Is my vet right?

Question

I took my 4 1/2 month old kitten to the vet recently because he was coughing really bad and wheezing all of the time. She just looked at him and said that he has worms and she gave me some medications to give him. I gave him the meds and he still has the same problem. Why would worms cause him to cough? That makes no sense to me at all. Do you think he has an upper respiratory infection? I hope i didn't waste money on those meds for nothing.

I called the vet and explained it to her and she said it could be an upper respiratory infection and she said to come and pick up some amoxicillin

Answer 1

Go get the antibiotic! This should have been given to you on your first visit. And, do NOT allow them to charge you for another office call! If they try, tell them you're NOT going to pay it, as this is the original reason you brought this kitten in there in the first place. The worming medicine probably didn't hurt him, but it surely did NOTHING to clear up an upper respiratory infection. Stand your grounds. And, I DO hope your kitty gets better.

Answer 2

If you don't like this vet's advice, get a second opinion, but I think the amoxicillin will work. Another thing you could do is make sure you wipe and discharge off the kitten's face and put her in a small room with a cool mist vaporizer. This will help her breathe. It will also make it easier to clean up after her if she starts sneezing. Wiping cat snot off everything is not a fun thing, so limit where she goes. If she won't eat, you'll have to warm up some canned food in the microwave. Only barely warm so it releases the odor of the food. If cats can't smell it, they won't eat it. There are several things that can cause a cat to cough, including worms, asthma, or a heart condition. So take the vet's advice -- after all, she has the degree so why second guess her.

I had a cat with a cold that turned into pneumonia and I had to force feed her and force water down her throat, too. She was too sick to object much and I was careful to follow the vet's instructions. I had to give her pedialyte instead of water, too. It took about 3 weeks of this to get her completely well, but all the work was worth it. Sometimes if you can't get them to accept water and they get too dehydrated, the vet can inject fluid under the cat's skin. This can save the cat's life. .

Answer 3

it does sound like an upper respiratory infection..you probably should pick up the antibiotics they are offering..this should clear it up. If there is no improvement, take the cat to another vet. If you take the cat to another vet now..you will have to pay for an office visit all over again AND the antibiotics. Not sure why the vet said the cat had worms...she could have them..but usually they have to be diagnosed with a stool sample...so not sure this vet knows what they are doing.

Answer 4

Make sure your kitten eats and drinks, sometimes amoxicilian makes them so nauseous that they can't keep food down and don't want to drink. If that happens, stop giving it to the cat and get an alternative prescription for the kitten. There are other ones that don't do that to their stomachs.

Coughing can be a sign of hookworms I think it is, either those or round worms, one of them gets into the stomach and possibly the lungs and can cause the coughing.

But I'd think from the description that your cat has an upper respiratory infection.

Answer 5

Parasite infections (roundworms - which ALL kittens and puppies have from birth, in addition to whipworms and lungworms, etc) can and do 'migrate' to the lungs, which can cause coughing, upper respiratory distress, and vomiting. Give him a couple more days to start feeling better, and if he does not, better take him back for some antibiotics.

When he is well, make SURE he gets his full requirements of vaccines. If he's indoors only, at least get the combination vaccine (CVRPV, or FVRCP) to protect him from upper respiratory infections, amongst other common viruses.

Answer 6

If you are not satisfied w/ your vets answers, then take him somewhere else. Always go w/ your gut instinct and if it says that something is amiss, then most likely it is. You should always be happy w/ whatever doctor your seeing whether it's for yourself or your pets.

Sounds like the kitten has an Upper Respiratory Infection which can be threatening if not taken care of especially in younger aged cats. I would totally suggest taking him to another vet.

Answer 7

If your cat has roundworms- part of their life cycle is that they are coughed up into the mouth, then swallowed into the stomach- and it goes on.

But I would seek another vet- there are a lot of things that can cause a cat/kitten to cough, so i would be a bit concerned. Call around and ask questions, find a practice that sounds concerned for your kitten and offers to get you in today. Good Luck!

http://www.ah.novartis.com/pet_health/en/cat/worms/roundworm.shtml

Answer 8

Wait a second. Your vet just looked at him, diagnosed worms and prescribed medication without a stool sample to determine what kind of worms the cat had? I agree that you probably need to find another vet.

It's unfortunate that you're having this experience, but you're not alone. Veterinarians are like doctors and mechanics. Their goal is to keep you as a paying customer for as long as possible. I'm not sure whether this woman misdiagnosed your pet on purpose or whether she's simply incompetent, but there are certainly substandard practitioners in the world.

Answer 9

4.5 mo old should be wormed anyway, so no waste of money. No, it doesn't sound like worms. I'd take the kitten to another vet. Vets are just like people, they have their specialties. You may need to try another to find one that is a good cat vet. Get recommendations from other cat owners, and try a second opinion.

Answer 10

Ive never heard of worms causing a respiratory problem. your cat might have had worms, but i would take the cat to a second vet and ask specifically about the respiratory problem.