Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK

Cat Health & Behaviour => For FIV & FELV babes => Topic started by: a11ycat on May 28, 2010, 17:40:31 PM

Title: FIV and Calici
Post by: a11ycat on May 28, 2010, 17:40:31 PM
I adopted Rusty almost two years ago from Cats Protection.
He has FIV and Calici (cat flu).
He is on regular steroids to keep the ulcers in his mouth controllable so that he can eat comfortably.
The last few months he has started to drool more than ever and is getting his paws and tail and face covered in dried drool which is turning black (not sure whether it's dried blood from the ulcers or dirt).
We give him a bath when he gets particularly bad to try and get him cleaned up, and he needs another one, but cat shampoo doesn't seem to help get the dried drool off, so I was wondering if anyone had any ideas of products I could use to try and clean him up properly? Sometimes he over grooms the black drool patches on his fur, so he's obviously not comfortable like that.
 
(http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa69/a11y_cat/Aviary/Rusty2010.jpg)
Title: Re: FIV and Calici
Post by: Gill (sneakiefeline) on May 28, 2010, 19:06:50 PM
Poor Rusty  who looks so handsome   :hug: :hug: :hug:

I am afriad I dont know about this, my brother had a cat who was a calici carrier after he had had itbut didnt have thr probs that Rusty has and there are others on here with FIV cats.

Have you asked your vet about this?
Title: Re: FIV and Calici
Post by: Janeyk on May 28, 2010, 20:06:33 PM
aww the poor little babe  :(  he is so lovely  :Luv: how old is he?

I don't know anything about Calici unfortunately but I'm sure someone will be along to offer some advice.  What does the vet say?

My Schui used to used to get quite dirty with sneezing and nasal problems and I had to continually keep him clean, I used baby wet wipes which I sometimes had to moisten further to clean on a morning or if we'd been out all day when he'd drooled and his nose had run on his fur and dried.

Welcome to Purrs btw  :welcome:
Title: Re: FIV and Calici
Post by: clarenmax on May 28, 2010, 20:58:07 PM
Aw Rusty is a babe, but I don't know anything at all about calici I'm afraid  :hug:
Title: Re: FIV and Calici
Post by: a11ycat on May 28, 2010, 21:46:04 PM
I asked the veterinary nurses but they weren't any help.
Have to take Magic to the vets tomorrow so I'll see if the vets have any ideas.
Title: Re: FIV and Calici
Post by: Gill (sneakiefeline) on May 28, 2010, 22:31:40 PM
yes its the vet you need to ask not vet  nurse,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,although they can be very helpful but depends at qualification level they are.

Good luck  :hug: :hug:
Title: Re: FIV and Calici
Post by: Janeyk on May 29, 2010, 07:16:07 AM
I asked the veterinary nurses but they weren't any help.
Have to take Magic to the vets tomorrow so I'll see if the vets have any ideas.

Good idea, I asked my vet about Schui and she advised the wet wipes although sometimes he needed a little more than that, let us know how you get on  :hug:
Title: Re: FIV and Calici
Post by: Mark on May 29, 2010, 09:27:25 AM
The black sounds like it could be bacterial. Our Clapton used to get it a lot until he finally had all of his teeth out. It was the best thing we ever did for him and gave him a new lease of life.

I hope they can make him more comfortable.
Title: Re: FIV and Calici
Post by: a11ycat on May 29, 2010, 13:12:41 PM
I went to a new vets today with Magic as I'd become disenchanted with my existing vets.
Things are not good with Magic (see my welcome post), but they weren't able to suggest help with Rusty either.
However they have suggested a possible treatment regime which could help with the drooling so I will take Rusty to an appointment with them next week to see if we can improve things for him.
Title: Re: FIV and Calici
Post by: Janeyk on May 29, 2010, 14:59:32 PM
I do hope the new treatment regime helps, keep us updated  :hug:
Title: Re: FIV and Calici
Post by: Gill (sneakiefeline) on May 29, 2010, 16:59:09 PM
Sending lots of good wishes for Magic and Rusty  :hug: :hug: :hug:
Title: Re: FIV and Calici
Post by: Schmew on May 29, 2010, 20:50:31 PM
Best of luck, bless him what a babe.

My last oldie had trouble with his mouth and my vet gave me something to use as a mouthwash for him, I'm sure I posted on here about it (it was almost 4 years ago) but I can't remember what it was (I want to say dilute hibiscrub but that would be foamy?) I will try and remember to ask when we're there next week.

Following what Mark said sometimes removing all teeth is the best thing but guess you don't know til it's done. Interested to know about the treatment though but good luck

x
Title: Re: FIV and Calici
Post by: Michelle (furbabystar) on May 30, 2010, 08:10:05 AM
yes its the vet you need to ask not vet  nurse,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,although they can be very helpful but depends at qualification level they are.

Good luck  :hug: :hug:

And alot of vets actually use unqualified nurses !
Title: Re: FIV and Calici
Post by: Mark on May 30, 2010, 09:45:38 AM
I heard an even worse story. A woman around here told me that about 20 years ago, she used to be an unqualified nurse for a vet that still practices. She said he had no interest in doing dentals so he used to sedate the cats and leave the nurses to do the them so he could fiddle around with his computer  >:( - it was a long time ago but I certainly wouldn't use him again - I'm sure he doesn't let them pull teeth but this is my old vet who took Clapton's teeth out  :scared:

Sue - do you mean Chlorhexidine Gluconate?

 
Title: Re: FIV and Calici
Post by: Desley (booktigger) on May 30, 2010, 10:49:45 AM
Dont mean to worry you, but steroids aren't good with mouth issues, if you read Dr Addie's site, they state not to be used, they can ultimately make things worse, and steroids aren't good with FIV either. Sam was a probable calici carrier and had mouth ulcers, but luckily his was fairly well controlled, he did still get ulcers after having all his teeth out though, bless him. There are other suggestions on her site, such as Classic cat food (did help Sam's gums). I would ask them to keep a very close eye on his ulcers though, I lost Sam last week to probable oral SCC, and one vet missed it cos he thought it was an ulcer.
Title: Re: FIV and Calici
Post by: Schmew on June 22, 2010, 22:01:10 PM
Might have been that Mark, but that sounds like a very complicated name  ;) I will try and remmeber to ask vet, have been a number of times since that post but have forgotten.

Any updates on this lad?
Title: Re: FIV and Calici
Post by: bunglycat on June 22, 2010, 23:16:52 PM
Hope the treatment helps him -he is a lovely boy  :Luv2: :Luv2: :Luv2:
Title: Re: FIV and Calici
Post by: Schmew on June 24, 2010, 10:44:09 AM
Checked with vet today, yes it's chlorohex.....whatever Mark said, a very dilute hibiscrub!