Low immune systems in cats - any treatments people know of?

[JackSpratt]

will do Gillian - have listed all the medication mentioned on the thread and am going to ask the vets one by one if she thinks any will help. Thankfully she's used to my slight obsession with checking out medicine for poorly cats.

[CC & The Pussycat Guys & Dolls]

I dont know if the colour matters Jack, Ollies was that orange colour though. And he did seem to pick up with that.

[Gillian Harvey]

Am taking Spratt to the vets in the next couple of weeks, it's taking too long to shift this cold.

I'd ask about the DMG too, although you don't need a prescription for it. I think it is the sort of thing that builds the immune system gradually rather than having an instant effect.

[JackSpratt]

Yep, that's carnelian but I think it has different colours; does that matter do you think?

[CC & The Pussycat Guys & Dolls]

Hiya Jack, the stone is called Carnalian, im not sure if thats correct spelling now  Ollies was carved into a little sleeping cat

[JackSpratt]

CC, did it look like this? Am taking Spratt to the vets in the next couple of weeks, it's taking too long to shift this cold.

[JackSpratt]

Desley, we've tried clavaseptin it didn't do much for him. He's on and off antibiotics so much I kind of want to try and avoid them for him if possible. Poor lad....although he seems happy enough other than the snuffles and stiff back legs.

[swampmaxmum]

I called the vet regarding Interferon earlier - she didn't think it would help him much, being predominantly used to treat stomatitis. Might ask her to rethink, if it's had positive effects on another cats immune system though. She said it's really expensive and she can't see it doing much overall. Might mention the fucithalmic as well.

I bought a Sudafed vapouriser the other day and when he sounds really congested I put that on for him.

the interferon I mean is eyedrops, which have to be kept in the fridge. I may still have the prescription (composition for a vet to make up) if you need it, just pm me. Not every vet in the UK will do it as they think it has some safety issues but in SA they said those are only applicable long term or if the formula is made up too strong as it's literally one drop per day. I got Swampy's via an ophthalmologist specialist in Cape Town (he was going to need an eye op otherwise from chronic post-flu related infections) and it helped a tremendous amount for about 5 years, then possibly he got a batch that was too strong (from a locum vet in France) which made his liver a bit sensitive (we aren't sure). The interferon was expensive @ £40 a vial if I remember right and had to be ordered in in large batches, so other vets said no too as he was their only patient. It may be easier if you decide you would like to try it, to go via an eye specialist. It's human alpha interferon , not Virbagen (veterinary) btw - that didn't work at all well on Swampy and cost even more.

[Desley (booktigger)]

L-lysine is supposed to help cats that have chronic snuffles from flu/herpes virus. I also find that eucalyptus in an oil burner works really well (helps if they are confined to one room at the time though), and Mabel had chronic snuffles all the time at the rescue, and had had a few ab injections, I gave her a few days of Clavaseptin as well as the eucalyptus, and it cleared her completely, the rescue were amazed.

[JackSpratt]

I called the vet regarding Interferon earlier - she didn't think it would help him much, being predominantly used to treat stomatitis. Might ask her to rethink, if it's had positive effects on another cats immune system though. She said it's really expensive and she can't see it doing much overall. Might mention the fucithalmic as well.

I bought a Sudafed vapouriser the other day and when he sounds really congested I put that on for him.

[swampmaxmum]

We've battled with the after effects of flu all Swampy's life (he had it twice as a kitten, which is why he wasn't wanted, except by us). For a few years we had good success with Interferon Alpha drops in his eyes (interferon being an immune system booster), but then just fucithalmic helped. The eyes are linked to the nose in cats, which I'd not known before, so it could have a slightly helpful effect. When Swampy is snotty and making globbing noises when he swallows, we always treat his eyes and think it helps a bit. I had a brilliant vet in Cape Town who said not to bother with the interferon injections - they don't really work and just empty your wallet.
Not found anything that actually really boosts the whole immune system though, other than keeping the purr count up (stress is bad obviously). Keeping the air in the house or flat not too dry and not too moist and also giving inhalations was what we always did before. What someone suggested was those electric air diffusers that people use when young children suffer from croup (sp) - humidies the air, if you have the central heating on.

[CC & The Pussycat Guys & Dolls]

I will look it up, have forgotten the name now, Carnialen or something like that. I also had a little Amethest cat which is for healing which I put on too. He looked like a gypsy bless him 

I can email the woman and ask her which stone it was, it was made for Ollie you see 

[JackSpratt]

I wouldn't disregard something like that, CC. After all - it can't hurt anything can it? What stone did you use?

Thanks Gillian.

[Janeyk]

Schui had an over-active immune system that's why his gums were poor, the vet initially suspected FIV

[CC & The Pussycat Guys & Dolls]

I really dont know Jack cos as you know Ollie battles with an over-reactive immune system.

We have not found any treatment for this as of yet, but let me just say........... and its ok if you dont believe, but its a belife for mine, when Ollie was ill I bought a little healing stone and attached it to his collar. He did seem to get much better with that, he was almost back to his "normal" self. Its only when his collar broke and he didnt have the stone on, he became to get ill again. This is no word of a lie.

So try things as you may I hope something will work for the wee man  

[Gillian Harvey]

DMG is supposed to be good for immune systems. Its a natural product - an amino acid http://www.vetriscience.co.uk/vetri-dmg%20liquid.htm - oh, and Christine will be pleased to hear it doesnt contain snake oil 

[JackSpratt]

Thanks BL - will call my vet (she'll be so sick of me!) and discuss it with her.

[bonnielass]

My missing babe Wizzy also had cat flu when he was 7 weeks old and suffered every year with colds and a low immune system,the vet i was with at the time gave me a supply of Marbocyl tablets for him, i found these were very effective and his appitite improved(i used to feed him raw turkey mince ) and he gained a lot of weight which made him more immune to the colds and it got to the point where he would go almost 6 months between bouts,he did occasionally get a sniffle(runny nose ) but after a couple of days on the tablets he was like new

[JackSpratt]

Spratt definitely has. He was in recovery from cat flu when I got him as a kitten and has suffered regularly with colds throughout his life. The vet confirmed it's to do with the bout of cat flu he survived. I just wondered what I could do to help him with it; he's not a youngster anymore and I think he's finding it harder to shake them off. He's such a little soldier about it though, just gets a bit clingy from time to time.

[Christine (Blip)]

I don't know, JS.  What makes you think that a particular cat has a compromised immune system?

Beware: this is the sort of area where the snake oil pedlars* prey 

*edited for spelling - my charlatans were on bicycles last night 

[JackSpratt]

Title says it all really! Am interested in any suggestions.