flexible endoscope in placed into the respiratory tree to obtain samples for analysis. This procedure is usually done if symptoms of pneumonia persist, without improvement or resolution.
The pet with chronic "cold symptoms" ( sneezing, nasal discharge, and coughing) that is unresponsive to medical management, presents a huge challenge for the veterinarian. In recommending the more sophisticated diagnostic procedures, the doctor is hoping to find a cause to the problem that can be cured. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, as cancer becomes more and more prevalent in older pets with unresolved or chronic nasal discharge.
One additional possibility for the "cold symptoms" could be a food or environmental allergy. This can be a likely cause if your cat is young and displays gastrointestinal issues as well (diarrhea, for example). Work with your veterinarian or seek the advice of a holistic veterinary professional (consultations are available for this at AskAriel.com) to develop a hypoallergenic diet for your cat. In addition, you can try using immune support supplements such as Probiotic, Proaller and Samento available at AskAriel.com to see if they will help.
~One nervous pet owner
A: Thank you for submitting a question about such an important topic. You are correct--when a dog or cat has kidney disease, the diet is of utmost importance. Giving too much protein at any one meal can elevate the phosphorous and BUN levels in the blood and make the dog or cat feel sick. Symptoms of canine and feline kidney disease can include excessive thirst, excessive urination, lethargy, inappetance, nausea, etc. So to keep your pet's phosphorous and BUN levels as regulated as possible, the diet needs to regulated too.
Several considerations regarding diets for dogs and cats with kidney disease: pets often become inappetant and need variety; avoid using any type of treat or food that contains preservatives or chemicals, try to use a homemade diet if at all possible and avoid giving the pet high protein/high phosphorous foods such as milk products and fish.
There is no "canned" recipe or commercial dog food that works for every dog or cat with kidney disease. The reason for this, is that kidney disease is often accompanied by other health conditions. These can include pancreatitis, anemia, heart disease, liver issues, allergies, etc. It is not advisable to use a recipe or commercial diet intended for any pet with kidney disease because it may not be the right one for your pet. I have seen many dogs with kidney disease get worse from being on so called "homemade canine kidney disease diets" because they are too high in fat. Your best bet would be to seek out the advice of a veterinary professional and get a custom-tailored diet specifically for your dog. We offer this service through Ask Ariel and there are other pet nutritionist services available online.
This little soul came into my life one rainy, stormy night as an adult kitty (age unknown), nearly starved, and weighing less than three pounds. He had no whiskers and badly mattered eyes. Was it was a coincidence that I went to a birthday dinner the same day that he showed up at the house of the hostess? I don’t believe that it was.
I took him home and wanted only to keep him warm, dry, comfortable, and safe for the rest of his life. He expressed determination beyond belief, got well, and turned into a beautiful cat. He gave me more love than one could ask for. Full of games and with a great sense of humor, this little guy taught me my most valuable lessons. He brightened my life for twelve years.
I wanted to have him forever, but Andy knew when he was ready to leave. In spite of the best efforts of Dr. David Gordon and Susan Davis, he passed on February 5, 2009. This little soul has been, and will always be a light shining brightly with love in my life.
Thanks for visiting our blog. We appreciate your interest and understand the importance of addressing your concerns about dog peanut butter allergies and how to stop your dog's itching and scratching. We have all of the information you need and can provide you with the most accurate and helpful information at our newly revised website page.
If your dog is getting ear infections, peanut butter as well as other food allergens can definitely be a contributing factor. Changing your pup's food to a low carbohydrate, novel protein diet, avoiding common food allergens and feeding alternative treats that don't contain peanuts or peanut butter can greatly help. Learn more about holistic treatments for dog ear infections.
While this particular blog page is no longer active, we have these new dedicated pages that specifically address the topics you were searching for. Ask Ariel Your Pet Nutritionist has been helping pet owners find natural solutions for their pets health issues since 2005. Recommended by veterinarians nationwide, our website AskAriel.com contains a library of pet health articles to help you treat your pet's health issues naturally. If you need immediate help, please feel free to reach out to us by email: Support@AskAriel.com Our compassionate staff will answer promptly!
Originally Posted: 2/6/2009
Updated: 2/9/2024