Question:
I thought my cat had a hairball for a long time and it turned out to be asthma. Don't delay in getting your kitty checked out right away!
Brenda
Answer:
Persistent coughing is most likely to be asthma. The conventional treatment is steroids, usually injectable, but that has many side effects. Since you work at a vet's, you can get him properly diagnosed by x-ray...if it is asthma, consider the inhaled steroids (Flovent, I think). The pediatric version works very well for cats, and doesn't have the systemic side effects of the depo-medrol injections.
Cheers,
Dr. Jean
Jean Hofve, DVM
www.littlebigcat.com
www.spiritessence.com
Boulder, Colorado
Answer:
Well I'm bringing the kitty in tomorrow to see what's going on inside him. I REALLY hope it isn't asthma, but I'm not too worried about it. From what I've read, its more of a persistent problem with difficulty breathing throughout the day and such.
However, I really don't notice anything wrong with his breathing at all except for this hacking once a night. I haven't heard anything yet so far... someone said it might be a URI.
I really hope its nothing... but I'm glad I work at a vet now
Jessie
"There is no snooze button on a cat who wants breakfast."
Answer:
Oh no!! I just found out my baby boy Addison is a GIRL!!!! I'm in shock.
Gotta go to school, but I'll definately be posting ALL about his/her trip to the vet later tonight.
Jessie
"There is no snooze button on a cat who wants breakfast."
Answer:
OsnobunnieO wrote: Oh no!! I just found out my baby boy Addison is a GIRL!!!! I'm in shock.
Gotta go to school, but I'll definately be posting ALL about his/her trip to the vet later tonight.
HeHe, at least you won't have to change her name, Addison can be either gender.
I know how you feel.....I brought Callie home thinking I had a little girl, and a couple weeks later, I realized I had a little boy. He knew his name by then and I didn't want to change it. Oh well, at least the neuter was cheaper than a spay.
katsprat
P.S. I hope all went well with the vet
"Cats are rather delicate creatures and they are subject to a good many ailments, but I never heard of one who suffered from insomnia." - Joseph Wood Krutch
Answer:
Ok, now that I'm home I've got to update. I may make a new post about the gender problems...
As far as his health goes (and I'm going to call him a "he" until I clear this whole thing up)...
She said his lungs sounded bad... not horrible, but bad. They did bloodwork and will let me know when I go into work tomorrow afternoon. One test was for heartworm and will be a clear yes or no. The other will be for an infection (I'm assuming URI) but even if it comes back negative it isn't a definate. If it isn't heartworm, they'll get me two weeks worth of pills to treat for an infection and if he's still having problems in two weeks they'll do x-rays to rule out asthma. So looks like I'll be updating again tomorrow. Keep good thoughts for him please!
Jessie
"There is no snooze button on a cat who wants breakfast."
Answer:
Also... he weighed 9lbs when I got him 5 months ago and is now up to 11lbs! He isn't exactly a small cat, but I don't like that he gained 2lbs.
I had been feeding him dry and canned but think I fed too much. He was getting about a can a day (half am, half pm) but there was usually some left in the sides of the bowl. He was also getting about a half cup of dry.
I changed the amount of food to 1/4 cup dry and 1/4 can in the am and 1/4 in the pm. Is that too little food or is it enough?
Jessie
"There is no snooze button on a cat who wants breakfast."
Answer:
Depends on the cat. Assumpta is only getting about 3 ounces of wet food a day (actually 3.1 oz), plus a tablespoon of dry and a dental chew, and she still seems to be gaining weight (or at the very least, not losing any). She is about 11.5-12 pounds, and I can't believe how little food it takes for her to put on weight...I keep giving her these little tiny portions and feeling like a heel when she does her starving-kitty act, but she's obviously getting enough food, and the vet says that aside from being plump, she's in excellent health.
I think what's more important is not making drastic dietary changes and doing things like cutting back gradually until you find the tipping point where weight loss starts and the balancing point where the cat will maintain its weight.
Answer:
Ok... finally got the bloodwork back and its heartworm. Poor thing. I'm much happier knowing that than finding out he had asthma though. The doc said he may only have one, or it may be gone and there's just residual stuff showing up on the bloodwork, so its not as serious as it could be. I have three months of steroids to give him twice a day for seven days, then once a day for seven days, then every other day for the rest of the time.
Anyone have any experience with heartworm?
Jessie
"There is no snooze button on a cat who wants breakfast."
Answer:
OH! I almost forgot!! The bill...
Diagnostic exam, Blood Profile, Heartworm Exam, and three months of medication. $173.75. Also includes his follow up exam in December.
But... with my employee discount is was $58.50. Is that a deal or what?? I LOVE this new job!
Jessie
"There is no snooze button on a cat who wants breakfast."
Answer:
i am very sorry that your cat was diagnosed with heartworm. unfortunately, there is no real treatment for it in cats, unlike dogs - most of the treatments we use for dogs love cats.
steroid use is normally the only option to reduce the amount of reaction the cat is having. its true, you can't tell how many worms the cat actually has -it could be just one. has your vet suggested anything to check his heart out?
Kim and Bowie, CGC, SND
Kim's Ark Rodent Rescue
http://www.dru.org
http://www.doberman911.org
Answer:
Um... I don't think she did. She seems fairly confident that the steroids will be the best bet. Plus, if I have ANY questions or see ANY signs he's getting worse I can just run him on in.
My only question (since I'm not working again until Monday and just thought of it) is this: The steroids don't actually have a hand in getting rid of the heartworm do they? They're just to keep inflamation down? She explained the whole thing about no heartworm treatment for cats... and I've read that the two options are to let the heartworm run its course (about one or two years) and HOPE for no complications, or to try to kill it which can cause complications from the dead worms in his system. So will the steroids actually kill it?
Jessie
"There is no snooze button on a cat who wants breakfast."