Get Approaching The Dyspnoeic Cat In The Middle Of The Night

Differential diagnoses include feline asthma, bronchopneumonia or trauma causing pulmonary contusions or rib damage.

“The three most common causes of respiratory distress,” says Dr. Fletcher, “are asthma and its acute exacerbation; heart failure, which causes fluid to build up in the lungs; and pleural effusion, a collection of fluid in the space surrounding the lungs that makes it difficult for a cat to expand its chest.”

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.

Your veterinarian may prescribe two drugs to help make it easier for your cat to breathe: typically an anti-inflammatory like or , and an airway dilator like or .

In addition to obvious difficulty in breathing in and out, cats exhibiting dyspnea frequently show a variety of associated clinical signs. Their rate of breathing may be noticeably rapid, for example. They may pant noisily with an open mouth and may cough frequently.

Symptoms Of Dyspnea In Cats Head and neck extended in front of the body while breathing.