Posts Tagged ‘Feline-asthma’

Cat Symptoms – Maybe Your Cat Has Feline Asthma

Monday, October 12th, 2009

Feline asthma, also referred to as chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma and allergic bronchitis is a common feline ailment.  It is usually caused by inhaled allergens that lead to the clinical symptoms of feline asthma.

 

How do you determine what your cat has inhaled to cause the symptoms?

 

According to most vets, it is virtually impossible to determine exactly which allergens caused your cat to come down with feline asthma symptoms.  Some common culprits include:

 

·         Grass

·         Tree pollens

·         Cigarette smoke

·         Fireplace smoke

·         Various sprays such as hair sprays, deodorants, flea sprays, deodorizers

·         Dust from cat litter

 

My cat is still a kitten, can kittens have feline asthma?

 

In fact, feline asthma can occur in cats of all ages and is found in all areas of the world.  There is no safe place to hide from the ailment with your kitten or cat.  It is estimated about 1% of the general cat population has at some time or another experienced feline asthma.

 

What are the symptoms?  Common symptoms include:

 

·         Wheezing

·         Coughing (a dry, hacking cough that might be confused with gagging or retching)

 

Many cats are diagnosed as having hairballs, when in fact, it is feline asthma.

 

In very severe cases, cat may:

 

·         Have daily coughing and wheezing

·         Many bouts of airway constriction, leading to open-mouth breathing and panting that can be life threatening

 

In mild cases, cat may:

 

·         Cough and wheeze only occasionally

 

A few cats with feline asthma are asymptomatic in between acute and severe bouts of airway constriction.

 

How can a cat owner know whether or not their cat has feline asthma?

 

A vet can perform chest x-rays, a complete blood count, a feline heartworm test, and a technique to sample cells from the lower airways.

 

Feline asthma is a chronic progressive disease that cannot be fully cured.  Medications will help reduce the symptoms, but may not be able to eliminate coughing completely.

 

One of the most effective therapies for feline asthma is to use inhalers such as human asthmatics use.  There is a mask and spacer system that enables cats to use inhalers or puffers.  The system is similar to the mask and spacer system used to treat babies and small children.

 

Treatments: 

 

If your cat has been diagnosed with feline asthma, ask your vet about the AeroKat system for cats.  The most important type of drug is a corticosteroid to reduce the chronic inflammation.  Commonly prescribed is corticosteroid inhaler Flovent.  Another medication type is called a bronchodilator that helps open the airway at times of severe coughing or wheezing.  A common bronchodilator inhaler used for humans and cats is Apo-Salvent.  Some cats may even be given oral medication usually a corticosteroid like prednisone.  Oral therapy may be less expensive; however, inhaler therapy can probably do a better job.  Be sure to notify your vet if there is any change in your cat’s condition while on asthma medication.

 

Other things you can do to help your cat are:

 

 

Disclaimer:  The information in this article is not meant to diagnose or treat any kind of health problem in your cat.  You should always consult with a trusted veterinarian for all health problems.

 

Source:  The Winn Feline Foundation Online

 

 

 

Cat Symptoms : Signs And Symptoms Of Feline Diabetes

Sunday, October 11th, 2009

Cat Symptoms :

Cats are one of the most popular pets in North America, for good reason. They are loving pets, capable of providing you years of companionship. Like other pets, cats can sometimes get sick. There are several different types of ailments that cats can get, one of which is feline diabetes. Feline diabetes is a serious disease, although it can be treated by a veterinarian.Diabetes is more common with humans than with cats or other animals. The cause of diabetes is actually quite simple. Sugar, or glucose, is found in the blood. The level of blood sugar in the body or the animal is kept under control by hormone insulin, which the pancreas produces. When the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin, diabetes is to blame.The symptoms of feline diabetes will vary. The most common symptoms include an increase in urine and an increase in thirst. Other symptoms of feline diabetes include an increase in the amount of food consumed, weight loss, and a poor coat.  The increase infood  consumption and weight loss will occur together because with diabetes, your cat’s body will begin breaking his food down into compounds too small to be used by his body. An increase in thirst is easy to detect, as you can easily notice the water dish empty throughout the day.If you don’t get your cat treated for feline diabetes immediately, the cat will eventually become inactive, vomit on a regular basis, and eventually fall into a coma. On the other hand, if you get the diabetes treated in time, the cat will more than likely lead a normal and healthy life. Keep in mind that treatment doesn’t happen overnight – it takes time and dedication.Cats that have feline diabetes will need to be given food at the same time every day. They should be prevented from going outside as well. If your cat has diabetes, you’ll need to give him insulin shots once or twice or a day. Once your veterinarian checks your cat, he will tell you how many shots and how much insulin you need to give your cat.Before you give your cat his insulin shot, you should always make sure that he has some food first. If he hasn’t eaten and you give him a shot anyway, he could end up with a hypoglycemic shock. This can also occur from too much insulin as well. A hypo can be really dangerous, and should be avoided at all costs. If your cat gets a hypoglycemic shock and you aren’t around, he may end up dying.If you have to give insulin shots to your cat due to feline diabetes, you should always keep a watchful eye on him after you have administered the shot. After your cat has been on insulin for a period of time, your vet may reduce the amount of feline insulin. Even though he may have to stay on insulin the rest of his life, he will lead an otherwise healthy life.You will also have to monitor your cat’s diet very carefully during this time. If you are giving your cat insulin shots under the guidance of your vet, then it is imperative that if you choose to place your cat on a low carbohydrate diet – TELL YOUR VET FIRST! It is very important to address the carbohydrate level in a cat’s diet but it is ‘tunnel vision’ nutrition to stop there.  We need to address the quality of the ingredients in the foods that we feed to our cats – not just the carb level. Both issues (carb level and nutrient quality) are important since we are feeding the whole cat, not just the disease of diabetes.

Commercial cat food may be the cause of your cat’s illnesses.