Friday 1 February 2019

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It wasn't so long ago that the only thing in the yard faster than your ferocious feline was the occasional fly lucky enough to get away.

But these days, even short outdoor romps are triggering asthma attacks, causing wheezing, coughing and fatigue. "Coughing and wheezing are common signs of asthma in cats," explains Lisardo J. Martinez, D.V.M., a veterinarian in private practice in Miami.

Typically caused by such things as dust or pollen in the air, asthma in cats occurs when airways in the lungs become inflamed and constricted, making it harder for air to get through. (Dogs are less commonly affected.) While most cats may require medication, there are things you can do at home to keep him breathing easy.

For Cats Only

Shave off a few pounds. While every cat should stay trim, it's particularly important for pets with asthma. "The signs of asthma can be made worse by obesity," says Dr. Martinez. "An overweight cat will have even more problems breathing."

If your cat is roly-poly, gradually decreasing the amount he eats will help him lose those excess pounds. Talk to your vet about beginning a sensible weight-loss plan.

Crank up the humidifier. Breathing dry air irritates the airways, which in turn can trigger asthma attacks. "In many homes the humidity drops as low as 10 percent because of the air-conditioning unit," says Janet R. Childs, D.V.M., a house-call veterinarian in Fairview, Tennessee. In winter, heaters dry out the air as well.

To make the air less irritating, she suggests using a vaporizer or humidifier to boost humidity levels to between 30 and 40 percent. Don't go higher, however, because this can encourage the growth of mold and dust mites, which can also trigger asthma attacks.

Kick the habit. Surely your cat doesn't smoke, but second-hand smoke from you or your friends could make the problem worse. "Pets are a lot more vulnerable to the effects of smoke than people," says Carol Macherey, D.V.M., a veterinarian in private practice in Nashville. "The concentration at floor level is greater than people realize."

If you smoke, you'll being doing your pet (and yourself) a favor by quitting. Or do your puffing outside.

Bring him indoors. If you suspect hay fever is kicking off his asthma attacks, it might help to keep him indoors during the height of the pollen season, says Dr. Macherey. This is particularly true in the early morning and late afternoon, when pollen counts in the air tend to be highest.

Choose the right litter. Most catbox litter puffs up dust whenever your feline friend starts digging. "Look for dust-free litter, or use sandbox sand instead," suggests Dr. Martinez.

Clear the air. Many things you take for granted, like hair spray, perfume or household cleaners, could be irritating your pet's airways and triggering attacks, says Dr. Martinez. "Anything that's irritating to your nasal passages could cause a problem for them," adds Dr. Childs.

Put aside powerful cleaners in favor of milder products like vinegar and baking soda, plus some extra elbow grease, recommends Jeffrey Feinman, V.M.D., a house-call veterinarian in Weston, Connecticut.

When cleaning bathrooms or other areas where mold grows, however, you need to use a mild bleach solution. Be sure to rinse the area well with fresh water, and keep your pet in another room until the room airs out, Dr. Feinman suggests.

Do extra cleaning. Even small amounts of floating dirt and dust can trigger asthma attacks, so it's important to keep your cat's area squeaky clean, says Dr. Feinman.

"You need to dust in corners and move furniture so you can clean under it," he says.

While you're cleaning, however, there will be veritable clouds of dust hovering in the air. Keep your pet in a different area until the dust has a chance to settle, he suggests.

Put the muscle on mites. Dust mites are microscopic critters that typically flourish in mattresses and bedding and are common triggers of both allergies and asthma attacks, says Paul Schmitz, D.V.M., a veterinarian in private practice in Joliet, Illinois.

One way to keep mites under control is to enclose mattresses and pillows in vinyl cases. In addition, you should wash all bedding in hot water once a week. This will help keep their numbers down and your pet breathing easy.

Filter out the problem. If your home is heated and cooled with a central system, consider installing an electrostatic filter. While these filters can be expensive, they do seem to filter some types of particles, says Dr. Childs.

Look for culprits. If asthma is a new visitor in your life, it's possible some recent addition -- a new carpet or couch, for instance -- is behind the problem. In addition, some cats may be sensitive to new detergents or shampoos their owners are using, says Dr. Feinman. Try switching back to your old brands to see if things improve.

Try supplemental protection. Some vets believe that giving pets antioxidant vitamins, which apparently help "neutralize" harmful oxygen molecules in the body, can help relieve a number of health problems, including asthma. Dr. Childs recommends giving your pet an infant's or child's dose of vitamin C or E once a week. Just crumble or sprinkle it on his food, she says.

Calm your kitty's karma. Asthma has long been linked with stress in pets as well as people. When asthma is flaring, it might be a good idea to nix activities that upset your feline -- like taking him to the groomer when he doesn't want to go. Dr. Schmitz recommends keeping him indoors and calm until he's feeling better.

When to See the Vet
Although asthma can often be managed at home with a veterinarian's guidance, it's important to remember what's happening inside your cat's airways -- inflammation and constriction. If they shut down all the way, your pet could die, explains Carol Macherey, D.V.M., a veterinarian in private practice in Nashville.

If your cat has just started coughing or wheezing, or if she's had asthma before but the symptoms are getting worse, don't take chances. Call your vet right away, advises Dr. Macherey.

In addition, it's a good idea to ask your vet about heartworms. Some cats may react to the worms just as they would to some other allergen, like pollen. "When cats get heartworms, it's sometimes confused with asthma," says Mark Coleman, D.V.M., a veterinarian in private practice in Gainesville, Florida, and president of the American Heartworm Society. Heartworms can be detected with a simple blood test, he adds.

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