What is
feline asthma?Also
known as (also known as feline bronchial disease, allergic
bronchitis, bronchitis, allergic airway disease and allergic
asthma). When exposed to an allergen, the following
happens.
- The
muscles around the airways tighten and block the airflow.
- The walls
of the airways swell and become narrower, blocking the
airflow.
- The
airways produce extra mucus, causing more narrowing.
As in humans,
it is believed that there is a genetic predisposition for
asthma.
What are
the symptoms of feline asthma?
Dry,
hacking cough which may be mistaken for hairballs, wheezing,
laboured breathing, exercise avoidance. Symptoms
may be mild or severe. In
mildly affected cats they may cough of wheeze occasionally.
Severely affected cats may cough & wheeze daily, leading
to airway constriction & open mouthed breathing/panting. A
severe asthma attack can lead to death.
How
is it diagnosed?
There
are other medical conditions with similar symptoms to asthma,
so your vet may want to rule out the following;
heartworm, pneumonia,
Bordetella & congestive heart failure.
Your
vet will do the following:
-
Listen to
the cat's chest/breathing.
-
Take a
chest x-ray to look for signs of bronchial inflammation
& enlarged lungs, flattened diaphragm & doughnuts.
-
Tracheal
wash to check for the presence of eosinophils
(a type of white blood cell).
How is it
treated?
There
is no cure for asthma, although in most cases it can be
managed.
Steroids
(oral form) may be prescribed. These reduce inflammation.
There may be side effects from long term use of steroids such
as diabetes, pancreatitis, increased urination, weight gain,
behavioural changes.
Steroids
(inhaler form). Same as above, they reduce inflammation. There
is a relatively new inhaler system on the market called AeroKat,
Flovent is the most commonly used inhalant steroid. Inhaled
steroids generally don't get into the system as much as oral
steroids, thus side effects are greatly reduced.
Bronchodilators:
These help open the airway at times of severe coughing or
wheezing.
In
an emergency, get your cat to the closest vet immediately. You
will not be able to treat this at home. Your veterinarian will
usually inject a corticosteroid to reduce inflammation &
use a bronchodilator to help open the airway. Ephedrine may be
given in a life threatening attack.
Triggers:
There
are many possible asthma triggers. Some include; cigarette
smoke, fireplace smoke, pollens, cat litter dust, aerosols,
sprays & cool temperatures.
