Rhinotracheitis in cats
Does your cat always seem to have a
cold? Do they sneeze globs of nasal discharge on you and every surface of your
home? Have they been treated with antibiotics, yet the symptoms returned shortly
after treatment? If so, then your cat probably has a chronic upper respiratory
viral infection known collectively as "Rhinotracheitis". Although several
different viruses are associated with this disease, Herpes is often the culprit.
Rhino, as it is called, is very
infectious and is readily passed from cat to cat. It is often found in barn and
feral cats. Rhino is not usually fatal, except to the very young or old.
However, it is a nuisance to the owners of indoor cats.
Viruses are notoriously difficult to
eradicate. Antibiotics are only effective short term, and repeated dosing may
promote other problems. There are some things you can do to reduce the symptoms,
but be aware that total eradication may not be possible.
Prevention of the spread of rhino
to other cats
The daily feeding of MSE Natural
Defense (1 teaspoon/cat) protects asymptomatic cats in the same household with
affected animals under normal conditions. If the unaffected cat experiences
something stressful, such as a vet visit, they may still become susceptible.
Under these conditions, the asymptomatic cat should be pretreated with MSE
Liquid Rescue or Paste if possible. Otherwise, treat as soon as possible after
the stressful event. More than one treatment is recommended.
Treatment
There is a way to reduce the
symptoms of rhino in affected cats that does not require repeated treatment with
antibiotics. It employs a combination of MSE Natural Defense and the clay
bentonite in the food, and bentonite in the water. Bentonite is a finely ground
clay that had the ability to trap virus particles. These are then safely
excreted with the clay. Bentonite is not digested.
Why feed something if the problem is
obviously in the nose?
Owners of cats with rhino may have
noticed that their cats lick the discharge after they have sneezed. This is how
the cat is continually re-infected, and how unaffected cats get infected.
Affected
cats can be treated daily with MSE Liquid Rescue. The problem with
these is that cats resent manhandling, which becomes necessary with these
products. Both MSE Liquid Rescue and Paste contain vitamins, which give them a
bitter taste. Cats do not like the taste and will resist treatment. This can be
very stressful on both cat and owner. An alternative is described in the update
below.
Sometimes MSE Liquid Rescue or Paste
are necessary. One of my affected cats gets very congested sometimes. At these
times, she usually stops eating and may actually hide. This may happen every few
months. Treatment with Liquid Rescue twice a day for several days clears the
congestion and returns her to normal. She regains her appetite and becomes very
affectionate again, usually within a day or two. The episodes are probably
triggered by some change in routine. This cat has been episode-free for evera;
months, and has gained back the weight she lost during the relapses.
Another rhino cat got sick this past
Christmasm but has recovered and doing well on the gravy-based canned food plus
Liquid Rescue.
Update on rhinotracheitis
(January 2009)
After some trial and error, I
have found a painless and stress-free way to get MSE Liquid Rescue into my
affected cats. In a dog dish, I squeeze about 5 cc (1 Tablespoon) of Liquid
Rescue. Then I pour in two cans of gravy-type canned cat foud and mix well. The bowl is essentially empty by the
end of the day. This is not the only food that is available. The amount of
sneezing is inversely proportional to the amount of this concoction that each
cat consumes.
The gravy-type canned cat food hides the taste and smell of the Liquid Rescue.
In fact, the gravy is the first to disappear.
This can be a very frustrating
disease. An affected cat may seem normal in all other respects, but leaves globs
of snot all over the home. I am hoping that the continual treatment with
bentonite will eventually break the re-infection cycle. I have not been using it
long enough to know if this will actually happen. I assume it will take several
months, at the very least.
MSE Liquid Rescue is available at:
MSE Liquid Rescue
Please contact nutritionist Lark
Burnham if you have any questions at lark@naturs-way.com.
