Feline Asthma

watna

Hi all, Our 5 month old kitten has just been diagnosed with feline asthma. He was coughing a lot - like it was hairballs and after numerous trips to the vet and an x-ray they've confirmed he has asthma.

I just wanted to see was there any boardsies that are in a similar situation? Apparently 1% of cats have it and it's mostly in Persian/Siamese cats and other pedigrees. We adopted our cat is from the SPCA and they've been quite good about it. We haven't been charged once for any of his visits or drugs and they've been very helpful. They did ask did we want to swap him for another cat which I found a bit shocking!

He is probably going to be on steroids long-term which the vet said means we will have to monitor food levels as steroids make them very hungry and hey can become obese. I am a bit worried about him being on steroids long-term but it is better than him not being able to breathe.

Anyone else have experience with this?

hmccann

I've a 7yr old tonkinese who also has asthma and has done so for years, he used to get steriods every 6 weeks but last christmas I turned off the heat and as much as possible I tried to heat the house with a wood burning stove. I have no idea whether this is linked or not but he goes now to the vet every maybe five months. He's very well even with this condition. Your kitten should be great. I'm stunned at the <snip> offering to replace the kitten. Stunned.

DBB

I'm guessing that the rescue offered to replace the cat because they're so used to people giving up cats and other pets on a whim? Obviously you're not one of them OP but it can be pretty wearing on the people at the coalface when you get to the point where you expect the worst all the time!

Okay, back on track. I am no cat expert, I'm going to tell you about my experience with my Westie, who had a serious and common-to-the-breed chronic lung condition (pulmonary fibrosis). I'm telling you this because I know this is available and do-able with cats
My Westie was being treated systemically with oral steroids and bronchodilators, but I went off and did a LOT of research on alternatives, and came up with a far better system.
I bought him a spacer, which allowed me to give him a normal inhaler (steroidal and/or bronchodilatory). The spacer allowed me to discharge the inhaler/puffer into the chamber, whilst holding the mask over the dog's face for him to breathe the meds in at his ease... I had trained him to accept the mask over his face using treats, but in reality, the instantaneous relief it brought him was reward in itself, and he'd put his muzzle straight into it when I presented it to him
Here's what it looks like:


The advantage to using a puffer/inhaler with the spacer is that you're getting the medication to exactly where it needs to be, very quickly. And here's the best bit, the steroids are minimally absorbed into the bloodstream, so their systemic effects are minimised so you don't tend to get the nasty side-effects of long-term use of steroids.
I bought the dog-specific spacer, and it was expensive... it was about €100. However, I subsequently found out that I could also have used a far, far cheaper paediatric spacer
The inhalers/puffers themselves are got from the vet on-prescription (they're the same as the human ones) and you get a lot of doses from one dispenser, once you have the spacer it's not a particularly expensive treatment.
There are cat spacers available from the same website I bought mine from:
http://www.breatheazy.co.uk/shop/cats

Hand on heart OP, I cannot recommend these enough. Many vets haven't clued into these things yet, but it's a great way to manage a chronic lung problem effectively, even without the added benefit of the side-effects of the steroids being minimised.

DBB

Feck.
I've only just noticed this is an ancient thread, more than 5 years old, re-awakened today
Thread closed.

DBB

For anyone who comes across this thread again when doing a search in the future, tk123 has sent me some great info to source cheaper spacers:

Chemist direct for spacers!! . And use parcel motel for postage!! And if you know anyone going to Spain inhalers are much cheaper and prescription free over there.

http://www.chemistdirect.co.uk/aerochamber-plus-device-for-children-with-mask/prd-pg