Feline asthma treatment involves lifelong management of symptoms, most effectively achieved by making certain changes to the household environment. It's likely medication will also be necessary to control the well-being and health of a cat with asthma. This condition is also known as feline bronchial disease and causes cats to wheeze, cough and have difficulty breathing. If feline asthma treatment or prevention is avoided, the lungs may become permanently damaged and death may occur.
Identification of Allergens
When a cat has feline asthma, one of the best ways to perform treatment is to determine the major cause of symptoms. One or a combination of pollen, smoke, mold, cat litter, dust, stress, cold air, food or aromatic household sprays and cleaners could be contributing to your cat's symptoms. Allergy testing is possible, but you can also try eliminating or changing these items one at a time to help determine which substances are contributing the most discomfort for your cat. Changing the litter to non-dust or unscented might be the first consideration to make. Avoid scented litter and litter made from pine or cedar, however, as the aroma contained in these types of woods will actually make your cat's asthma symptoms worse.
Remove all smoke, including that from cigarettes, wood burning stoves and candles from your home. Scented candles, air fresheners and household cleaning products are common causes of feline asthma symptoms. If it's not pollen season and you've had your home checked for mold, then food may be an issue. As with making changes to litter, changing food may not be readily accepted by your cat. Mix old with new, slowly increasing the portion of the new product until you have made the complete switch. Despite the many causes for feline asthma, often many of these allergens are contributing factors combined, and the exact cause may be difficult to identify.
Feline Asthma Treatment with Medication
Medication may be a necessary part of feline asthma treatment. Inflammation of the lungs is what leads to constricted airways, and this condition can be treated with corticosteroid medications. These drugs are available in pill form, and also via injection or inhaler. Administration of steroids orally, in the form of a pill, may be the best option if you don't have much trouble with this method. It's close to impossible to give some cats a pill, so if this is the case you may opt for injections.
If feline asthma treatment is required more than once every couple of months, administration of medication with an inhaler may suit your needs. Corticosteroid medication comes with the potential for many side effects, but cats tend to be resistant to most of them. Cats will still likely experience increased thirst and appetite, as well as increased urination. Injectable steroids cause the most risk for side effects, as the dosage cannot be regulated once it is inside the cat's body. Steroid induced diabetes is one of the most common side effects with this method.