OT: Starting asthma treatment, finally!

Almost two years ago Darwin, one of my civvies, was diagnosed with mild asthma. The vet was very reluctant to treat, to my mystification. Today Darwin had a checkup and the asthma was decidedly worse (in coughing - the x-rays weren't bad "for his history"). The vet suggested various routes of treatment, and I kept resisting any oral or injected steroids.

When I asked point-blank for inhaled medications, the vet, to my surprise, said "I can set you up with that." He really grilled me on whether I was willing to take on the commitment, though he now has known me long enough to believe my answers without much difficulty. So later this week, probably, I'll be getting an Aerokat and the medications to go along with it (not sure yet exactly which medications - might start out with Albuterol and then move up to Flovent when needed).

As we talked, it became evident that most of this vet's clients would not be willing to take on anything more onerous than an occasional pill or drop of oral medicine. (This town is right on the edge of Texas "country," and I'm sure a lot of people still look at all animals as they would look at farm animals.) The vet was entirely aware of the relative merits of inhaled vs. oral or injected steroids but was reluctant to prescribe them unless he was positive I would carry through with the treatment.

He knows that I hometest Megan periodically (usually once every 2 weeks or so, but up to twice a day if things are going funky) and have kept it up for several years. That went a long way to convince him that I would follow through with the asthma treatment.

As I was getting ready to leave, the vet said, "If I come back as a cat, I want to belong to you!" :lol: (I'm older than he is, so it's unlikely I'd be around to take "him" in. Very nice compliment, though.)

 

Re: Not diabetes - asthma

Sounds like a nice vet. I know there are a few members on here dealing with asthma in their cats so if you need assistance they can probably help.
Good luck!

 

Re: Not diabetes - asthma

I am sorry to hear your kitty is not doing well. If he is getting decidedly worse, the only thing that will help prevent the inflammation is flovent. Flovent needs to be given twice a day and takes 2-3 weeks to build up in his lungs before it reaches its full effectiveness. Most of us by our flovent from the 4 corners pharmacy. The generic version is called flixotide. If his asthma is mid grade, I would recommend starting with the 250mcg dose - 1 puff twice a day. I am sure other asthma kitty beans will chime in here, but feel free to ask any other questions!

 

Re: Not diabetes - asthma

Hey Jean...Another Texan here. I'm in Houston. Sounds like you have a great vet there. Maybe you and I can provide support to one another. My Curry has been dealing w/her asthma for about 1.5 years, but was just dx with the diabetes 3 weeks ago. Curry purrs now while I give her her Flovent treatments. I give to her right after her insulin shot. I can almost see a sense of relief in her eyes when we get to the Flovent. No poking, pricking or sticking. Just breathing.

There are a number of members here dealing w/asthma as well. Let's us know how we can help you and Megan.

 

Re: Not diabetes - asthma

Hi-

My cat Merlin was dx'd with mild asthma a couple weeks ago-he was panting when playing hard. I bought the aerokat, albuteral (from Target-for the panting) and Flovent (from a human who uses it-used for the coughing). Per the vet, I gave him 3 days of both inhalents twice a day for three days and his panting has stopped. I've looked into asthma further and learned about it a little. My cat had "slight inflamation" and my vet doesn't think I need to treat him. "It can't hurt if you want to". It's so maddening to hear from the vet that I don't need to do anything except "as needed" and everyone else here saying he needs flovent twice a day. Huge difference. Seems like a lot of his pet parents are very lazy about treating their pets? He's also got an asthmatic cat and he only treats him as needed - a few times a year.

Since this happened my DBF has gone to the hospital so I've changed focus and have been giving him one puff of Flovent a day to split the difference between what the vet says and what the board says. I just couldn't make up my mind. :? :? He really doesn't have any symptoms., but I've had a history of vets not really knowing what they are doing.

I have a very easy time giving the inhalents. I do it exactly like the lady on the Fritzthebrave.com site. He squirms a little sometimes, but overall it's very easy and quick, much easier than pilling him would be. Let us know what you do.

 

Re: Not diabetes - asthma

And my vet only prescribed me the prednisone. I had to get an inhaler from a different vet in the midst of a severe asthma attack that almost cost my cat his life. It is interesting how vets will vary on courses of treatment. Nothing against vets when I say that, but even though each cat is different, why wouldn't there be a standard protocol? My cat is weaned now to half a pill every other day, which the vet didn't feel was enough to warrant concern when I mentioned long term use leading to diabetes. She didn't even seem to think of inhalers as a course of treatment when I mentioned it.

 

Re: Not diabetes - asthma

Sydney gets 2 puffs bid of the 250 dose (highest dose). She is ok with the treatments and let's me know when its enough breaths. Of course she and my others just want thetreats that come after! And yes sydney gets the puffs and everyone gets a treat.

 

Re: Not diabetes - asthma

Thanks, everybody. Darwin is really very healthy except for the asthma, and between coughing fits (which aren't very frequent), he acts just fine. He's had 4 coughing spells in August so far, 2 of them pretty vehement, which seems to be what tipped the scales for my vet.

I know that Flovent daily is what we really need to take care of the inflammation. We'll see when the medication shows up what the vet has prescribed. I did get the strong impression yesterday that the vet has been dragging his feet in very large part because few of his clients would be willing to do inhalers and he is quite aware of the side-effects that can come with oral or injected steroid use, so he didn't want to start those if there was any chance to avoid them. I thought he just didn't know about the inhalers, so I was pleasantly surprised when it turned out that he did.

Darwin is not diabetic at all. Megan is the transient diabetic, and I have seen by testing her what steroids do to her (and have reported the numbers to the vet, so he is also sensitized to the issue). I do test Darwin from time to time. Last Saturday first thing, he was at 70. If any diabetic issue appears with him, I feel confident that I'll catch it quickly.

I'll let everybody know how things go, and I may definitely be asking for some advice about how to administer the inhalers. Darwin has a touch of the feral in him, although he has been wonderfully "civilized" (by the young vet who picked him out of a barnyard for me and raised him for his first few months).

ETA: Darwin is 6 years old and is some sort of Russian Blue mix. Given that he was a barnyard cat, he certainly isn't a "pure" anything, but he sure looks Russian Blue or short-haired Nebelung. He's about 10 1/2 pounds and looks very svelte at that weight. Some people would even say he looks skinny, but the vet says his body condition is fine.