How to Treat Feline Rhinitis

1 What It Is

Rhinitis commonly follows damage to the nasal mucosa or infection by various pathogens. After an acute primary injury or a viral infection, a secondary bacterial infection often joins in.

2 Acute vs. Chronic Signs

Acute rhinitis: early on the nasal mucosa is congested, red, and swollen, and itching makes the cat sneeze. The cat shakes its head, backs away, rubs its nose, and tears up. As inflammation builds, a serous-to-mucoid discharge flows from one or both nostrils; if blood is mixed in it is sanguineous. The cat breathes with effort, may breathe through the mouth, and makes an inspiratory snoring noise. With conjunctivitis there is heavy purulent discharge. Marked swelling of the submandibular lymph nodes can make swallowing hard, and tonsillitis and pharyngitis often accompany it.

Chronic rhinitis: the main sign is nasal discharge — mucoid, purulent, bloody, or mixed. The amount is small but it may form purulent crusts around the nostrils, look filthy, and give off a rotting smell. The cat may sneeze often, breathe through the mouth, or sound congested. Chronic rhinitis can lead to sinusitis and maxillary empyema, and is often a trigger for nasal tumors.

3 Treatment

First remove the cause and improve the cat’s care and surroundings. Flush the nose: for thick discharge use warm saline or a 1% sodium bicarbonate solution; for large amounts of thin discharge use a 1% alum, 2–3% boric acid, 0.1% potassium permanganate, or 0.1% tannic acid solution.

For local treatment, rub in an antibiotic ointment or instill a gentamicin solution (40,000–80,000 IU gentamicin in 5 ml water). When the mucosa is severely congested, to constrict vessels and calm sensitivity, drip a mix of 1 ml 2% lidocaine, 1 ml 0.1% epinephrine, and 20 ml distilled water. For bad congestion, use a norepinephrine nose drop (0.2% norepinephrine, 3% lincomycin, 0.05% betamethasone), 3–4 times a day.

Treat the primary disease: for secondary bacteria, ampicillin 20 mg/kg by mouth or injection, twice daily, or another antibiotic. For fungal infection, flush first and spray 1% compound iodine glycerin into the nose for about 10 days. For allergic rhinitis, give dexamethasone by mouth or injection, or chlorpheniramine 4–8 mg, or inject norepinephrine 0.15 mg/kg under the skin, twice daily.