? Cat breathing fast and hard, what should I do?

I noticed Smoky is breathing very fast and hard. Anyone know what that could be?

 

It could be anything. I think you should call your vet as it might be serious.

 

I left my vet a message, they are not open today. His breathing seems to have slowed a little bit. It might be a reaction to low BG numbers from earlier.

 

Hi Lisa. I hope Smoky will be okay and that his symptoms will ease soon. I know how worrying it can be when your cat has symptoms and you don't know what is causing them.

 

Link:

http://www.petmd.com/cat/conditions/respiratory/c_ct_dyspnea_tachypnea_panting

Is Smoky receiving steroids? They can cause panting as a side effect.

What is his temperature like? What is his hydration like (do the scruff 'snap-back' test or check his gums to see whether they're sticky). If he seems hot or dehydrated is there an emergency vet you could call


Mogs
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Smoky seems a little warm and the fast breathing has slowed down a little. He is not on steroids but does have severe food allergies and allergies to mold and dust mites. Thanks for the link Mogs, it was very helpful. He doesn't seem to be dehydrated but I left a message for his vet to call me back in the morning.

 

Thank you so much. I left a message for his vet to call me back in morning.

 

Is it "open-mouthed" breathing or just fast?

Open mouthed breathing is serious

 

It is fast breathing and his mouth is closed. I can see his sides go in and nostrils flare a little. I left my vet a message but will call in the morning when they open. His BG's dropped very low today, see SS, so don't know if that has anything to do with it.

 

Sorry to ask what may seem like a silly question, but did you take his temperature to confirm he is "warm"? I thought my cat felt hot too when he came home from hospital and was rubbing all over him and my non-sick cat to compare their body temperatures. Cats normal temperatures run higher than humans. The normal body temp for a cat is 99.5 - 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. A fever in a cat is a temperature of at least 103.5 degrees Fahrenheit, way higher than what would be safe for human temps.

Hope this helps. Good luck with your sweet kitty!!

 

I did try that with our other two cats who feel mostly cool with a little bit of warmth. He is still breathing fast but it has slowed considerably. I am still concerned about how hot he feels though.
His vet opens in about 30 minutes.

 

Fingers and paws crossed that the vet will be able to sort things out quickly for Smoky. Wouldn't it be great if our little ones could just tell us what's up?

(((Lisa)))

Be sure to let us know how things go. Prayers and healing thoughts on their way to you.




Mogs
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Smoky is still breathing a little fast this morning and still feels a bit hot. His breathing has slowed down since last night but still want to take him to vet just in case

 

I think that's the wise thing to do, Lisa.


Mogs
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I'm glad you've been getting good advice here, Lisa. I posted on your other thread. However, your focus today is Smoky's breathing and I'm glad you're having him checked out. Good thing you're off today. Let us know how it goes ... deep breaths.

 

Good breathing vines for Smoky. Keep us posted.

 

They are taking him back for chest X-ray's.

 

Fingers and paws crossed. Sending prayers for all to be well.

(((Lisa and Smoky)))




Mogs
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Thanks Mogs. His temp was normal and vet is not sure why he is having trouble breathing.

 

Hopefully with the X-rays the vet will be able to sort out what's up and help Smoky feel more comfortable very soon.

The wait is nerve-wracking, isn't it.

((((((((Lisa))))))))





Mogs
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Maybe it's just a little cold or allergy that did it. Paws crossed for good results.

 

The X-ray's show a spot on his lungs but they can't tell what it is. The vet wants to send film to a radiologist, can't even begin to imagine what that will cost. They also took blood to do another CBC.

 

Very worrying for you, Lisa. We're here to help/support in any way we can.

 

I just don't want him to suffer is all Kris

 

No you don't, Lisa. Wait to see what the radiologist says. Will the Xray be seen right away? Try not to let your mind jump ahead right now. Hard to do I know.

 

They have to send it out and have it read.
Today was almost $300 and have no idea what consult with radiologist will be

 

Ouch! Any chance of you picking up extra hours at work? Rock and a hard place situation: need to know what's going on and money has to be spent to get there.

Do they have any advice for you while you wait?

 

This.

((((((((Lisa))))))))

Sending more prayers for you both and healing thoughts for Smoky.

