The cat coughs as if choking and wheezes causes and treatment

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4. The cat is coughing and wheezing as if she was choking.

If your cat is coughing and wheezing and you suspect she is choking, there is a good chance you are right. Most likely, a foreign body has entered the respiratory tract or gastrointestinal tract, which is interfering, and the animal is trying to free itself from this object by coughing.

Very often the cause of cough is a hairball. When a cat washes itself and licks itself, it collects hair with its tongue, which accumulates in the stomach, forming a trisobezoar. Over time, due to the long stay in its body, inflammatory processes begin, which causes the cat considerable discomfort.

Perhaps your cat has also encountered this problem, in which case there are special means that can dissolve the lump, or induce vomiting and cleanse the intestines. After an examination, your veterinarian will be able to select the appropriate one for each specific case.

Causes of the disease

Cough is not an independent disease, but only a symptom. With this physiological reflex, the body tries to rid the respiratory system of irritants, microorganisms or foreign objects.

The cough can be dry, wet, dull with wheezing, ringing, combined, chronic, acute, seasonal, etc. It is its type and frequency that will help the veterinarian create a more informative picture of the disease.

Causes of cough include:

• dirofilariasis (heartworm);
• pathologies of the cardiovascular system, accompanied by cardiac cough;
• cat flu and other infectious diseases of the upper respiratory tract;
• bronchial asthma;
• accumulation of fluid in the pleural area;
• pulmonary edema;
• polyps in the nasopharynx;
• inhalation of irritants and allergens;
• injuries to the lungs, trachea, throat;
• accumulation of hair in the stomach (trichobezoars);
• benign and malignant formations in the respiratory system;
• fungal diseases (blastomycosis, mycoses, etc.).

And this is not a complete list of the reasons that provoke a cough. Sometimes even a seemingly harmless perfume used by the owner can cause a severe coughing attack in a pet.

Worm infestation

In case of damage to the pet’s body as a result of helminth infestation, it may be of a certain symptomatic nature:

• Rare but painful attacks of coughing in the evening;
• The appearance of a gag reflex

This behavior in cats is caused by the entry of worm larvae into the blood system and respiratory organs, which cause severe irritation and make it difficult for the animal to breathe. Treatment is prescribed by an experienced veterinarian depending on the severity, and he selects the right drug.

Main symptoms

It is very easy to identify a cough in your pet. The cat unnaturally stretches its neck forward, tilts its head, and opens its mouth. He coughs with his mouth open, making characteristic sounds. From the outside it may seem that your four-legged pet is vomiting. Most often, vomit is released along with the cough.

If the cough is isolated, then this should not be a cause for concern. With the help of a reflex, the animal simply tries to relieve irritation on its own. It’s another matter if the cough is prolonged, accompanied by other signs, such as snoring and wheezing.

It should be noted that a cat may snore from time to time, for example, when there is a lack of water. She may sometimes experience wheezing - when the animal swallows too large a portion of food.

However, if the above symptoms are presented together and are accompanied by changes in behavior (refusal to eat, restlessness, decreased activity, weight loss, exhaustion, etc.), this is already a reason to visit a veterinary hospital.

Prevention

It is possible to prevent coughing in an animal if you plan to vaccinate your cat against viral diseases. It is possible to reduce the likelihood of an unpleasant symptom by regular deworming and eliminating parasites from the skin that can carry parasitic worms. It is necessary to feed the cat properly so that its immunity does not weaken. It is not recommended to give your pet solid food, large pieces, especially bones, on which he can choke. Coughing is less likely to occur in cats that live in warm conditions and receive adequate care.

Diagnostics in a veterinary clinic

Diagnosis is based on identifying the cause of the cough. The veterinarian examines the animal and collects anamnesis. The owner must clearly describe the signs, frequency and nature of the cough, highlight some characteristic features, for example, blood, sputum production.

A cough with sneezing may indicate cat flu. If it is accompanied by wheezing, then most likely your pet has asthma. Sputum production coupled with weight loss and diarrhea indicates the possible presence of parasites.

Necessary diagnostic methods include:

• general and clinical blood tests;
• serological blood test;
• Analysis of urine;
• chest x-ray;
• ECG;
• tracheal endoscopy;
• organ biopsy;
• culture of bronchial secretions for microflora.

Until a particular diagnosis is confirmed, the veterinarian prescribes maintenance therapy to relieve coughing attacks.

What to do if your cat is coughing?

First of all – attention! Even if you're seeing it for the first time, you need to remember a few things about the cough so you can compare it to any future coughs and give your veterinarian an accurate description of what's going on.

Here are a few things to pay attention to:

• The quality of the cough – is it wet or dry, does it last long or does it go away quickly?
• Is the time of coughing mostly during the day or at night? These things can help point your veterinarian in the right direction.
• Possible triggers – Does the cough occur during or after exercise? During or after meals? Keeping a journal of your cat's symptoms is a good idea to help you recognize patterns.
• Any other symptoms - Look for lethargy or weight loss, sneezing, wheezing, difficulty breathing, or any other symptoms that don't feel right.

It goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway - please don't try to treat this at home. Over-the-counter remedies can be great, but before making assumptions, PLEASE consult your veterinarian armed with as much information as you can gather.

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Treatment for a coughing cat will, of course, depend on the underlying problem. Your veterinarian may prescribe antibiotics, antifungals, corticosteroids, or parasite medications to help treat the problem causing the cough.

Treatment method and prognosis

There is no single treatment regimen for cough. When developing a scheme in each specific case, the specialist will naturally start from the cause that caused the pathology, the age and individual characteristics of the animal’s body.

So, for heartworm, which, by the way, is quite rare in our latitudes, the pet is prescribed bronchodilators. However, if there are too many worms, they can be removed surgically.

For cat flu, symptomatic therapy is prescribed: fluid to prevent dehydration, intravenous administration of drugs that alleviate the condition. Antibiotics are indicated to treat secondary bacterial infections.

Anti-inflammatory drugs, steroid hormones, and vitamin therapy are used to treat asthma. Bronchodilators are designed to open the airways and make breathing easier. It is advisable to use medications in the form of inhalations, since tablets are poorly absorbed by the body, and their active components do not enter the bronchi. It is advisable to use nebulizers, which are currently widely used in veterinary practice.

If the cough is of allergic origin, it is necessary to protect the animal from contact with the provoking factor (plants, dust, tobacco smoke, etc.). Medications include cortisone, steroids, and antihistamines.

For pulmonary edema, the use of cardiac and expectorant drugs, intravenous administration of glucose, and sodium chloride is indicated. Hypostatic pneumonia is treated with antibiotics.

For cardiac pathologies, the veterinarian selects beta blockers (Atenolol, Propranolol), inhibitors (Benazepril, Enalapril), diuretics (Furosemide).

If air, lymph, or blood have accumulated in the pleural area, a drainage procedure is performed to pump them out. Then the cavity is treated with an antiseptic solution, antibiotic therapy is carried out, analgesics, antipyretics, and diuretics are prescribed.

For fungal diseases, the use of antifungal drugs is necessary. Itraconazole, Amphotericin, and Fluconazole are considered the most effective.

Nasopharyngeal polyps, benign and malignant tumors are removed surgically. If the tumor is inoperable, radiation and chemical therapy are used.

Hairballs stuck in the stomach are eliminated by the cat on its own. You can speed up this process with the help of special food or malt paste.

Make life sweeter for a coughing cat

Any cough is caused by something - your task is to find the cause and take measures so that it does not become a problem. There are a few things you can do to help relieve your kitten's cough:

• Keep your kitten's feeding, play and life routine as routine as possible. Cats often get sick when their schedule is out of order.
• Maintain a healthy weight – Eating a good, appropriate diet and keeping your cat active will help prevent many health problems, including coughing.
• Check for internal parasites , which may cause coughing.
• Switch to a dust-free litter , preferably unscented, to minimize irritation.
• Run an air purifier or humidifier to improve air quality and filter out possible irritants.
• Avoid household sprays such as air fresheners, hair sprays, deodorants and bug sprays. If you can't eliminate these substances, at least make sure you don't spray them near your cat.
• Avoid exposing your cat to cigarette smoke , especially if it has asthma.
• Get regular vaccinations and include deworming in your routine, especially if you live in a mosquito-infested area.
• Don't overlook hairballs , but don't assume either. If your cat is coughing but not showing anything, the problem is most likely something else.

Cats cough for a variety of reasons, ranging from nothing to worry about to very serious reasons. It's important to work with your veterinarian to find out what's causing the cough and the best treatment, whatever the problem may be.

Feline asthma is a common cause of coughing in cats, so your veterinarian will be able to use the information you provide to determine if any tests need to be performed.

Eliminating common irritants and keeping up with regular vaccinations and deworming will help keep your cat free from coughing, but please be sure to consult with your veterinarian before doing anything at home.

How to treat

After determining the provoking factors, appropriate treatment is prescribed. Using medications without consultation with a specialist can cause negative consequences. The wrong choice of medication or its dosage can lead to complications. However, it is very useful to familiarize yourself with general information about existing drugs. In some cases, you can use tablets intended for humans. It is not recommended to give syrups due to the large amount of sugar, dyes, and flavors they contain. Medicines containing codeine and alcohol are also not allowed.

Blocking substances help to quickly eliminate attacks, but do not affect its source. Therefore, they can be given to your pet only in combination with other means. Expectorants do an excellent job of treating infectious coughs by thinning mucus and removing it from the respiratory tract.

How to treat a cough

Pneumonia

This disease most often affects individuals who are weakened due to a recent respiratory tract infection, as well as elderly, malnourished pets. Pneumonia usually becomes a complication of acute bronchitis. The symptoms of this disease coincide with the symptoms of other respiratory diseases. For this reason, correct diagnosis is extremely important.

Signs of pneumonia are as follows:

• dyspnea;
• cough;
• wheezing;
• hard breath;
• temperature increase;
• purulent discharge from the nasal passages;
• cyanosis of mucous membranes;
• swelling of the dewlap and supporting parts of the paws.

Immediate treatment is required, which includes vitamin therapy to better combat the disease, and antibiotics, expectorants, and immunoglobulins are also prescribed.

If coughing attacks occur repeatedly and are simultaneously accompanied by other alarming symptoms, then you must definitely visit a veterinarian who will prescribe adequate treatment and help restore the health of your beloved animal.