Vomiting and runny eyes.

Dr. Marie replied:

Hi Gina! Thanks so much for your question. I have a few questions for you before I answer:

Has she had diarrhea at all?
Is she sneezing at all?
Is your other cat a new addition?
Are your cats up to date on vaccinations?

Thanks!
Dr. Marie.


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Dr. Marie replied:

OK, thanks for that info. This is hard to answer without seeing your cat, but I can give you some of my thoughts and you are welcome to ask more questions afterwards if you need to.

My first thought was that your girl may have a bit of a viral infection. This can cause the runny, red eyes, coughing and the stomach upset. However, there is usually not a whole lot of vomiting, so if the vomiting continues I would be more concerned that this is something serious.

If the vomiting stops and she is wanting to eat, but you notice that she is getting congested and has more eye discharge then this is definitely most likely to be an upper respiratory tract virus. If so, most cats get over this on their own. As long as she is eating ok it is alright to just keep an eye on her. You can put her in the bathroom next to a steamy shower for a few minutes periodically to help with nasal congestion.

There are other causes for vomiting that would be more of a concern. In a young cat I worry about an obstruction in her stomach (i.e. if she ate something she shouldn't have. This doesn't directly cause red, runny eyes but if she is dehydrated her eyes could look sunken. If this is an obstruction then she will continue to vomit and you may notice the vomiting is projectile. If she is still vomiting in the morning then a vet visit is definitely necessary.

Some cats can get some mild stomach upset due to a change in food, a new treat or even stress. If so, it should be very temporary. She may benefit from pepcid which you can buy over the counter. While I can't legally advise you on how much to give I can give you this link to read. (Cut and paste it into your browser):

http://www.petplace.com/drug-library/famotidine-pepcid/page1.aspx

Regarding the metronidazole...this medication helps with intestinal inflammation. It won't be harmful if it is mildly expired (but may not be as effective as it once was). It's not a bad idea to give her a dose tonight until you can contact your vet in the morning.

Worms are possible, but would not be my first thought. Something more serious like a kidney toxin is possible as well. This is unlikely but could happen if you had a toxic plant such as a lily in the house.

I don't usually recommend a period of fasting for cats as they can actually get quite sick with a condition called fatty liver if they are fasted for too long. I would encourage her to eat very small amounts of food a few times throughout the day. And again, if she is still vomiting tomorrow (and especially if she is losing her appetite) then a vet visit is a good idea!

I hope she does ok! Let me know if you have more questions.

Dr. Marie.

Dr. Marie replied:

You're very welcome! I'll be here if you have more questions over the next few days! Thanks for spreading the word! My website is new and I am very excited to have the questions that have been asked so far!

Dr. Marie.

Dr. Marie replied:

Thanks! You too!

Dr. Marie replied:

Hi Gina...I'm glad to hear that she is feeling a little better this morning. It sounds like she was really not feeling well.

I'm wondering if perhaps she had an allergic reaction to a bee sting or other insect? This could cause all of the symptoms mentioned.

As long as she is feeling better, eating ok and not vomiting I think it's ok to just keep an eye on her. The metronidazole is for diarrhea so if the stools are normal you don't need to give it.

If she did have an allergic reaction she may be pretty much over it but some cats do need antihistamine or steroid treatment. That would be something that you should have your vet assess her for.

So, hopefully she is eating ok and keeping things down. If not, then a vet visit is the best idea.

Hope that helps!
Dr. Marie.

Dr. Marie replied:

Sounds good!
Dr. Marie.