 

No just said they will call when they have the results for bloodwork and consult from radiologist.

 

Wonder whether anything here might be of help:

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/financial-help-links.131190/


Mogs
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Waiting is the hardest. I know when Smokey had xrays (at ER), they were sent electronically and we had results within the hour and it was usually in the middle of the night. We weren't charged extra the price included it.

Keep strong.

 

Good luck with Smokey! Hope he is ok!

 

Three times we've had a radiology tech come to our vet with a portable ultrasound machine. Yow! $500 a pop but you get the results on the spot. We had a family of six cats that all had cardiomyopathy, which can mean a lot of things but distressed breathing is one symptom. Maine Coons are most prone as are cats with a taurine deficiency. Taurine is found in store bought food and I've never seen it as an additive for home made food. Anyone else? The allergies... we change our furnace filter a lot, vacuum a lot and two of our kits enjoy getting a warm water-paper towel bath. The dust mites, we have a built in vac but we find dragging and pressing a wet beach towel on carpet really gets out a lot of crap. Those little buggers are on your pillows, bed and everything soft but you knew that already. Remember everything in the air floats down to floor level, where your cat food and water are. Sincerely hope your vet finds out fast, best of luck!

 

Sending more prayers and .

Be sure to let us know as soon as you hear any news, Lisa.


Mogs
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Update for Smoky: Vet called about bloodwork and results from radiologist.
His bloodwork results have improved from last time. I'll post details for that later. Radiologist thinks that the spots on lungs, one on each lung is trapped air. There is a slight possibility that the air could simply reabsorb back into his lungs. Otherwise he will have to go to the vet and they will get a catheter and needle and insert it into the chest and pull the trapped air out.

The only problem that may occur would be if the air comes back again. The vet said to monitor him for the next day and count his breaths for 10 seconds and multiply by six to get his respiration rate. I did that tonight and it was 36, normal is 28 to 30.
The most common reason for this to occur is some kind of trauma: fight with another cat, hit by a car, or a fall for example. It can happen spontaneously but that's not common. He fell off the armchair and hit the floor pretty hard last week but I don't think that would cause that.

 

Well hallelujah!! This is good news! So glad the bloodwork is better. As for the air in his lungs - that's strange but it's treatable if it doesn't resolve on its own. The fall might not seem to be the culprit but you never know ... stranger things, etc.

You must feel very relieved, Lisa.

 

Oh I do. I forgot to mention one other scenario because I'm trying not to think about it. If I shld have to take him in and have the air pulled out and it keeps coming back, next step would be ultrasounds of the abdomen and chest.

 

No jumping ahead allowed. Focus on today and enjoy the relief.

 

I'm trying to think if I shld give him 2.5 units tonight instead of the 2.25 I gave him for am. Smokys PMPS was in the pinks and up from this morning.

 

I can imagine a scenario in which this fall caused the air to build up slowly over the week until it reached a point where it finally began to interfere with his breathing. Doesn't seem that farfetched to me. Did they call it pneumothorax?

 

They didn't give it a name, I have to go over and get the results from the vet yet.

 

Hoping it clears on its own. Never know, the fall could have done it.

 

I talked to the vet tonight and it's not pneumothorax. It's air trapped in the lung and not between the lung and chest wall.
He can breathe air in but can't get all the air back out again.

 

The vet suggested that since he has no real body fat to speak of there was no padding there to soften the blow. A cat with good weight would not have been affected in most cases.

 

Praying that the vets will be able to make Smoky more comfortable and that he will be better very soon, Lisa.

(((Lisa and Smoky)))


Mogs
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Bump.

 

I do not understand how air can be trapped in a lung and be able to breath in but not out.

I had a spontaneous pneumothorax in the 80's

 

All I know is what the vet told me.
Smoky seems to be having trouble getting enough air in. The trapped air shows up on the chest X-ray's. I knew someone once who had to have trapped air pulled out. It may resolve by itself.

 

He doesn't have a collapsed lung, he had a fall which caused some damage. He has to breath faster to get enough air in. I'll check his respiration later on tonight when he is relaxed and sleeping. The goal is for him to go down from 36 breaths per minutes to about 20-30 which is normal.

 

Hi Lisa,

Sending prayers and healing thoughts for Smoky.




