Can a cat be misdiagnosed with asthma?

The most common symptoms in cats with asthma are wheezing and coughing. The coughing has been described as a dry, hacking cough that could be confused with gagging or retching. Most cats are misdiagnosed as having hairballs!

What is the most common symptom of feline asthma?

Coughing and respiratory distress including difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, and open-mouth breathing are the most common signs of feline asthma and bronchitis.

How can you tell the difference between hairballs and asthma?

One way to tell the difference is to note your kitty’s body posture, says The Spruce Pets. During an asthma attack, your cat will be hunched lower to the ground than she is when she’s coughing up a hairball, with her head and neck fully extended in an attempt to take in more air.

What can mimic asthma in cats?

There are a number of diseases that are very closely related to feline asthma which must be ruled out before asthma can be diagnosed. Lungworms, heartworms, upper and lower respiratory infections, lung cancer, cardiomyopathy and lymphocytic plasmacytic stomatitis all mimic asthmatic symptoms.

How do you control a cat with asthma?

To treat feline asthma, veterinarians will usually prescribe corticosteroids to reduce inflammation in the lungs, with or without bronchodilators to dilate the airways. Both of these types of drugs come in oral, inhaled, and injectable forms.

How serious is asthma in cats?

Feline asthma is often a progressive condition that fails to improve significantly over time, and affected cats may experience occasional asthmatic flare-ups that vary in intensity from mild to life threatening.

What can you do for a cat with asthma?

How do vets diagnose asthma in cats?

When it comes to diagnosing feline asthma, a picture is worth a thousand words, so veterinarians employ radiographs (X-rays), computed tomography (CT), and bronchoscopy to see inside a cat’s lungs and evaluate their condition.

How do I know if my cat has feline asthma?

Cats suffering from asthma may show signs of difficulty breathing, wheezing, rapid breathing, coughing or hacking, open-mouthed breathing, or vomiting. These signs can vary in intensity, ranging from acute respiratory crises to chronic, low-grade coughing, elevated respiratory rate, or increased respiratory effort.

What do you give a cat with asthma?

There are two types of medications used to treat cat asthma: corticosteroids and bronchodilators. Corticosteroids are used daily to manage asthma. These medications help improve symptoms and prevent asthma attacks by reducing the inflammation in the lungs.

What kind of asthma does a cat have?

Feline Asthma: Diagnostic and Treatment Update Asthma is an important allergic lower-airway disease in cats affecting approximately 1% to 5% of the pet cat population. New diagnostics are being developed to help better differentiate asthma from other lower-airway diseases and improve monitoring.

Can a Siamese cat be predisposed to asthma?

It doesn’t appear that one sex is more susceptible to asthma, and although some studies suggest that Siamese cats may be predisposed to asthma, this has not been definitively proven. Cats suffering from asthma may show signs of difficulty breathing, wheezing, rapid breathing, coughing or hacking, open-mouthed breathing, or vomiting.

What does acute management mean for an asthmatic cat?

Acute management also includes home treatment of acute asthma attacks that are not severe enough to warrant emergency presentation to a veterinary facility. Acute exacerbations may result from exposure to asthma triggers. This usually manifests as episodes of spasmodic coughing and increased expiratory effort.

How does bronchoconstriction affect a feline with asthma?

Bronchoconstriction is a key feature of feline asthma that results in increased airway resistance. This manifests as wheezes on thoracic auscultation and increased respiratory effort most noticeable on exhalation.

Can a cat be misdiagnosed with asthma? The most common symptoms in cats with asthma are wheezing and coughing. The coughing has been described as a dry, hacking cough that could be confused with gagging or retching. Most cats are misdiagnosed as having hairballs! What is the most common symptom of feline asthma? Coughing and…