Does a water vapor session in your bathroom while you shower, or under a towel with a bowl of steaming water, really help to relieve the nasal congestion of a cat suffering from a bacterial and viral infection, which has blocked his nose with snot? The theory is to loosen the snot so that it flows out. It is also a technique recommended for people.
Sometimes people add a decongestant to the water to make the process more effective. Dee says “add a dollop of mentholatum to the water”. My vet said don’t add anything to the water but I totally trust Dee because she has years of hands-on experience.
I have two veterinary sources which say steaming is good so I am doing it to try to help relieve the discomfort for my cat who is very ill with suspected herpes virus or calicivirus or some other nasty cat virus combined with a horrible secondary infection. My vet recommends it and so do the books I have.
The downside is that cats don’t like it. People know what is happening. They understand that there will be steam or water vapour in the bathroom but cats don’t. For them it’s strange and unsettling. Also you have to put your cat in a carrier to control him. This downside offsets the potential benefits I feel.
Also a cat will learn to be wary of you if you constantly make him do things which he finds unpleasant because he does not realise it is for his benefit.
I will continue to do it at least once per day as I have to try everything I can to promote a return to health. I am giving him L-lysine when I can.
You know, R….
You have a good head and attitude to boot.
I seem to be overcome with with gloom and doom these days and forget to remember “The Power of Positive Thinking” (Reverand Dr, Norman Vincent Peale). It can work magic.
Thanks for the slap back into reality.
I’d be ecstatic too! COME ON CHARLIE we are rooting for you to GET WELL x
Sometimes with the best will in the world a vet has great difficulty diagnosing, they are only human, we’ve lost 2 cats though their lacking and have blamed them.
It’s a very difficult situation, we saw all the vets at our previous practice, it wasn’t just one vet lacking, so what I’m saying is some illnesses are extremely difficult to diagnose and treat. NONE of those vets saved our Bryan or Popsy, but would any vet have? Would a specialist have? We will never know and will feel bad forever that we didn’t ask about a specialist.
Human family members of ours have died because of doctors not diagnosing early or treating properly, it happens all the time, no vet or doctor is perfect.
I don’t trust any vet or doctor any more but what choice do we have but to take their advice if we need them!
Dee, as soon as Charlie was ill he went to the vet it is just that the vet didn’t get a hold of this properly.
But, sometimes, we need to come to grips, R.
He has been saying for some months that he thought Charlie was dying. So, why wasn’t Charlie at the vet then? It’s not the time to go into why Charlie wasn’t at a vet’s office months ago when that feeling erupted.
This isn’t about guilt, but about what can be done RIGHT NOW to help Charlie.
You know me.. and, I say to f-ck that stupid vet bitch chick. A sixth visit? Really? Dump that stupid bitch! Get some real help for Charie.
I think being back in his old home may be a clincher. If so I’d be ecstatic.