I've done rescue work before and dealt with sick animals frequently. I worked in a pet store and have helped sick animals recover (and lost a few that were beyond help). Never ever have I been told by a vet that antibiotics for an upper respiratory infection might not work. I have never had a vet suggest to prepare for a loss while also prescribing medicine to fix the problem. I have to wonder if this is because I specifically called her a barn cat, and not a house cat. To us the only difference is that she lives in the bunny barn and runs the risk of being taken out by an eagle or hawk... while the house cats are in the house and if the house were to burn down, they'd probably not know how to get outside. Each has risks I suppose, but we love them all the same... Seems odd to change the diagnosis or outcome odds based on the label given to the cat. I asked if I should put them in the porch overnight again, but they said the temperature change from warmer indoors to colder outdoors could cause even more problems. I was advised that fall is a rough time to start keeping barn cats. Yeah... I see that. She suggested that perhaps the problem was a bad combination of timing (fall, everything is getting colder), and age (immunity she got from nursing with her mom is running out and now she has to build her own). Either way, she was much more active today, though still not fully herself. She was still sneezing but no longer dripping green gunk. After her vaccination and coming home to get her first dose of antibiotics, she was really tired. She and Luna spent most of the rest of the day laying in the hay nest they use as a bed. I hope Gypsy perks up more tomorrow. I know vaccination day is always a downer, but she seems to be feeling better this morning before the vet appointment, so there's hope. I just can't have them in the entryway anymore because they do not understand a litter box. One of them peed on the floor. Fortunately nobody pooped. They use the sand outside, so the litter is probably a strange concept to them.
Today was exhausting two-fold. I finished taking care of the remaining quarantine rabbits. As of tonight I have one rabbit somewhere in the barn that sneezed once as I was passing out food and water, but I am not sure which one it is. Otherwise, we have eliminated every rabbit in the barn with snotty feet, yellow nasal discharge, or sneezing. Once I can root out this last one (if it is indeed sick and not just a random sneeze), I believe our nightmare illness outbreak will officially be over (knock on wood). All of the remaining bunnies appear symptom-free so far (aside from the single sneeze heard this evening).
Boon is doing better. Both feedings today when I put his nest box in with his momma, she jumps right in and takes care of him. Yesterday I was beginning to think maybe she was considering abandoning him. He's getting quite plump now. He's got little popcorn responses when we first touch him, which is adorable. As soon as he realizes it's just one of us, he settles right down. I think he will be a very tame little guy if he survives to grow up. I've been cautiously optimistic, but as he continues to do well, I'm slowly losing the cautious part and becoming more hopeful. He is one week old today and has been shelved for four days. So far, so good!