How to Treat a Cat Virus With Lysine
One of the most common viruses in cats is herpes, which is different than the herpes viruses that infect humans. People can't catch herpes from their cats. The first and only symptom you usually will see if your cat or kitten has herpes is conjunctivitis, an inflammation of the eye. Symptoms occasionally include sneezing and mouth ulcers. Lysine, an essential amino acid found in proteins, has been used to treat herpes symptoms in cats. It's given twice daily in 500 milligram doses for adult cats and 250 milligram doses for kittens.
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Things You'll Need
- Veterinarian's diagnosis Large, heavy bath towel Warm, wet washcloth Veterinary topical antibiotic 250-500 milligram Lysine pill Pill crusher (optional) Moist cat food or tuna fish (optional)
Instructions
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Secure the cat
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Unfold a heavy, large bath towel and place it on the floor or on a table.
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Place cat in the center of the towel.
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Wrap the towel around your cat as if you are wrapping it inside a burrito. Be sure the front paws are securely wrapped. The cat will use its claws as weapons if it doesn't agree with this treatment. Leave only the cat's face and head free of the towel.
Cleanse the eye area
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Take a warm, wet washcloth and gently wipe mucus from the infected eye, using gentle wipes and blots until the eye area is clean.
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Using your thumb and forefinger to gently open the eye once the mucus is removed.
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Apply a veterinary topical antibiotic solution to the eye. Ensure that the solution is prescribed for ophthalmic purposes.
Give the lysine pill
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Place the cat in the crook of your right elbow while it's still secured with the bath towel. If you are left-handed, place the cat in the crook of your left elbow.
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Place the lysine pill in your left hand (or your right hand if you are left-handed).
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With your right hand (left hand if you are left-handed) take the cat by the cheeks and lift its nose to the ceiling. The cat's mouth will naturally fall open slightly when its nose is lifted in this way.
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Use a finger on your left hand (right hand if left-handed) to open the cat's lower jaw.
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Place the lysine pill as far back into the cat's mouth as possible.
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Let go of your cat's face and watch for it to lick its lips, which usually means it has swallowed the pill.
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Tips & Warnings
Some cats are resistant to taking pills. If your cat proves to be one of these, your best option is to buy a pill crusher for a few dollars at a drugstore. Crush the lysine pill and place it in some highly palpable moist cat food or in tuna. Lysine is also available in a flavored gel designed specifically to appeal to cats' taste buds.
Get a diagnosis from your veterinarian if you believe your cat has herpes virus. The veterinarian will likely prescribe additional medications along with lysine to treat the virus. In severe cases of herpes virus in cats, and especially in kittens, the eye can rupture and this can cause permanent blindness. When purchasing lysine for your cat, ensure that the product you buy is free of the preservative propylene glycol, which can destroy blood cells in cats. A month of treatment is required to determine if lysine is helping your cat.
Resources
- Photo Credit Bethney Foster
Comments
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Other cats can only get it IF they are not fully vaccinated,.
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I was fostering for our local shelter, 4 fosters and 2 of my kittens I had as fosters and kept got this herpes virus. My 2 older cats that were fully vaccinated did not get it. Cats fully vaccinated CAN NOT get it. I give the L-Lysine 2x/day to my 6 cats and it has done wonders. The biggest symptom I saw with the herpes virus was sneezing, so bad with some of them that they couldn't even catch their breath. They have been on L-Lysine for a few months now and are doing alot better, but have ups and downs with sneezing.
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yes the virus is contagious
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My 13-year old cat was diagnosed with hyperthyroid (6x normal and apparently very common in elder female cats) but I couldn't afford tests to determine kidney functions. leukemia, other. I had brought her in for her "kitty cold/allergies" and low weight, which weren't going away. They gave me prescription for antibiotic (1/8th tab for 5 days, then every 3 days for 6 weeks. She has now had 7 pills over 10ish days). They also prescribed this Lysine gel. It cost $30 plus tax and the doc didn't tell me what it was for. She DOES seem better (I can't afford the thyroid meds yet, so that is still untreated). She does NOT tolerate pills well, so I have been crushing the 1/8th tab (she only weighs 5.5 lbs!) with razor blade and putting with beef broth in an eye dropper to get it down her. But her eyes/congestion DOES seem better, but not all gone. My big "ah ha" moment came tonight when I googled to find out what the Lysine was for (cat herpes!/nasal congestion). But more to the point, I can get it from Amazon(Prime) for $10.99plusTax/no shipping! Beats the $32 at Walgreen's that I really could NOT afford but did it anyway. Next time I will find out more about the side prescriptions! In this instance, the anti-biotic and the thyroid are what the doctor discussed with me. Could have saved me some $$$ on the Lysine if I had thought to ask questions about THAT! It is maple-flavored and I just smear some on her front paws and let her lick it off! Easy-peasy! NOT like having to grab her for either pill or eye-dropper which, unfortunately, is STILL traumatic and stressful to her....
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Just Want To Know If My Other Cats Can Get Infected.
