Our 1-year-old cat has been diagnosed with feline calicivirus but treatment isn’t working — feeling lost and unsure what to do next
On 28th March, my partner and I noticed redness in our 1-year-old cat’s mouth. We took him to the vet and they suspected gingivitis, prescribing gabapentin, prednidale, and one other medication I can’t recall. The prednidale really didn’t agree with him — he had severe, uncontrollable diarrhoea — so the vet told us to stop it after a few days.
After a week with no improvement, we went back. The vet suggested swabs be taken and sent off for testing. Results came back confirming feline calicivirus. He was then prescribed metacam and doxycycline, and we started adding a probiotic to his food to help settle his stomach.
That was a few weeks ago now, and honestly? His mouth looks much the same. Maybe slightly less inflamed, but the growths on his gums are still there, and his stools are still quite loose even with the probiotic.
We’ve spent a significant amount of money at this point and seen very little in the way of results. Our vet doesn’t seem entirely confident in how to approach it, and we’re at a bit of a loss. We don’t want to keep putting our cat through the stress of vet visits — or keep spending money — with nothing to show for it.
Has anyone dealt with anything similar? Is it worth seeking a second opinion or a referral to a specialist? Any advice would be genuinely appreciated.