Many people think that cats never get sick. If the fluffy beauty became sad, then you need to let her go for a walk in the country, she will find medicinal herbs and will recover. Unfortunately, not everything is so rosy. There are a number of diseases that cannot be defeated without an experienced veterinarian. Moreover, some of them are incurable. Among them, asthma can be noted. In cats, it also happens, and in this case, the owners can only carry out maintenance therapy and prevent deterioration.
Help for the owner
Do not despair if your pet is diagnosed with this. Asthma in cats is not so rare, and with the right symptomatic treatment, the animal can live a long life. Therefore, the first thing that is required is to find a competent veterinarian who can not only prescribe medications, but also give recommendations for care.
Causes
There is no answer to this question today. Why asthma in cats develops, ceteris paribus, only in some animals - this remains to be investigated. But we can say for sure that the nature of the disease is allergic. The decisive factor is the genetic predisposition. That is why in some animals pathology develops and progresses, while in others it does not.
Practical observations allowed doctors to understand that asthma in cats is not tied to gender or age. Representatives of the Siamese and Himalayan breeds are more prone to the disease. It is not a secret that asthma has its own catalysts, which trigger the whole mechanism.
Asthma provocateurs in cats
In principle, any pollution can become predisposing factors. The reasons include:
- dust (it is necessary to do wet cleaning regularly at home);
- any air pollution associated with the activities of factories or your personal;
- plant pollen;
- chemical fumes;
- respiratory infections.
It is almost impossible to exclude all provocative factors, both in winter and summer. We can only minimize their effect. To do this, there are a number of preventive measures, which we will talk about below. For treatment, you need to contact a specialist, undergo an examination and take medications.
How do they manifest
If you know how this disease manifests itself in people, then you can easily diagnose it with our smaller brothers. The difference is not too big. An attack is characterized by a spasm of the bronchi and shortness of breath on exhalation. This is expressed in shortness of breath, which is accompanied by wheezing. Symptoms of asthma in cats usually develop rapidly. The animal was just playing calmly when a cough suddenly appears. It seems that something got into his throat.
If you are sure that the pet did not eat anything, then you should not try to open your mouth and remove a foreign object. By such actions you will scare the animal even more. Typically, the cat sits down and begins to take intermittent breaths. This is what a catβs asthma attack looks like. This is quite scary, but the owner needs to control himself, otherwise he will not be able to help his pet.
What should alert
If an attack always manifests itself very vividly, and it is almost impossible not to pay attention to it, then a number of other symptoms often elude the eyes of the owner. Bronchial asthma in cats does not go away by itself, so you should pay close attention to the pet if:
- the cat gets tired quickly (usually they have enough energy for long hours of play);
- when breathing, you hear whistling sounds;
- breathing is frequent and shallow;
- the back is hunched, and the neck is always elongated when sitting.
Do not forget that your task is to note that not everything is in order with the pet. After this, you need to urgently get ready to the veterinary clinic. It is impossible to make a diagnosis on the basis of the listed symptoms.
Deterioration
If lung rales during breathing can be tolerated for some time, then there are symptoms that require immediate action. It is best to call an ambulance. Accurately diagnosing asthma can be difficult, as the symptoms may be similar to heart and lung failure. Worst of all, when breathing is so difficult that oxygen starvation occurs. The cat falls to the floor and does not respond to its owner. Mucous membranes acquire a cyanotic shade. Usually the animal lies motionless and breathes heavily. As the condition worsens, apathy and drowsiness increase. You canβt wait, because the death of the pet will follow.
No panic!
Treatment of bronchial asthma in cats is not a single day. Usually it comes down to a series of supportive procedures that allow you to avoid an attack or mitigate it. And first of all, the owner needs to calm down. The attack looks very sinister, the animal itself is scared, because it loses the ability to breathe. Some start to rush, others just fall into a state of numbness.
Your task is to calm the animal. Do not try to catch and hold him by force, just block his exit to the street. Remember that at the moment the pet feels great discomfort. He is scared and weak, and you can only make his condition worse.
Standard circuit
As a rule, the treatment of asthma in cats is strictly individual. Therefore, it is very difficult to name drugs that would help all animals with similar symptoms. Standard schemes here work very poorly. Usually, the doctor prescribes a special spray that quickly relieves the symptoms. This is an emergency tool, after which a long-term therapy regimen will be prescribed.
For this, hormonal drugs are selected. Most often glucocorticosteroids. If there is additional bacterial inflammation of the bronchi, then antibiotics are prescribed. Be sure the doctor recommends vitamins E and C. In general, treatment has several goals. It is necessary to remove inflammation, reduce hypersecretion and swelling of the bronchi.
For this, drugs of the following groups are individually selected:
- "Fluticasone propionate" - for inhalation.
- "Prednisolone" - for injection.
- "Methylprednisolone" in tablets.
- Bronchodilators - to relieve bronchospasm.
Of course, only a qualified specialist can appoint them. Self-medication can only worsen the condition of the animal. In pharmacies today there are quite a few analogues of these drugs, each of which has its pros and cons. Price is not an indicator at all, so wait for a specialist consultation before you begin treatment.
Assistive therapy
Against the background of the main treatment, alternative methods can also be used. It is impossible to cure asthma by them, but practice allows us to judge an improvement in the condition of their intake. The pet is given decoctions of sedatives that can avoid stress and improve the general condition of the animal. If you have not examined a cat for helminthic infestations for a long time, then you can try antiparasitic decoctions of wormwood, cloves or tansy. If asthma is a consequence of the life of parasites, then this will certainly help.
Prevention
This is a complex, systemic disease, so tune in to the fact that you have to learn to live with it. In order to prevent deterioration and minimize asthmatic manifestations, it is necessary to protect the pet from the effects of the allergen. Most often it is dust and pollen, so you will have to part with part of the house plants. Factors such as household chemicals, cosmetics and perfumes, hygiene products and cat litter cannot be ruled out. It is especially necessary to pay attention to this if an adult cat is suddenly ill. Rate what has changed recently: changed the wallpaper, bought a new shampoo or perfume. It is at this point that a search for an allergen can yield results.
Cleanliness is the key to health
Treatment of bronchial asthma in cats should be comprehensive. This is one of those ailments in which the main thing is to prevent deterioration. Your home should be in perfect cleanliness. Hard-to-reach places also require wet cleaning. While you are doing the work, it is necessary to isolate the cat so that it does not breathe dust.
There are a number of measures that can reduce the likelihood of an attack:
- ventilate the room more often;
- buy a humidifier;
- quit smoking in the apartment;
- adjust the pet's nutrition, the cat should not be overweight;
- the litter should always be dry and clean, but it is not recommended to wash it with modern powders;
- avoid stressful situations, they can worsen the condition of the animal.
Therefore, if a cat starts having seizures, then for a while refuse from loud music and visits of guests. Silence and peace can accelerate recovery. In the stage of remission, you must follow the doctor's recommendations, this will make treatment more effective. Symptoms of asthma in a cat will be rare and do not interfere too much with life.