Mogs
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Set a timer on my phone for 60 seconds and counted smokys breaths. He is down to 32 breaths per minute, he was at 36 last night. I'm hopeful the breathing issues will resolve on their own.

 

I hope so too, Lisa. Will keep Smoky in my prayers. Keep the updates coming when you have them 'cause we worry when we don't know how things are going.




Mogs
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I do the same with my tablet! I prefer to do a count over the full minute rather than doing a count over a period of seconds and multiplying up.


Mogs
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Me too. I think it's more accurate that way. I do have to wait for the little guy to go to sleep first.

 

I agree about counting over a minute being a better method. I'm so glad that there's improvement in his breathing rate. Fingers crossed that it continues. How does he seem to be feeling otherwise - eating, elimination, etc.?

 

He is eating well, I need to update his eating amounts on SS. He is peeing less and bowel movements are getting firmer.
I am trying to get more water in him as he is a little dehydrated. Any ideas on how to do that? I don't think he feels that great, has been spending a lot of time laying next to baseboard heater. He was out more before and now hiding a little.

 

Smoky's PMPS was 301. He seems to be doing pretty well on the 2.25u for now anyway. Continue with same dose tonight? I feel comfortable giving him that for pm.

 

I always add warm water to Teasel's canned food to make a sort of stew. It's a good way to hydrate them if they'll eat their food that way. If he's underweight he feels the cold more so is probably more comfortable near the heat. He's been through the wars the past few months and you've only just started getting a handle on his diabetes. Take heart in the better blood work results and that he's eating/eliminating OK. It can take a while in better numbers for them to feel better, gain weight, etc.

Yes, stay with 2.25 u tonight.

 

I gave him the 2.25 tonight

 

Smokys bloodwork shows that his high liver values have gone down quite a bit. His thyroid and kidneys are working well.
His spec fPL number has gone down, have to pick up a copy of lab results from vet yet. He had shown signs of anemia but tests show an increase in red blood cells which vet says is good.

 

Good news, Lisa! How's Smoky's resp rate today?

BTW, B12 can help with anaemia issues.

(For info, Tanya's Site advocates conservative B12 dosing for CKD kitties.)




Mogs
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He is doing better, went down from 36 breaths per minute to 32 which is good.
20 to 30 is normal for a cat.

 

Thanks for the update, Lisa. It's good to see the downward trend. Keep it up, li'l Smoky!

Is he feeling any bit more comfortable now, Lisa?


Mogs
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He is feeling a little better, more peppy than he was.

 

Glad to hear he's feeling a bit brighter.

(((Smoky)))

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As far as I can tell smokys respiration rate is down a little, 32 down to 30 when he was awake. I'm going to check him later on after he goes to sleep just to be sure. He is almost back to normal.

 

Fingers and paws crossed ...

 

He was 30 breaths per minute while awake and 28 while asleep. At this rate, he won't need to have any procedures done.

 

This is so great! I'm really glad this seems to have resolved on its own. I'm still sticking with the theory that his hard fall from the chair caused it.

 

Hope Smokey is still doing well. thinking of you both x

 

Smoky seems to be recovering and his respiration rate has gone down a little more. It is around 28 while awake and 25 while sleeping. He is nauseous so gave him a 1/4 tab of cerenia last night. I'm thinking it might be his pancreatitis acting up.

 

Could be. Will he eat? Do you have pain meds?

 

He is eating well but the vet didn't give me pain meds for him. She doesn't like to do that unless really necessary. That's why I have been talking to a few other vets in my area.

 

Smoky seems to be feeling a little better. I think the Denamarin which has anti inflammatory properties is working for him. Also, the cerenia I gave him last night is helping him to feel a lot less nauseous.

 

I recall you saying that. I'm glad he's eating well. The Cerenia must be doing its work. Is he showing other signs of discomfort or distress?

I'm glad he's feeling better. I have no experience with Denamarin.

 

It's a supplement I give to him to help his liver and bowels. It can also help with pancreatic problem. I'm giving him pm shot soon. He was 239 for pm so am thinking 2.25u will be a good dose for him tonight.

 

I agree.

 

http://www.nutramaxlabs.com/dog/dog-liver-health/denamarin-for-dogs