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inschool4ever - 03 Sep 2006 16:29 GMT

My cat was diagnosed with asthma, then with heart desease and has had several
attacks of congestion and coughing. On wed the vet gave him a lasix
injection, which he has had before and lived, However this time she gave me
lasix to continue him on at home, on friday night, he was dying and barely
alive so I stopped giving him the lasix, by saturday night he was up walking
and seems to be getting better. I havent given him any meds sense because he
does well without them. Could they have misdiagnosed him again? My vet is
closed until tuesday, but I dont think Im taking him there again anyway.
Could something else cause this much congestion and coughing, plus he started
sneezing alot today. THey took x rays and thats how they came to their
diagnosis. It just doesnt add up to me. He isnt eating still, he was until
the lasix started. But today he isnt eating either. At least he isnt almost
dead like he was on friday night. ANy info on what you think is causing this
severe congestion (which he has had a couple times before) and coughing with
sneezing?
Thanks!

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Gail - 03 Sep 2006 17:35 GMT

I would not give him the Lasix and see another vet. Maybe he has an upper
respiratory infection. I don't trust the vet you saw.
Gail

> My cat was diagnosed with asthma, then with heart desease and has had
> several
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
> sneezing?
> Thanks!

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Charlie Wilkes - 04 Sep 2006 03:22 GMT

>I would not give him the Lasix and see another vet. Maybe he has an upper
>respiratory infection. I don't trust the vet you saw.
>Gail

Yeah, I'd pay the holiday rates if you can possibly afford it. It
might be too late on Tuesday.

Charlie

>> My cat was diagnosed with asthma, then with heart desease and has had
>> several
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
>> sneezing?
>> Thanks!

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Phil P. - 04 Sep 2006 07:44 GMT

> My cat was diagnosed with asthma, then with heart desease and has had several
> attacks of congestion and coughing. On wed the vet gave him a lasix
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> and seems to be getting better. I havent given him any meds sense because he
> does well without them. Could they have misdiagnosed him again?

Sounds more like feline bronchial disease to me- asthma or bronchitis. If
you live near a 24 hour pharmacy, call your vet and ask him to call in a
prescription for a rapid-acting/short-acting oral corticosteroid such as
prednisone or prednisolone. In my experience, 0.25 to 0.5 mg/lb (0.5 to 1.0
mg/kg) every 8 to 12 hours is rapidly effective in controlling the symptoms
in the majority of cats we've treated with the symptoms you've described.
Once the symptoms are under control you can start tapering the dose while
you're switching him over to an inhaled corticosteroid.

If you know how to give insulin subcutaneously to a diabetic cat, you can
easily give him the bronchodilator, terbutaline, subcutaneously. Your vet
will have to call in a perscription for 1 ml syringes/needles. 0.01 mg/kg SC
usually produces rapid relief in about 10-20 minutes-- but as long as he
doesn't have severe respiratory distress, the prednisone or prednisolone is
more important right now.

If you're nervous about giving him terbutaline SC, ask your vet to call in a
prescription for an albuterol HFA inhaler. You can use an empty cardboard
toilet paper roll or a small paper cup as a spacer. Cut a slit in the bottom
of the cup for the inhaler, hold the cup over his muzzle and activate the
inhaler by pressing down on the cannister:

http://www.maxshouse.com/Emergency_spacer_inhaler.jpg

http://www.maxshouse.com/Emergency_Spacer_Toilet_roll.jpg

Here's more information about Feline Asthma and Bronchitis:

http://www.maxshouse.com/feline_asthma_and_bronchitis.htm

..and more information about inhalation therapy:

http://www.maxshouse.com/inhalation_therapy_for_airway_disease.htm

My vet is

> closed until tuesday, but I dont think Im taking him there again anyway.
> Could something else cause this much congestion and coughing, plus he started
> sneezing alot today.

If he has bronchitis, the accumulation of mucus in his airways can set him
up for a seconday bacterial infection. He might need an antibotic, too.

THey took x rays and thats how they came to their

> diagnosis. It just doesnt add up to me. He isnt eating still, he was until
> the lasix started. But today he isnt eating either. At least he isnt almost
> dead like he was on friday night. ANy info on what you think is causing this
> severe congestion (which he has had a couple times before) and coughing with
> sneezing?
> Thanks!

Do you smoke, and/or does your wife/girlfriend use hair spay? Do you have
carpeting in your home? How about dust? Does your cat develop these symptoms
throughout the year or only during specific seasons?

If he's been on lasix- he's probably been peeing a lot, so he might also
need a potassium supplement.

Phil

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inschool4ever - 05 Sep 2006 15:21 GMT

well, I have prednisone in my cupboard I also have antibiotics. The vet said
that the prednisone is bad for the heart so to stop it. However I dont
believe he has heart disease considering he is doing much better without any
heart meds. I was only using the prednisone before this heart disease
diagnosis. Today, he is eating and playing, he still has a cough sometimes
and some congestion. Im going to try the prednisone today. THanks for all
your input, oh, no one smokes, we do have carpet , I quit airfreshners and
perfumes just in case. We are all suffering allergies right now due to
weather changing. Im going to look into the feline bronchial disease, thanks

>> My cat was diagnosed with asthma, then with heart desease and has had several
>> attacks of congestion and coughing. On wed the vet gave him a lasix
[quoted text clipped - 60 lines]
>
>Phil

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