Thread: What is L-Lysine?I have a few cats w/upper respiratory problem, the vet gae us this to ad to our kity's food??

It looks like a supplement, like vitaimins, don't my cats need anti-biotics, they are sneezing, and listless, however they continue to eat like crazy. they are also sneezing
josie826, I hope you're right, thanks for the input, my Baby boy - Junior- is listeless and his eyes are running, he still attacks the canned food, that is my diagnosis criteria, doesn't attack the canned food, he is really sick, thanks so much, I really apprreciate the info.

My vet did the same thing for one of my cats. It helps boost their immune system. They don't necessarily need antibiotics, if its a viral infection, they won't help. Use the Lysine, it helped my boy.

It's an amino acid used for certain feline respiratory viruses ( mainly Feline Herpes Virus).It helps stop the replication of the virus.I just had two kittens with this,but my vet put them on amoxicillin to help with any secondary infections,and an antibiotic eye ointment as well. I know the stuff from the vet is pretty expensive,so you can just go to a health food store or drugstore and buy L-lysine capsule or tablets.I bought the 250 mg ones and gave the kittens one,twice a day,along with their other meds. Try feeding them baby food meat and warm meat broths if they don't want to eat. it depends on the cat,but they can be sick for as little as 5 days or as long as three weeks or more.Good luck .
http://www.2ndchance.info/rhinotracheitis.htm

L-lysine is a supplement that replaces some of the l-arginine produced by the cat's system. Since viruses need l-arginine to replicate, l-lysine helps starve them out and aid the cat's immune system in mastering the virus. Viruses are the most frequent cause of upper respiratory infection in cats, i.e., sneezing. They don't need antibiotics unless the viral infection leads to a bacterial one.

It is a vitamin supp. In fact, you can get it for yourself at any place that sells vitamins> that's how I buy mine for my cats. Upper res. is vivrial so antibiotics wion't help. This will help build up their immune system to help them fight it off.