![]() ![]() Inhaled treatments reduce or eliminate systemic effects. Philip Padrid pioneered inhaled medications using a pediatric chamber and mask using Flovent(r) ( fluticasone) and salbutamol. These drugs may have systemic side effects including diabetes and pancreatitis. Previously, standard veterinary practice recommended injected and oral medications for control of the disease. Feline asthma is commonly managed through use of bronchodilators for mild cases, or glucocorticosteroids with bronchodilators for moderate to severe cases. More recently, computed tomography has been found to be more readily available and accurate in distinguishing feline tracheobronchitis from bronchopneumonia.Īlthough feline asthma is incurable, ongoing treatments allow many domestic cats to live normal lives. While radiographs can be helpful for diagnosis, airway sampling through transtracheal wash or bronchoalveolar lavage is often necessary. Medical signs, pulmonary radiographs, and a positive response to steroids help confirm the diagnosis. Lungworms, heartworms, upper and lower respiratory infections, lung cancer, cardiomyopathy and lymphocytic plasmacytic stomatitis all mimic asthmatic symptoms. There are a number of diseases that are very closely related to feline asthma which must be ruled out before asthma can be diagnosed. Veterinarians will classify the severity of feline asthma based on the medical signs. Cat coughing sounds different from human coughing, usually sounding more like the cat is passing a hairball. Owners often notice their cat coughing several times per day. The obvious signs that a cat is having a respiratory attack are: coughing, wheezing, blue lips and gums, squatting with shoulders hunched and neck extended, rapid open mouth breathing or gasping for air, gagging up foamy mucus, and overall weakness. ![]() Some cats experience a less severe version of an asthma attack and only endure some slight coughing. ![]() Mucus may be released by the lungs into the airway, resulting in fits of coughing and wheezing. During the attack the lungs will thicken and constrict, making it difficult for the cat to breathe. Feline asthma can also be attributed to lung damage caused by long-term exposure to second-hand smoke.įeline asthma occurs with the inflammation of the small passageways of a cat's lungs. There is conjecture that the disease has become more common due to increased exposure to industrial pollutants. Common symptoms include wheezing, coughing, labored breathing and potentially life-threatening bronchoconstriction. It is a chronic progressive disease for which there is no cure. Feline asthma is a common allergic respiratory disease in cats, affecting at least one percent of all adult cats worldwide. ![]()
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