If you care for your pet, and we know you do, then it is important to also allow a veterinarian to care for them. Your vet is the one who can provide vaccines, check your pet for ongoing conditions like arthritis and parasitic infections, and recommend medications to treat fleas and ticks. Most vet are very familiar with treated dogs and cats, and many will also treat rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs, and other household pets. If you'd like to learn more about veterinary care, then plan on spending some time on this website. It's a good resource for any curious pet owner.
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When a cat develops a cold with symptoms like sneezing, eye or nose discharge, coughing, and other symptoms, visiting a vet is something pet owners typically do. Most of the time, if a vet prescribes antibiotics, pets see a significant improvement and end up feeling perfectly fine by the time the antibiotics are completed. However, that's not always the case. If your cat is still having cold symptoms after finishing their antibiotics, here's why it's happening and why you shouldn't wait to get help.
Why It May Not Be Having an Impact
Antibiotics are very effective at killing unwanted bacteria, but that doesn't mean that they're 100% foolproof. In some cases, antibiotics won't be effective against the type of bacteria that your cat may have. Not every antibiotic can treat and kill every kind of bacteria, so unless your vet tests your cat first, there's a chance that a broad-spectrum antibiotic won't do the trick.
Alternatively, it's possible that your cat has a problem with a virus, not a bacteria. Viruses are typically responsible for cold symptoms, but antibiotics are sometimes given by vets in order to help protect the body from any secondary bacterial infections that can occur while the body is fighting the virus. In either of these cases, the antibiotic treatment may not fully kill off whatever is causing your cat's cold.
Why You Shouldn't Wait
There are two main reasons why you shouldn't wait to get help in a situation like this. The first is that if your cat did have a bacterial infection that was impacted by the antibiotic, it can become resistant to the antibiotic. This can make the bacteria harder to kill. By waiting a while before you go to the vet's office, these bacteria can reproduce and become a much bigger problem for your cat and the vet treating them.
Another possibility is that if your cat has a viral infection, the virus may continue to proliferate as the antibiotic will have had no impact. In either case, your cat could end up getting sicker without help.
What to Do
If your cat's symptoms haven't improved or have come back following their treatment, you should seek help from a vet right away.
Your vet will run some tests to find out exactly what it is that's impacting your cat. From there, new treatment options will become available. In some cases, antiviral agents or different antibiotics can be used. In more serious cases, flushing the nasal cavity and throat may become necessary. Your vet will walk you through what you can expect.
Call a veterinary service to schedule an appointment for your cat.
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