L-lysine for herpes infections in cats

Despite my best efforts, our previous batch of foster kittens brought feline herpesvirus type 1 (FHV-1) into our household.  I do attempt to quarantine all foster kittens downstairs, but I think Derek (who travels between downstairs and upstairs), must have been some sort of vector, because Frank, Tie, Scampi, Bing, and Jackson all came down with eye infections shortly after the foster kittens arrived.  Tie’s infection was especially bad, and he had full-blown conjunctivitis which required antibiotics.  I can’t say for sure that our cats didn’t have the dormant virus before the kittens arrived, but none of them had ever had an eye infection.

Since the first flare-up, the cats each periodically present with a gooey eye, or what we scientifically call, “winky eye”.  I did some reading about FHV-1, and discovered that the amino acid L-lysine is often recommended as both a treatment and a preventative.  It’s quite inexpensive, so I bought a pound of powdered L-lysine on eBay (it cost about $16), and I’ve started to mix it in with the wet cat food.  I was skeptical, but the treatment really does seem to work!  If this can keep eye problems at bay I’ll be happy to keep using it.  When I started giving it, Tie had just developed a runny, squinty eye, but after a couple of days of L-lysine it was gone.  Maybe it was a coincidence, but perhaps not.  It seems to have even helped Bing, who had a mild rhinitis.

I’m all about taking our pets to the vet whenever I think there’s anything wrong with them.  However, there are times when I know that something is a bit “off” - not bad enough to require veterinary attention, but not normal.  I’ll definitely take any cat to the vet immediately if I notice eye redness or any signs of discomfort, but for now I’m happy to keep trying the L-lysine to cut down on needless vet appointments.

If you happen to stumble upon this entry because you’re looking up information about L-lysine for cats, I want to suggest that you purchase it from California Veterinary Supply (do a search on their site for “Viralys").  They carry both a powder and gel version of L-lysine, and their prices are very competitive.  I bought the gel from them because people had raved about how much their cats liked it, but none of my cats were thrilled by it.  It’s flavoured with maple, and sort of looks like thick corn syrup.

Posted by Leigh-Ann on 02/14 at 04:53 AM

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  1. Your statement about home remedies vs the vet rings true for me and my son; he’s a bit melodramatic about minor injuries, so it sounds heartless when we react with simple solutions. Obviously, we’ll see the doctor for real problems, but you have to use common sense with kids and pets!

    Posted by Victor Tabbycat's Mom  on  02/14  at  11:20 AM

  2. How interesting. It must do something to beef up the mucosa. It helps with some kinds of mouth sores in humans, too.

    Posted by Diana  on  02/15  at  05:53 AM

  3. So sorry to hear about the FHV-1 but am relieved that the L-lysine appears to be helping with the eye problems.

    Posted by Coll  on  02/16  at  10:52 AM

  4. Cat Adoption, in Sherwood, OR, a no kill shelter, puts all their cats on 500 mg a day of Lysine.  I use it here a lot, too, not only for the cats, but if I feel a cold coming on.  It’s supposedly a viral cell growth inhibitor.  It is also recommended for cats who are FIV positive.  I’ve had great luck using Lysine in combo with three times daily twenty minute steaming, with infant vaporizer, for cats with URI’s.

    Posted by Jody  on  02/18  at  10:39 PM

  5. Hi,

    I do natural pet care and agree with what you have said regarding the L-Lysine and natural supplements. You may also want to try Similason eye drops.  They are all natural.  For my 3 cats with Feline Herpes, I use their formula for pink eye.  You can get it at any Walmart.  It is all natural and very safe.

    Posted by Cora  on  07/11  at  06:06 AM

  6. Thanks for the tip, Cora!  I’ll see if I can find those drops online (although there are lots of things I enjoy more than giving the cats eye drops… like stubbing my toes, for example).  The L-lysine does a great job, but if I miss just a single day of it, the cats end up with watery eyes.  Maybe they’re just allergic to cat hair.

    Posted by Leigh-Ann  on  07/15  at  04:03 AM
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