My Cat got a Cold

[Frosty_47]

Ok so my cat is indoor/outdoor type. Today he came back soking wet after a strong thunderstorm. The cat's cold symptoms are identical to human cold. His nose is partially blocked so he is experiencing breathing problems (it sounds real funny though). Anyways, I was wondering if I should take him to the vet and shell out a lot of money for a simple "inspection" or will the cat get over it ?

 

[Noggin]

An animal's/person's best health care comes in the form of an immune system. At least that is my opinion.

 

[Mikebits]

Ok so my cat is indoor/outdoor type. Today he came back soking wet after a strong thunderstorm. The cat's cold symptoms are identical to human cold. His nose is partially blocked so he is experiencing breathing problems (it sounds real funny though). Anyways, I was wondering if I should take him to the vet and shell out a lot of money for a simple "inspection" or will the cat get over it ?

If you can afford the vet visit it might be worth having a vet check the kitty out. How important is the cat to you? If what ever that cat has is progressing it could get worse to a point that the vet bill will be astronomical.

Up to you though.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Cats get colds and sniffles, just like humans - it's not normally a concern.

 

[Hero999]

Just keep him in a warm and dry place for a few days, if he gets worse then consider taking him to the vet.

Have you considered insuring him? It's probably worth it if you can afford the monthly payments but don't have the capital and don't want to take a lone to pay a vet bill.

 

[HarveyH42]

Depends on how important the cat is to you, and how much trouble the cat is having. You noticed, and posted about it, so guess it's a little severe. Vet might be a good idea, wouldn't wait too long. The only time I took a cat to the vet, was to get her fixed. Females are a royal pain, when the have a need to breed, and had no interest in kittens. Males should be fixed, just to stop the skunk like spraying. Never took either of my dogs.

Healing comes from within, doctors can help speed it up a little, usually in the good way, sometimes the say 'oops'. They don't give discounts if the pet dies, same for people doctors...

Your cat will most likely get over it, all by itself, if not, you can usually get them free by the dozen. I guess most people realize they are going to out live a dozen pets, eventually you'll have to dig a hole. You'll still have a lot of pleasant memories...

 

[Hero999]

How old is he?

If he's over 14 then don't expect him to be around for much longer.

 

[Ghosty_Ghoul]

Can cats get swineflu?

 

[HiTech]

Can cats get swineflu?

Logic indicates NO for the answer to that question, however:

Swines get the flu
Many people are pigs (in one manner or another)
Therefore, people get swine flu

 

[HarveyH42]

So how it go, cat make it okay? Should have gotten over it in a few days.

 

[giftiger_wunsch]

Can cats get swineflu?

Am I the only one to notice that it seems logical that you'll get "swine flu" when "pigs fly"?

 

[Pavanayi]

My dog got a cold. Is this a subject for a electronic related worldwide forum?

 

[giftiger_wunsch]

This is the "****-chat" forum. If you don't wish to participate with the conversation, no one is forcing you. Please read the forum description.

 

[HiTech]

Perhaps we here can come up with an electronic circuit as an Rx to the flu and common cold? I foresee lots and lots of money income from such a device.

 

[giftiger_wunsch]

Oooh nanotechnology: it's the future!

 

[Mikebits]

Oooh nanotechnology: it's the future!

This is not as far fetched as some might think.

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://academic.evergreen.edu/curricular/viruses/2005viruses/presentations/Nanotechnology%2520and%2520The%2520Virus%2520World.ppt&ei=CTWaSsWVJ5OusgOt9rCvAg&sa=X&oi=spellmeleon_result&resnum=2&ct=result&usg=AFQjCNFq7pJH3-7HLLQBeOPA7IfpcxIfAA

This is interesting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBIZI4s5NiE

 

[giftiger_wunsch]

I doubt it's going to become viable in the near future, but it may well have potential. As a biochemistry student with an interest in electronics, I find it particularly fascinating

 

[Mikebits]

I doubt it's going to become viable in the near future, but it may well have potential. As a biochemistry student with an interest in electronics, I find it particularly fascinating

I am also a bio student and I attended a seminar in nanotech and cancer. There is research being done where nano devices seek out and destroy cancer cells. Much of this research has been progressed due to DNA sequencing technologies. Exciting times indeed

Are you Chem major or Bio, I know they have both in the biochem field?

 

[giftiger_wunsch]

I am also a bio student and I attended a seminar in nanotech and cancer. There is research being done where nano devices seek out and destroy cancer cells. Much of this research has been progressed due to DNA sequencing technologies. Exciting times indeed

Are you Chem major or Bio, I know they have both in the biochem field?

Of course the major problem is that just as with any other system for targetting cancer, the nanobots may have difficulty determining whether a cell has been affected by cancer or not: the bots may leave malignant growths untouched or worse, destroy healthy cells. It would most likely essentially supplement the body's natural killer cells.

There are obviously many other problems associated with nanotech as well: the powerpoint presentation you linked to notes that heavy metals will be a major component of nanobots, which are of course toxic to humans; and if they are designed to self replicate, where will the supply of necessary materials come from, how will they know when to stop multiplying without being able to communicate with each other, how will they prevent the body's vital nutrients being used by the nanobots and essentially starving the host?

Then there's the problem of making the bots able to pass through plasma membranes when required in order to reach the desired tissues.

There's also the problem of preventing damage by the immune system or due to substances which may or may not be in the blood. If a nanobot receives oxidative damage by being phagocytosed (or simply by 'wandering' into a lysosome at some point) and is no longer able to control the rate of its replication, or determine which cells should be damaged and which should not, then that could be worse than the cancer was to begin with


Anyway, I'll leave the negativity there as the powerpoint you linked to suggested, nanotech applies to all technologies working at a small scale and not just to "nanobots", and I think these other technologies are more likely to prove effective.


I don't know if the university system is slightly different where you are Mike; all I know is next year I have a series of core modules and a couple of optional modules to fill in the remaining points; I'm studying cell biology, a pharmicological module (I don't remember the exact name) and a module of german next year on top of the core modules

 

[Mikebits]

I do wonder about crossing the plasma membrane. That is a barrier where I wonder how a nano device might cross. This was not mentioned in the discussion so I do not know. I suspect your level of biology is a bit higher than mine, I am just starting o-chem. Still in year 2.

From what I gathered from the seminar, the real problem with nano devices targeting cancer cells is that they mutate rapidly and thus enzyme targets change making the bots useless.