Can a cat with asthma go under anesthesia?
Although there are no specific anesthetic protocols in veterinary medicine for asthma, as there are in people, there are some recommendations: ✜ Maintain the patient on its asthma management medications up to and including the morning of anesthesia.
What do you need to know about feline asthma?
Feline Asthma: What You Need To Know. Asthma is a disease of the lower airways of the lungs that affects between 1 and 5% of cats. Although there is some debate about the definition, most clinicians and researchers agree that feline asthma is caused by an allergic reaction to inhaled allergens, particles that stimulate a cat’s immune system.
What does acute management mean for an asthmatic cat?
Acute management also includes home treatment of acute asthma attacks that are not severe enough to warrant emergency presentation to a veterinary facility. Acute exacerbations may result from exposure to asthma triggers. This usually manifests as episodes of spasmodic coughing and increased expiratory effort.
Can a Siamese cat be predisposed to asthma?
It doesn’t appear that one sex is more susceptible to asthma, and although some studies suggest that Siamese cats may be predisposed to asthma, this has not been definitively proven. Cats suffering from asthma may show signs of difficulty breathing, wheezing, rapid breathing, coughing or hacking, open-mouthed breathing, or vomiting.
What kind of inhaler is best for asthmatic cat?
A metered-dose inhaler attached to an aerosol chamber with a face mask (AeroKat). Bronchodilators for acute management are delivered via inhalation or injectable routes. Short-acting β2 agonists (eg, albuterol, terbutaline) are widely available and appropriate for “rescue” therapy.
What can a vet do for a feline with asthma?
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.
Acute management also includes home treatment of acute asthma attacks that are not severe enough to warrant emergency presentation to a veterinary facility. Acute exacerbations may result from exposure to asthma triggers. This usually manifests as episodes of spasmodic coughing and increased expiratory effort.
It doesn’t appear that one sex is more susceptible to asthma, and although some studies suggest that Siamese cats may be predisposed to asthma, this has not been definitively proven. Cats suffering from asthma may show signs of difficulty breathing, wheezing, rapid breathing, coughing or hacking, open-mouthed breathing, or vomiting.
How many cats in the United States have asthma?
More than 80 million cats currently live in American homes, and veterinary epidemiologists estimate that 800,000 or more of these animals — one percent or so of the nation’s domestic feline population — suffer from acute or chronic asthma.
