- Feline asthma is a common allergic respiratory disease in cats, affecting at least one percent of all adult cats worldwide. It is a chronic progressive disease for which there is no cure. Common symptoms include wheezing, coughing, labored breathing and potentially life-threatening ...
Goldstein classifies the severity of asthma attacks in the following four categories: (1) mild (the symptoms occur intermittently but not daily and they do not interfere with the cats lifestyle); (2) moderate (the symptoms do not occur daily, but when they do, they are more severe and debilitating, and they interfere with the cats activities); (3) severe (significantly debilitating symptoms occur daily); and (4) life-threatening (bronchial constriction results in potentially lethal dyspnea and consequent oxygen deprivation, which causes normally pink tissues, such as the lips and nose, to turn blue).
- The best way to prevent further episodes is to keep your pet away from the allergen that triggered the asthma response. Cats who experience spontaneous episodes unrelated to an allergen can also be treated with airway dilators. Small pets with allergies typically present with itchy or irritated skin, in contrast to humans, whose response is to sneeze and cough. Other possible signs include excessive licking or rubbing, swollen paws, and red, puffy eyes. Three main allergy types that affect dogs and cats have been identified. Fleas A flea allergy is the most common hypersensitive reaction that torments pets, who actually respond to the flea saliva.
As we can see from the illustration, Severe Feline Asthma And Flea Allergy Affects Daily Activities has many fascinating aspects to explore.
The prognosis ranges from guarded to good, depending on if a cat presents primarily with a cough or life-threatening asthma attacks, and is linked to response to therapy. Feline allergic asthma is a common reason for cats to present for veterinary care, and manifests as a cough, wheeze and episodic respiratory distress, the latter associated with increased expiratory effort (abdominal push).
