Introduction
Cat owners who have a cat that suffers from asthma can take heart in the fact that there are a number of helpful treatments which are effective for treating asthmatic cats. In addition to prescription medications, a change in life style may also reduce asthmatic attacks.
Identifying the Cause of an Asthma Attack
Once asthma in diagnosed, it is often helpful to try to pinpoint what is causing the attack. Cat owners should try to keep an ‘asthma diary’ which records when a cat has an asthma attack, the severity of the attack, and how long the attack lasted. While it may take some time, looking at a record of an animal’s asthma attacks can help cat owners to find the asthma trigger that is affecting their cat. Cats can have an asthma attack due to pollens, chemicals, infections, grasses, and other allergens, and once the allergen is discovered the cat owner can take steps towards keeping the animal away from this trigger.
Treating Asthma in Cats
In addition to environmental or lifestyle changes, prescription medications can help to reduce the number, and severity, of asthma attacks that a cat experiences. In the past nebulizers were used, but it was too difficult to use this type of medication administration on animals. Recently the development of metered-dose inhalers has been developed for cats. These inhalers have been specifically created to fit a cat’s muzzle, and the inhalers contain bronchial dilation medications to help in the case of an asthma attack. In addition to bronchial dilation medications, asthmatic cats may also benefit from periodic anti-histamine and steroid therapy.