Cats, like humans, suffer from bronchial asthma.
And if your pet begins to cough and choke, then you should pay close attention to this symptom and contact a veterinary hospital. Asthma in cats is not so common: 1% of this disease has been identified in the world. And the reasons for this pathology can be very different. Our goal is to figure out how to deal with asthma attacks and how to treat it.
Causes of the disease
Unfortunately, the cause of asthma in animals is still not well understood. Scientists claim that the pathology develops against the background of allergies in combination with a hereditary predisposition.
Asthma can develop in absolutely any cat, regardless of gender and age; it is most often diagnosed in representatives of breeds such as Siamese and Himalayan.
Among the factors that provoke asthma are the following:
- presence of dust, mold, dust mites;
- air polluted with cigarette smoke and harmful gases;
- inhalation of toxic fumes (household chemicals, cleaning aerosols, etc.);
- susceptibility to respiratory viral infections;
- disturbance of psycho-emotional state;
- excessive physical activity;
- plant pollen;
- weather conditions (humidity, cold).
With asthma, a cat's airways become clogged with mucus, which leads to swelling of the walls and narrowing of air passage and, as a result, to spasms. This is a very dangerous condition that requires immediate help, otherwise the animal may die from an attack of suffocation.
Tips for caring for a cat. Asthma in a cat
It is almost impossible to accurately find the cause of asthma - the allergen that causes it, so you should adhere to some rules for keeping a cat with asthma:
- transferring the cat to a tray with a grid (without filler);
- regular wet cleaning of the premises;
- ventilation;
- humidification of dry air in the apartment in winter;
- limiting the use of air fresheners, deodorants and household chemicals.
The veterinarians of our center will always come to your aid in difficult situations. When an animal needs emergency help, a qualified specialist will come to your home to stop the attack and prescribe additional examinations for the animal. In a severe case of an attack, the cat may require oxygen therapy, which is also carried out at the patient's home.
The doctor will accompany your pet until complete recovery.
, staying in touch during the period of remission to give recommendations. We do not leave our clients alone with their questions and concerns. Call us at YA-VET and get a free consultation with a specialist on a topic that concerns you. The knowledge and experience of our veterinarians, coupled with their love for their four-legged patients, will give you confidence in your pet’s recovery!
Symptoms of the disease
One of the characteristic signs that should seriously alert a cat owner is difficult, rapid breathing, accompanied by whistling. This condition is a harbinger of an attack that can develop at any time.
The cat suddenly stops playing and opens its mouth, trying to take in as much air as possible. In this case, the animal takes an uncharacteristic pose, stretching its neck and lowering its head. Attempts to draw in air lead to mobility of the abdomen and chest due to the mobility of the diaphragm.
Breathing is rapid, wheezing is heard when exhaling. Coughing and sneezing are rare symptoms that occur when a pet is trying to clear mucus.
Bronchospasm prevents the cat from inhaling air, which leads to oxygen starvation. The animal loses consciousness, does not react to the person, its mucous membranes turn blue. If attacks occur frequently and the pet does not receive the necessary help, death cannot be avoided.
Asthma manifests itself in several forms, depending on the severity:
- Easy. It proceeds unnoticed and does not cause discomfort to the animal.
- Average. Characterized by more severe symptoms.
- Heavy. Symptoms appear every day. The animal is in great pain and needs medical attention.
- Life threatening. At this stage, the cat usually dies.
It is very important to start treating asthma at the initial stage and prevent the disease from progressing.
Recommendations for the owner
Always have a first aid kit on hand to provide emergency assistance. Include in it all the medications that the doctor recommends (glucocorticosteroids, bronchodilators, antihistamines, etc.). These products, along with your veterinarian's prescriptions, should always be available so you can use them immediately.
Discuss with your veterinarian the possibility of using bronchodilators or other aerosol medications. Using inhalers with special attachments is much more convenient and, most importantly, faster. This means you can quickly eliminate the attack and reduce the risk of side effects when using steroids in tablet or injection form.
Diagnostics in a veterinary clinic
Diagnosis of asthma is based on differentiating it from other respiratory tract pathologies that have a similar clinical picture - pneumonia, bronchitis, pulmonary failure.
In addition, heart disease, benign and malignant tumors in the chest area, nematodes in the lungs, and foreign objects entering the respiratory tract, including trichobezoars, must be excluded.
The veterinarian needs to conduct the following tests:
- General blood analysis. An allergic process will be indicated by an increased level of eosinophils.
- Stool analysis (if nematodes are suspected).
- X-ray. It does not apply to specific diagnostic methods, but it allows identifying the displacement of the diaphragm towards the abdominal cavity, characteristic of asthma.
The most informative criterion is cytological analysis of bronchial mucus. In asthma, it is always thick, forming plugs in the respiratory tract, cloudy, with a greenish tint.
How to use a spacer?
Since asthma requires the most long-term treatment, the cat must be introduced to the spacer gradually. To prevent frequent inhalations from being stressful for the animal, which has a detrimental effect on the animal’s body, aggravating the course of asthmatic attacks, it is necessary to show the cat that this procedure is absolutely painless and safe. First, show the animal the mask, let it sniff, and then in a calm environment or play, place the mask on its face for a few seconds. Repeat these manipulations several times, gradually increasing the procedure time. Once your animal gets used to the mask, carefully connect the camera without injecting medication into it. Continue applying the spacer to the cat's nose until she gets used to it and begins to breathe calmly through it, while not forgetting to encourage the animal with your voice or stroking. Then you can use AeroKat with the necessary medicine. During inhalation, it is necessary to count the movements of the valve; on average, the cat should take about 5-8 breaths of the medicine.
