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 Cat flue symptoms and treatment?7 replies Anonymous: How do you know your cat has flu and not just a cold? What treatment can be applied at home without a vet's help? I wouldn't suggest going this alone. This can be extremely dangerous and many kitties develop pneumonia even from just an upper respiratory infection. Please bring your kitty to the vet asap. Anonymous: Luckily my kitty is not ill now. I asked that for future needs.  Do you mean a cold can be as dangerous as flu and I ought to rush to a vet no matter what the symptoms are? I strongly believe there must be cases when it can be treated at home. I am not headstrong but I believe in common sense. Is there a line when it's OK to treat an illness at home and when it's a must to see a vet?Hello alfinn and anon, Flu and cold symptoms can be very similar in the beginning. They can both include sneezing, runny eyes and nose (clear discharge), loss of appetite. As the disease progresses, flu symptoms will include conjunctivitis (red swollen eyes with pus), rhinitis (nose discharge turns think and green), fever, and dehydration. The common sense tells me we cannot always tell a cold from flu at an early stage, while a vet can take a swab from the cat's throat for a test. So, visiting a vet is not pointless. I'm sorry but in this case common sense is helping your pet and taking them to the vet to get antibiotics. A cold with a cat usually progresses to upper respiratory infections which need antibiotics. When they can't smell, they won't eat and that's dangerous! It takes less than 48 hours for fatty liver disease to set in when a cat doesn't eat. I understand what you're saying but you need to know there are a lot of reasons why I said what I said. I am not someone who jumps to the vet every time my cat sneezes. But as the signs progress as indicated, please understand that only a vet can help in this instance.   Anonymous: OK I understand... don't vets give the same broad-spectrum antibiotics always? By the way antibiotics have no effect upon viral infections such as colds or flu so why do vets prescribe them? Used over and over again they become less effective don't they... sorry if I sound annoying but I've been wondering about it for weeks!with a cat, rarely does it stay just a cold. A lot of the times they progress to a URI, and a cat flu is MUCH different than a person flu and much more dangerous. They usually need fluids and antibiotics. I hope you aren't thinking to just administer antibiotics yourself without a vet visit and culture to see specifically what kind of infection it could be? yes, a few sneezes here and there is not an emergency. Mine have seasonal allergies and do it. Lysine usually takes care of that here at home. But as Lauren said, look for signs that indicate it's much more like watery, mucousy eyes. Wheezing, sniffling and not eating, etc. Nola: AnonymousBy the way antibiotics have no effect upon viral infections such as colds or flu so why do vets prescribe them?Viral infections weaken the immune system and it can give a start to bacteria growth. That's why antibiotics are required anyways.  Participant51 | Have a question? People are waiting to help. Interesting stuff Related forum topics: |
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