Two days ago I discovered that Wen, one of our pregnant girl, was struggling with her breathing. She held her head up and her mouth partially open and she breathed very slowly. She was on her 55 day in the pregnancy and I got more and more worried about her. After observing her for about an hour, I called the Vet and told him about how Wen acted. He managed to put her in between all the other patients and I took her with me at once after finishing the conversation with the Vet. We waited for a time until he ould look at her, and I felt so helpless because her breathing only got worse. Finally we came in to his office and the examination started. She had no fever and it was not possible for the Vet to listen to her lungs because she was purring all the time. The Vet thougth Wen had an upper respiratory tract infection because the only thing he could find was that her laryngeal was a bit swollen. At first he would not give her any medication because of her pregnancy, but I managed to talk him over   Optimistic Finn-Ove went to the pharmacy to pick up the medication (Clamoxyl tablets (amoksicillintrihydrate)) and home we went. We managed to give her the tablet, and we were quite satisfied and just waited for the medicin to kick in. The next morning Finn-Ove was able to give her the tablet, and we hoped that she soon would be well enough to drink and eat. We tried to get her to eat, but nothing helped. We gave her some water with a syringe in her mouth, but everything came out again. I followed her closely throughout the day, and I cold not se any improvement at all. She just laid behind Finn-Ove´s chair for several hours, struggling with her breating. In the middle of the day she walked, or rather swayed 3 meters from the chair and she did not look good at all! When I picked up Finn-Ove after work, I told him about Wen and he called the Vet at once. The Vet told us to come with her and off we drove. This time the Vet could hear that the infection has reached her lungs as well, and she was quite dehydrated. It was not possible to get any water in her through her mouth and the Vet gave her saltwater under her skin. He tried to find something to reduce the swelling in her throut, but there was nothing that was safe to use for a pregnant cat. We got a new medicin for her, (Baytril - Enrofloksacin) and since she was not able to swollow, we got syringes to give her. Baytril are not recomended for pregnant cats, but she was in such a bad state that it was necessary to treat her. The Vet told us that we had to be prepared that she migth would loose her kittens. He checked her with ultrasound and at least there was one little heart beating in her stomach.....   

We tried to give her fluid in her mouth but it only came out. Nothing helped at all. But we hoped that Baytril would help on her throut, and make it less swollen. This morning Wen came to Finn-Ove when he sat on the floor, and wanted to cuddle. He tried to give her something to drink, but no. Everytime she got water in her mouth, she refused to swollow. I have tried throughout the day to give her water we have boiled chicken in, but it was the same result as before. I called the Vet again, and he told us to come with her. Today she got Cortisone and Glucose in addition to the salty water under her skin. Hopefully she will respond to the Cortisone and make it possible for her to swollow. We are taking her back to the Vet tomorrow for the same treatment - water with Glucose and Cortisone under her skin and we cross our fingers hard and hope for her to be able to eat and drink. She really needs everything she can get to be able to take care of her kittens - if they survive this. The Vet was not happy with giving a pregnant cat Cortisone, but he had to if she should have a chance to survive this.

I´m worried!