• Mon - Fri: 8:30am - 5:30pm Saturday: 8:30am - 1:00pm
  • (02) 6251 1444
  • ccv@canberracatvet.com.au
Main LogoMain LogoMobile LogoMain Logo
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Is my cat sick?
  • Visiting Us?
  • Services
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • Purr-fect Links
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Is my cat sick?
  • Visiting Us?
  • Services
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • Purr-fect Links
Choosing a carrier for your cat
May 30, 2014
Cat fights
June 9, 2014
Show all

Snotty nose cats

Published by Kate King at May 30, 2014

Snotty-nosed and snuffly cats are difficult to live with.Their owners put up with sneezes and snot all over the house, as well as snuffles and grumbles all day and half the night.

The causes of sinusitis and rhinosinusitis are also difficult for vets to diagnose accurately and even more difficult to treat effectively.

Inflammation and infection spread rapidly from cats’ throats to adjacent structures, such as the middle ear, frontal sinuses, nose and tympanic bullae. These cavities are difficult to reach with medical or surgical treatments.

Feline mucus is also thicker than human mucus and medication has a hard time penetrating the mucus to get to the offending microbes.

Feline Herpesvirus is the most common initiating cause of chronic rhinitis and rhinosinusitis. It causes chronic airway inflammation and swelling, destroys the normal lining of the nasal cavity and upsets the normal mucus layers. The nasal cavity cannot remove foreign particles or the abnormal mucus and the sinuses become blocked. Bacteria leap in and set up infections making the situation even worse.

Drugs to reduce the mucus and the swelling in the sinuses help a bit. We treat the bacterial infection with antibiotics but are still left with Herpesvirus and all the damage it does. Herpesvirus sinusitis soon flares up into full blown bacterial sinusitis again. Some cats respond well to antiviral drugs but others keep getting intermittent sinusitis.

Nastier causes of similar signs are Cryptococcosis, a fungal disease, and cancer, commonly lymphoma, adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. These are difficult to distinguish on X-ray but CT or MRI are very helpful, if they are available. A biopsy clears up any doubts. A blood test is available for Cryptococcosis.

Bad teeth and infected tooth roots sometimes make cats snuffly. A dental inspection and X-ray under general anaesthetic allow targeted and successful treatment.

Occasionally a cat breathes in a grass seed or other foreign body. Usually nasal discharge is from one side only and there is some bleeding.

 

Related posts

August 19, 2021

Mr Petman’s new website


Read more
August 12, 2021

ACT Lock-down 12th August 2021


Read more
July 29, 2021

Veterinary Nurse part time to full time


Read more

Newsletter Signup

For all the latest news, signup to our newsletter

Looking for something?

Recent Post’s

  • 0
    Kidney disease
    March 23, 2022
  • 0
    Allergic to cats?
    September 9, 2021
  • 0
    Mr Petman’s new website
    August 19, 2021
  • 0
    ACT Lock-down 12th August 2021
    August 12, 2021
  • 0
    Veterinary Nurse part time to full time
    July 29, 2021

A calm, quiet haven for cats and their carers staffed by experienced, cat loving vets and nurses

Photo Gallery

ginger cat
cat scratching his chin
kitten ginger cat waving hello
cat with bow tie on

chubby cat walking down path
cat drinking from kitchen sink
cat getting pats in clinic
two cats playing with each other

old grumpy cat
blue eyed kitten
large white cat with golden eyes
cat laying down sunning itself

CONTACT

16-18 Purdue St, Belconnen, ACT

Telephone:

(02) 6251 1444

Opening Hours:

Monday — Friday: 8:30am — 5:30pm

Saturday: 8:30am — 1:00pm

Get Directions

NAVIGATE

  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Dental Health
  • Home
  • Is my cat sick?
  • Kittens
  • Purr-fect Links
  • reCaptcha v2
  • Senior Cats
  • Services
  • Visiting Us?
© 2021 Canberra Cat Vet. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy