Cat with breathing problems..advice..

[marah1115]

Those of you with cats that have breathing issues...I took my cat in with a video because the other 2 times they could never "hear anything" so he prescribed steroids 1ml once per day(said we might need to up it to 1 1/2) or do every other day we might need to "play around with it a little bit??" and also an antibiotic pill 1/2 twice a day...So when I give him the meds in the morning he has an attack right then is this common??(onbly been 3 days)Could these be anxiety attacks not asthma??I am just trying hard to make my cat better and very worried...Thanks in advance for any information that might be beneficial

[Nan]

What do you mean by breathing issues? Coughing? or wheezing?

[Marcia]

Originally Posted by marah1115

Those of you with cats that have breathing issues...I took my cat in with a video because the other 2 times they could never "hear anything" so he prescribed steroids 1ml once per day(said we might need to up it to 1 1/2) or do every other day we might need to "play around with it a little bit??" and also an antibiotic pill 1/2 twice a day...So when I give him the meds in the morning he has an attack right then is this common??(onbly been 3 days)Could these be anxiety attacks not asthma??I am just trying hard to make my cat better and very worried...Thanks in advance for any information that might be beneficial

Maybe you can post the video here. I don't know if any vets post here so I would rely exclusively on your vet for advice if this is serious!

[dt8thd]

Hm, well, if your cat has breathing issues and is anxious about being pilled that could certainly cause heavy breathing/mouth breathing/panting, especially if he becomes physically stressed during the process. But, it's tough to infer from that whether or not anxiety is the primary reason for the breathing issues. Many cats pant out of anxiety when taken to the vets, so the fact that your vet hasn't been able to detect an issue while examining him would make me question the idea of anxiety being the main cause of your cat's breathing issues; although, not all cats react the same way to vet visits.

Has your cat been diagnosed with asthma, or is that one possible cause that has been suggested by your vet?

[marah1115]

He didn't pant at the vet and doesn't pant when I do the medicine, he is coughing and wheezing and very much so lately.I am so worried. I asked the vet for a mask and dilator but he said too soon. I guess because he doesn't see him. I told him he has been doing it for months(and remember I took him in a few times for it)and it is getting worse....he said he thinks asthma yes.So can aggravation bring on the attacks for it?I feel so badly giving him the meds if that makes him have an attack too.thanks

[dt8thd]

From what you describe, I would be concerned too. Have you tried keeping a written record of these attacks: writing down things like when and where the attack occured, what your cat was doing prior to and during the attack, had he recently eaten, etc? It might help you to isolate a cause.

Do you know your cat's entire medical history? I have a cat who had breathing issues related to being hit by a car sometime prior to us adopting him, though externally he seemed in good health. It also took a surprising amount of time to get a diagnosis, considering the severity of the problem (his internal organs had migrated up into his chest cavity, preventing his lungs from expanding). It was initially thought that he might have a respiratory infection, like pneumonia, and a number of different imaging procedures had to be performed before the actual cause was found. He required surgery to fix the problem.

This same cat still has laboured breathing sometimes, especially when he plays, though this is partly related to his severe allergies--which would be a far more likely cause of respiratory issues in a cat than an undiagnosed internal injury. Galileo is allergic to a lot of things, but he's extremely allergic to Dust Mites and Storage Mites. Whether or not your cat has allergies, eliminating as many environmental allergens as possible, such as dust, mold and mildew, litter box dust, and cigarette smoke, is really important for asthmatic cats.

For his allergies, Galileo gets Cerenia every day and has also had a number of courses of prednisolone to help control his flare ups. He's been on these and a slew of other medications for years, and he's never had breathing issues during or immediately after being pilled. Is it possible that some of the coughing and wheezing during the pilling process is done in an effort to expell the pill or throw the pill up after it has been swallowed and that this is triggering his asthma?

I would keep trying to impress the severity of the situation on your vet. Maybe ask if there are any definitive tests to determine if asthma is the cause? If you don't think your vet is taking the situation seriously enough, or is maybe just a little inexperienced with your particular situation, you could always ask to be referred to a specialist, as a specialist may have more experience with similar cases. Our regular vet referred Galileo to an allergist, which was helpful in determining what his allergies were, his sensitivity to each allergin, treatment options (including treatments not readily available through our regular vet), and specific dosages.

[marah1115]

Thank you so much for such an informative answer..It will help greatly.Fortunately, the meds might be starting to kick in and help as,so far, NO attacks today even after the meds where administered...but to make a journal of his attacks sounds like a very good idea..I have never noticed him having problems after playing...cold air i think and anxiety seem to bring it on some...Sorry to hear about your kitty..glad you can be there for him..Thanks so much again for the helpful answer

[Arianwen]

Cold air and anxiety are quite common triggers so you have probably go that spot on.

[Kitty-The-Cat]

Might want to browse through my current thread on cat bronchitis. My cat hasn't had breathing problems per se, but she has had a recurring cough and many of the things we discussed there should also help your cat.