Feline calicivirus in kitten-anyone else had this?

[waitingwithhope]

Back from the vet & turns out my brand new adopted kitten seems to have Feline calicivirus. Her symptoms were limping, fever, shaking and completely lethargic.She had stopped eating, drinking and even using her litter box-all very suddenly. She did not have the upper respiratory symptoms, though. Has anyone else had a kitten with this? How quickly and successfully did your kitten recover? (She is going on anti-inflammatory med, antibiotics in case there is a secondary infection & she is getting Sub-Q treatment for dehydration). Her bloodwork appeared pretty normal. We will be taking her back home soon. Please let me know how long it took your kitten to recover, if there is anything more I should be doing and if the prognosis is good. Thanks!

[waitingwithhope]

Thanks....I did end up getting the L-lysine from the vet (only because it was quick and easy to purchase). It is in gel form, she gets 1/8 twice daily- I have mixed it in with her antibiotic and food.
@prettykitty- she seems so much better today, is purring, trying to play. I'm keeping her separate from my other cat and just keeping her comfortable in my bathroom for now. She hasn't completely lost the limp-but it's certainly much better.

[nancyjac]

L-lysine is good for general immune system support as a maintenance nutrient, but it isn't going to cure a virus or cause it resolve itself any faster.  I would recommend you get it from the drug store in pill form and then crush the pills in a blender to make a powder.  This is way cheaper than getting it from the vet.  You can then mix about 1/8 tsp of the powder with canned food.  

[waitingwithhope]

Thanks so much! I just talked to the vet, they are going to give me the lysine in droplet from. Thanks for all the advice & help. I pray my kitten is back on the mend soon!!

[PrettyKitty1]

How long does it last? Same as with people. Have you noticed how some people will stay sick for up to three weeks while others rid themselves from nasty colds in two days? When I was pregnant I got sick with a nasty virus. Because my body's main concern was the baby, my defenses were low and I remained sick for a month lol. Older people tend to remain sick for longer periods of time.

Because she is young her chances of getting back in shape soon are very high. You just keep feeding her and trying for her not to get stressed out and she'll bounce back quickly. With viruses it is all about how well you take care of the animal and the environment. Their bodies do the rest.

I don’t think adoption had anything to do with it if she seemed happy. I’m thinking she had been carrying the virus before you adopted her.  Shelters are known to be places where animals become sick with viruses and bacterial infections - Up to 40% occurrence in shelters. So I think she got FCV at the shelter.
Take good care of her :-)

PK

[waitingwithhope]

Ok, looking into the L-lysine...do I buy it in tablets? liquid? what do you suggest?

[waitingwithhope]

The vet said she actually is not severely dehydrated, but is slightly dehydrated, this the sub-q fluids. She didn't think she needed the full IV fluids at this point. She will be picked up later today.
Last night, I fed her with a syringe and fed her wet food (I figured anything she could eat and stay hydrated was good for her) with a spoon (she would only eat it that way).
My other cat, so far, seems to be fine, but i have taken all the blankets, etc. that she has slept on and I'm putting it through a sanitary cycle in the wash & dryer.
How long does this last? Is it because she was so stressed with being adopted? She "seemed" happy and purring but I feel awful about all if it.

[PrettyKitty1]

Keep her hydrated. Hydration in anorexic cats is very important, and I know a thing or two about anorexic cats!!!!

As I said previously (on the other thread) I have heard of it and it is highly contagious so keep your other cat away from her. She should be quarantined. Watch your other cat for the same or other symptoms indicating the possibility of FCV. Remember a good diet is always important when fighting viruses. So I would just keep her hydrated even if it means you have to provide water via a syringe, and feed her…even if it’s just Science Diet. Once her problem goes away you can resume what you were going after: Better nutrition for both pets.

Let us know how she progresses. When do you have to pick her up? Today? Did the vet mention her being de-hydrated? Is she on IV fluids?