for cat asthma are there any treatments beyond bronchodilators, aspirator,steroids?
50 mg a day Theophylline led to increased severe asthma attacks,soft stool and general listness. Discontined. Presently on 5mg pernisone twice daily, more alert and mobile, firm stool but mild attack today. He is not a lap cat, will only tolerate being rubbed, not petted. Does not like to be held even before he was sick so an aspirator would not be effective. Am looking for relief for my cat that improves his ability to breathe. Don't expect him to be cured just want him to get better. Any suggestions, natural remedies that work? Or what should I ask of my vet now?
Answer by scotchlady06
firstly I would ask this question in the animal section and maybe a vet would read it and help you. Secondly I would discuss this with your vet, there are other medications to take. Prednisolone is purely to reduce the inflammation of his airways and reduce allergies.
Thirdly work out why he has it.... allergy to something, overweight, etc.
Answer by Elaine814
Change his food
If he drinks milk stop it.
Answer by OpalMirror
The short story is that a severe asthmatic is at high risk of death from being unable to breathe... natural remedies may be useful supportive therapies, but you need the big guns of chemical drugs to try to keep this cat's life sustained. Here's lots more:
1) A vet's diagnosis is critical to eliminate other illnesses that have similar symptoms, to help you identify the severity of the disease, and to help periodically adjust their treatment (sounds like you're already doing this)
2) Remove obvious irritants from the cat's environment: smoking, dust, chemicals, perfumes used in cleaning beddings and carpets, etc. This may help a little but isn't a cure, and often triggers of attack symptoms remain mysterious.
3) Recall that for severe asthmatics, an attack can cause permanent damage (collapsed lung), and even without an attack the ever-present inflammation causes progressive damage (scarring and loss of lung capacity similar to emphysema). It is critical to arrest the progress of the disease. The most reliable way is anti-inflammatory drugs, and our most effective ones are corticosteroids.
4) A very small change in the diameter of the inflamed, mucus-laden brionchioles (breathing tubes inside the lungs) can have a very big effect on being able to breathe. This is why bronchodilators are so important for stopping an attack in progress, they help the airways open up just a little more.
So for treatment options:
a) If the cat can be handled (either it is trusting or can be lovingly caught and given the 'burrito cat' treatment wrapped in a towel), then the most advanced and very effective daily use of inhaled fluticasone/Flovent (steroid) and as-needed albuterol(bronchodilator) through a feline aersol chamber and mask, is the preferred treatment. Many thousands of asthmatic cats are using this treatment approach and achieving better quality of life.
b) If the cat will take pills, prednisone is a cheap and often effective solution.
Inhaled albuterol through the aerosol chamber is still the best bronchodilator, because it is immediate and has few side effects. I've tried the pill and injected bronchodilators (terbutaline, theophylline). Theophylline had no effect. Terbutaline injected was more traumatic and in pill form much slower acting, than inhaled albuterol.
c) If the cat can be rarely handled, injected steroids are an option, but it may difficult to regulate the effects - every month my cat would be at death's door in a giant attack again.
Both b) and c) injected/ingested steroids may cause other health and behavioral problems as they are systemically absorbed. That's another reason a) is preferred.
I cowrote a website on feline asthma listed as the source for this comment.
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