Question:
Our cat was diagnosed with feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV , or feline AIDS) about a year and a half ago. He eats well, but he's constantly sneezing and has a runny, stuffy nose with a lot of mucous discharge.Our vet put him on Zithromax, twice a day for two weeks. His symptoms cleared up initially, but they returned within a few days. We've done this about four times over the past year, and the longest he went without problems was six weeks (and this was after four weeks of the Zithromax). This last time the symptoms never cleared up, and our vet says the cat will have to be on antibiotics every day.Can you suggest an alternative to what we've already tried? It is a hard decision to "put him down" because he seems fine other than the sneezing and runny nose.
E.C., Conroe, TX Nov 28, 2004
Answer:
Your cat's chronic viral infection has wreaked havoc with his immune system, which is now so impaired he can't ward off secondary bacterial infections -- hence the repeated treatment with antibiotics. This is problematic, especially since bacterial resistance may develop and drugs may cause further damage to his immune system by destroying beneficial bacteria in his digestive system.Since he is in good spirits the prognosis is good, but a holistic approach to boosting his immune system is called for. Either discuss this with your cat's veterinarian or consult a holistic veterinarian.Pure spring water, along with a home-prepared diet including scalded raw meat and poultry, live yogurt, and various antioxidant and other nutraceutical supplements (such as fish oil, vitamins C, E, A and B complex, zinc selenium, CoQ10 and alpha lipoic acid), may help improve his condition. Veterinary monitoring is called for since overdosing can be a problem, especially in cats whose liver enzymes and metabolism can be easily di
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