Respiratory problems, Cat

Re: Respiratory problems, Cat

Bob Russell — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 11:29:53 GMT

I know it is to late for this cat but in similar cases where owners are unable/unwilling to let me investigate I will treat for feline asthma. It is very treatable and after i/v steroids will often improve rapidly. No X-rays, no lab fees, cheap medication and a bit of oxygen.

Most other causes are going to require investigation which these owners are unlikely to agree to. If all else fails treat what you can and if there is no improvement euthanase.

These cases can be frustrating if you are not allowed to investigate!

Re: Respiratory problems, Cat

Mark Hedberg — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 21:26:10 GMT

Sorry to hear that. Next time, you might consider a bronchodilator (etamophylline) or perhaps a steroid to decrease any inflammation in the chest. (Yes, I know, might or might not help, and steroids aren't normally my first choice, unless the cat does have serious breathing issues.)

Re: Respiratory problems, Cat

emma o'connor — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 18:38:12 GMT

Sorry to hear that. Hope the rest of your weekend is ok as I assume you're on call!

Re: Respiratory problems, Cat

Christopher Saul — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 16:59:58 GMT

good point Emma; hadn't spotted that! if you had severe enough metabolic acidosis then you can get tachypnoea as a result of respiratory compensation; ideally you need blood gasses but at least re-check the glucose......

Re: Respiratory problems, Cat

Claire Godfrey — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 16:59:19 GMT

Thank you very much for your replies, cat unfortunately took a sudden turn for the worse and owner has elected for PTS.

Re: Respiratory problems, Cat

emma o'connor — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 16:24:08 GMT

You say the cat has been polydipsic for a few weeks prior to this episode, and the blood glucose(24.8) does seem unusually high, even for a stress response hyperglycaemia IMO. Can you run a fructosamine level, and perhaps get a urine sample to check for ketones and glucosuria? Just wondering if this could be a strange ketoacidotic event?

Re: Respiratory problems, Cat

Christopher Saul — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 14:54:13 GMT

Hi Claire! This is a difficult case so I don't think I can give a simple answer but let me bounce some Ideas off you....

Sorry to bombard you with questions but I think we need a little more info. Firstly, is the cat still tacypnoic? Have you got it on oxygen?

What was the PCV? even if it had been normal on initial sampling the cat may have been haemoconcentrated and thus artificially 'normal'. What is the PCV after rehydration? You mention pale mucous membranes and you have jaundice here (TBil 19) so could heamolytic anaemia be a differential? Any history of exposure to toxins e.g. onions, paracetamol, lillies?

You need to decide if the cause for the respiratory distress is primary respiratory diseas or lack of oxygen carrying capacity........ Do you have blood gasses or, failing that, a pulse ox? Pulse oximetry can help differentiate respiratory disease from a lack of oxygen carrying capacity; if it is the latter then you can expect normal SpO2 whereas respiratory disease will return a low SpO2

Can you decide if the dyspnoea is inspiratory or expiratory? (remember inspiratory would tend to imply URT or pleural space disease) It's often difficult when the resp rate is so high so don't worry if you can't.

Can you post the x rays? Radiographic changes in asthma can be quite subtle.

Chris :)