Treatment method and prognosis
Treatment depends on the severity of the disease and is aimed at creating certain conditions for long-term remission. Unfortunately, asthma cannot be cured, but it is possible to establish control over the animal’s condition and prevent the appearance of dangerous symptoms.
Therapy consists of eliminating the cause that caused the attack; if tobacco smoke is tobacco smoke, smoking is prohibited in the apartment where the cat is kept. If the allergic reaction is caused by dust, pollen, mold, provoking factors must be excluded.
Long-term treatment with glucocorticosteroids that relieve inflammation in the lungs is indicated. Veterinarians consider Prednisolone to be the most effective treatment.
To stop attacks, drugs that dilate the bronchi are used. For inflammatory processes of a bacterial nature, a course of antibiotic therapy is indicated.
Allergic symptoms are relieved with antihistamines.
For continuous use, you will need to purchase a special inhaler for animals. The veterinarian will advise what products should be used. As a rule, bronchodilators are used (Klenbyterol, Fenoterol, Albuterol, etc.).
For inhalations, experts recommend AeroKat spacers. This is a camera with a mask that is applied to the cat's face. The chamber contains the drug in the form of an aerosol. Through inhalation, the animal receives the necessary dose of medicine, with the help of which it is able to breathe.
Regular use of inhalers allows your pet to live a full life for a long time.
Forecast
Feline asthma is a progressive disease. If left untreated, coughing attacks can get worse each time, leading to life-threatening respiratory failure. Unfortunately, it is not possible to completely cure asthma, but therapy can significantly make life easier for cats with this diagnosis. Therefore, it is extremely important to consult a veterinarian if your cat develops a cough! Timely diagnosis and prescribed therapy will help your animal live a long and happy life.
What to do at home
The owner is required to follow the veterinarian's instructions. You cannot self-medicate, reduce or increase the dosage of medications!
All efforts of a person should be aimed at preventing a new attack.
A sick animal must be kept in good conditions and receive high-quality food. The diet should be nutritious and balanced.
The room where your four-legged pet is located must be kept clean. The presence of dirt and dust in it, which can cause bronchospasm, is unacceptable. Wet cleaning should be carried out daily, including the most inaccessible places. The bedding and rugs on which the pet rests must be shaken out and washed regularly, but without using detergents.
The animal should not be allowed to have access to household chemicals. Interaction with any chemical can have a detrimental effect on his health. All medications should be placed in containers with tight-fitting lids. By the way, today you can find household chemicals on sale specifically for allergy sufferers. Its use will help avoid bronchospasms in the cat.
Perfume can also cause allergies and asthma attacks, so you should not use them in an apartment where there is a sick pet. There is no question of any smoking indoors.
The air in the house needs to be humidified. It is advisable to purchase a special climate device, the effects of which will be very useful for your pet. Don't forget about regular ventilation of the room.
Often, simple stress can trigger an asthma attack, so you should not leave your pet alone for a long time. He should feel the love and care of people, and this will undoubtedly have a beneficial effect on his psycho-emotional state. In addition, an attack can occur at any time, and there should be a person nearby who can provide first aid to the pet.
The cat's weight must be monitored. Obesity is one of the most dangerous preconditions for an asthmatic attack.
First aid during an attack. Asthma in a cat
The animal is scared during an attack
no less than the owner, since he cannot breathe normally.
It is necessary to bring him out of this state with sedatives to relieve fear and excitement. Sedative medications
often use infusions of medicinal herbs or essential oils of certain plants that relax and calm the animal’s psyche. Of course, it’s better not to grab the cat and take him to the clinic in a panic, but to call an emergency veterinarian, so as not to aggravate the pet’s stress with transportation and an unfamiliar environment.
Description of the disease
Bronchial asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways.
Constriction of the bronchi occurs due to an allergic mechanism; an infectious nature may be a secondary factor. An asthma attack is a bronchospasm that makes breathing difficult. In this case, the walls of the bronchi thicken, the diaphragm stretches, mucus is formed abundantly, the mucous membrane swells, and an inflammatory process occurs. Asthma is also an allergic disease in which repeated attacks of suffocation result from bronchospasm and swelling of the mucous membrane. The disease is based on the body's increased sensitivity to numerous allergens (allergies). It is believed that feline asthma is only allergic in nature. When the amount of allergen in the body goes off scale, attacks occur.
There are several degrees of severity of the disease:
- moderate – cough and wheezing are rare;
- moderate-severe – cough occurs every day, up to suffocation;
- acute severe - respiratory failure occurs, lips turn blue, bronchi narrow.
Prevention
The main method of preventing the disease is to isolate the animal from potential allergens (dust, household chemicals). The source of dust is cat litter, so when choosing litter, take into account its structure. It is recommended to periodically clean the air and ventilate the room.
Particular attention should be paid to nutrition and daily routine, and to protect from stressful situations. A weakened body has a harder time coping with asthma attacks.
Asthma is a complex disease. It is important to learn to live with it, prevent the condition from worsening and minimize asthmatic manifestations. During remissions, you must follow all doctor's recommendations.
