| When you think about Asthma you probably think | | | | other diseases such as bronchitis, pneumonia, and |
| about it as being a disorder found only in humans, but | | | | even heart disease. It is important to use the x-ray |
| you probably didn't realize that it could be present in | | | | because asthma can have similar symptoms when |
| your cat. There are many symptoms common to | | | | compared to these diseases and may be mistaken |
| those who suffer from asthma and if your cat is | | | | for one of them. Because the knowledge of asthma |
| showing these symptoms, then you may want to | | | | in cats has become increasingly abundant over the |
| consider having your cat checked to see whether or | | | | years, it's been determined that the asthma in cats is |
| not he or she has asthma. | | | | very similar to the asthma in humans, which has also |
| So what exactly is asthma in cats? It is labeled as an | | | | helped increase the effectiveness of treatment of |
| immune mediated disease which can portray a | | | | feline asthma. |
| number of symptoms such as infrequent coughing | | | | The most common treatment for feline asthma has |
| which may seem to be a common hairball cough, or | | | | become the use of corticosteroids like prednisone, |
| random occurrences of respiratory distress which is | | | | and the use of bronchodilators like terbutaline. The |
| more commonly known by veterinarians as acute | | | | success rate for treating feline asthma is usually |
| dyspnea. | | | | pretty high with positive results achieved more and |
| The onset of these symptoms can stem from a | | | | more frequently, and the occurrences of severe |
| number of sources including certain allergens that | | | | episodes of asthma are becoming less and less. The |
| may be present or by increased levels of stress. It is | | | | key to treating your cat for feline asthma is to get |
| also possible for other symptoms to occur | | | | them checked as early as possible, which will increase |
| immediately after the initial symptoms previously | | | | the likelihood of successful treatment and minimize |
| mentioned. These other symptoms may include | | | | the amount of damage that is caused to your cat's |
| sneezing, vomiting, and perhaps even what we | | | | lungs. |
| commonly know as wheezing. You may be able to | | | | There are alternative treatments that you can be |
| notice that your cat is having problems breathing | | | | used such as steroids which can be injected, which |
| right away as they will be breathing heavily, or the | | | | are very useful if your cat has a hard time with pills. |
| problem may come about gradually in which case | | | | Other treatments include Cyproheptadine which was |
| they will slowly exhibit signs of troubled breathing. | | | | used to stimulate appetite, Cyclosporin which is |
| You can treat asthma fairly quickly with a number of | | | | typically only used in cases where the disease is |
| steroids and other medications such treatments such | | | | more severe, and Anti-Interleukin-5 Antibody which is |
| as bronchodilators and oxygen therapy. There are a | | | | still an experimental treatment. |
| few methods that can be used to diagnose the | | | | One of strategies for relieving allergy symptoms is to |
| disorder, but the most common method for doing so | | | | remove the allergens that may be present in your |
| is by x-ray as well as a slide cytology of your cat's | | | | cat's living environment. This may be done with an air |
| airway. | | | | purifier, litter that is unscented and free of dust, and |
| The x-ray is in most cases the number one tool for | | | | perhaps even controlling sprays which are odor free. |
| diagnosing asthma in your cat and will help rule out | | | | |