Cats Cardiovascular and Respiratory Problems

When your cat is having a full blown asthma attack breathing becomes difficult and your pet’s sides will very visibly heave in and out. They will be unable to do anything else, and in extreme cases can start panting, look frightened and start coughing up mucus as well as drooling. If this happens it’s very important to call the vet immediately.

• The cause is unknown but is felt to be multifactoral with an immune-mediated component, possibly representing a hypersensitivity to oral bacterial antigens.
• It is therefore extremely important to inform your vet of any medication that your pet has recently received.
• FIV cats with the virus can obviously infect others, so it is responsible to keep an infected cat indoors – and it is better for the cat as well, since it reduces the chances of catching an infection.
• It is also of value in eczematous dermatitis, contact dermatitis, and seborrheic dermatitis; and as an adjunct in the treatment of dermatitis due to parasitic infestation.
• The main risk of using these drugs is that the immune system will be shutdown too much, making your cat more prone to infection.

Asthma in cats is an immunity-related condition and attacks can often be brought on by an allergy or stress. Suspected triggers include pollen, grass, mould, dust mites, tobacco smoke, cat litter, household cleaning products and even some foods. I know vetinary science is different but ive known people to have allergies and skin reactions that are unexplained and they are given steroids.

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In cases of idiopathic or primary IMHA in dogs and cats (where a clear cause is not present), steroids are given to suppress the immune system. Other drugs such as azathioprine or ciclosporin are sometimes used in conjunction with steroids, particularly in difficult or severe cases (or as alternative sole treatment if steroids are not well tolerated). Your vet may also advise using heparin or anti-platelet drugs to prevent the risk of clot formation.

• Textbooks define normal water intake as 1-2ml per kilogram of bodyweight per hour (equivalent to approximately 25-50ml/kg/24hrs).
• However, there is no completely reliable blood test to show that your cat has FIP.
• We do not know where the cells of infiltration come from in GME.
• The focal type of GME typically has a slower onset (3-6 months) while the disseminated form is more rapid (2- 6 months).
• Symptoms typically emerge within a few days or weeks of starting the treatment.

The main risk of death is within the first few days/weeks of treatment. The prognosis for dogs and cats that respond to treatment and are discharged from hospital is generally good although some may require long term treatment. Treatment involves good flea control (see Fleas page) and anti-inflammatory drugs such as prednisolone or injectable corticosteroids. If skin damage is severe then antibiotics to control secondary infection may be required.

How serious is it? Do FIV cats have to be put to sleep?

However, they tend to be reserved for severe cases to regain control during a flare-up. Severely inflamed gums are a key sign that your cat may be suffering from feline stomatitis. When the gums become inflamed, they will turn red and start to swell. This inflammation is not confined to just the gum either – other areas around the mouth such as the back of the throat can also become inflamed and ulcers can also develop.

Thoracic radiographs taken by his local vet  revealed an intra-thoracic mass but it was unclear if it originated from the lungs or from somewhere else in the chest region. The growth promoting effect of somatotropin may be inhibited by the concomitant use of corticosteroids. Oestrogens and other oral contraceptives may potentiate the effects of glucocorticoids and dosage adjustments may be required if oral contraceptives are added to or withdrawn from a stable dosage regimen.

Handling steroid tablets

Unlike dogs, drooling is not something that is very common in cats and is often a sign of pain. This makes it easier to spot as a warning something could be wrong with your cat’s dental health. Stomatitis in cats is a medical condition which causes severe inflammation to the mouth and gums of felines. This inflammation will look reddish in colour and cause cats a significant amount of pain.

Caring for a cat with asthma

These attack the invader and try to damage it so that it does not become overwhelming. It is often possible to carry out blood tests to find out if an animal has antibodies to a particular agent, and this shows whether the animal has come across that agent. It does not usually indicate whether the animal is still infected, or whether your cat has become immune.

All cats with FIV should be neutered, as this removes the stress caused by coming on heat and reduces the desire to roam and act aggressively towards other cats. Provided an infected cat is healthy, treatment is not necessary – there are no drugs that can “cure” a cat from the virus. Regular vaccination to protect against illnesses such as cat flu is a good idea, although you will need to discuss with your vet whether a particular version of the vaccine is needed. Furthermore, there is some evidence that repeated vaccination can speed up the development of symptoms.

Can infected FIV cats be treated?

Prednisolone is four times as active as hydrocortisone on a weight for weight basis. The hypokalaemic effects of acetazolamide, loop diuretics, thiazide diuretics, and carbenoxolone, are enhanced by corticosteroids. The risk of hypokalaemia is increased with theophylline and amphotericin.

Cat Dental Care

They may also suggest blood tests every few months to assess the function of organs that may be affected by treatment. How often this is required will be dependent on your pet’s response to treatment. The treatment is based on management of the underlying heart failure womenblogs.net and attempting to promote collateral circulation within the affected limbs. The prognosis is guarded, around half of affected cats will survive the initial crisis, thereafter they need to show significant improvement in hind limb function over the next hours.