High Resting Respiratory Rate

Discussion in 'Feline Health - (Welcome & Main Forum)' started by Jessica & furbaby Indie, Oct 22, 2016.

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  1. Jessica & furbaby Indie

    Jessica & furbaby Indie Member

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    Any of your cats with diabetes have high resting respiratory rates?

    My girl lately has been breathing 90+ breaths a min! Now I should mention sometimes it seems to be due to a tiny purr in there. So am guessing that could change everything??? And its not all the time but often....and when sleeping! Right now she is just laying down but awake and is 54 breaths a min. Ugh, told my internal medicine vet specialist and she said to bring her in for chest xrays right away. And if nothing is found then to see a cardiologist. Between my two cats all I do is go to vets. This is crazy. Am starting to think I know too much and if I just didn't know everything to look for maybe they would just be fine. Like how many cat owners know how to take their cats vitals? I am so overly concerned with every little detail about their health but am I over doing it? Ugh this poor baby has become so aggressive since getting insulin I can't bare the thought of bringing her in for xrays!!

    Thoughts?? Prayers would be so appreciated too :) :) :) Thnx!! ❤
     
    Last edited: Oct 22, 2016
  2. Squeaky and KT (GA)

    Squeaky and KT (GA) Well-Known Member

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    If it's a purr, the resp will look much faster in some cats but it's worth getting it checked out.

    Explain your comment 'become so aggressive since getting insulin' please...

    HUGS!
     
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  3. Jessica & furbaby Indie

    Jessica & furbaby Indie Member

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    She now bites, hisses or claws anyone (except me) who come by her. She even has swiped at me twice. So unlike her. I feel so bad as I know that's not her.
     
  4. Squeaky and KT (GA)

    Squeaky and KT (GA) Well-Known Member

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    She's been on Lantus since Aug 11th?
     
  5. Jessica & furbaby Indie

    Jessica & furbaby Indie Member

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    Yes
     
  6. BJM

    BJM Well-Known Member

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    She's looking like she's aiming to get off the Lantus. Some cats have been reported here as having behavior changes on a particular insulin. If she doesn't feel good on it, she may be 'venting' by swatting at people.


    ps it should be possible to get the spreadsheet to freeze the top several rows so you don't have to repeat them every page or so.
     
  7. jayla-n-Drevon

    jayla-n-Drevon Well-Known Member

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    I thought Dre was doing good on lantus (personality) and the was ok.... then I switched to lev and it is a HUGE difference.... He is like he was pre FD-
    I wish I had switched a long time ago.
    Also with the rr I have another (not diabetic) with a heart issue and his cardio does not want his rr over 50-he gets a small dose of lasix and it is now 28 sleeping but like I said he has heart/fluid issues....
    :bighug::bighug:
     
  8. JanetNJ

    JanetNJ Well-Known Member

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    Is the rapid breathing new or had he always been this way? Does he sneeze or cough at all?
     
  9. Jessica & furbaby Indie

    Jessica & furbaby Indie Member

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    At er vet now. She wouldn't stop purring. Couldn't get a good read. Monitored most of night then around 3:45am she made a loud noise. She went limp. Brought her to er vet. She is upstairs with vet now. Please pray for my baby girl!
     
  10. JanetNJ

    JanetNJ Well-Known Member

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    Oh no! Glad you are there to get her help right away! What does the vet think it is? Heart problems? Pneumonia? I'll say a prayer.
     
  11. Jessica & furbaby Indie

    Jessica & furbaby Indie Member

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    Here at this hospital they just take the animal from you which I hate! So I have no clue anything yet. The girl at front desk just grabbed my cat and took her upstairs for dr to look at her.
     
  12. JanetNJ

    JanetNJ Well-Known Member

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    Yikes that's even more nerve wracking. I would think that the dr would want to ask you questions directly but maybe they just want to stabilize her first.
     
  13. Jessica & furbaby Indie

    Jessica & furbaby Indie Member

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    I know! How do they even know what to do?!? I told the intake girl she is diabetic, breathing 90+ bpm. Made loud noise went limp. She is a patient here so they should have her history but she literally has only seen the vet specialist here one time. I did inform the vet specialist earlier in day about her breathing and she said bring her in. But I wasn't sure I was getting accurate reads because she was purring ao much.
     
  14. JanetNJ

    JanetNJ Well-Known Member

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    Sometimes pouring is for self soothing when they are stressed out in pain. I hope you get some feedback soon. How long has she been with the dr?
     
  15. Jessica & furbaby Indie

    Jessica & furbaby Indie Member

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    Dr just came down. Said they are going to do a chest xray now. That overall she seems fine.

    Then why was my cat making a weird sound and completely limp?!! I know for certain its the adrenaline here keeping her going. I have witnessed this with my sisters cat. They sent us home saying everything was fine. Go home and he is moaning in pain. Had urinary blockage. Had to rush him back to hospital. Ugh. I am sticking to my guns that she is NOT okay. I KNOW my cat. Weird noises and going limp I have NEVER witnessed before.
     
  16. JanetNJ

    JanetNJ Well-Known Member

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    I'm glad that overall she seems ok... Good move doing the x ray. Clearly SOMETHING is going on.
     
  17. Jessica & furbaby Indie

    Jessica & furbaby Indie Member

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    They did say they detected a small heart murmur. She didn't have one in August when diagnosed with diabetes. Ugh. But my other kitty has one too and has for many years so not too worried about that. Plus they said its about a 1 on a scale of 1-6. Praying for some answers from the chest xray.
     
  18. JanetNJ

    JanetNJ Well-Known Member

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    She hasn't been sneezing or coughing?
     
  19. Jessica & furbaby Indie

    Jessica & furbaby Indie Member

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    Nope. Perfectly fine other than the faat breathing and the most recent loud noise and limpness.
     
  20. Jessica & furbaby Indie

    Jessica & furbaby Indie Member

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    Oh and they told me they tried taking her BG from ear and was 33! So took from the vein in her leg and was 115. What?! What kind of test strips are they using! Why would the test be wonky at the vet. How bizarre.
     
  21. Tuxedo Mom

    Tuxedo Mom Well-Known Member

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    Just reading up on this. How scary for you :bighug:

    Have they run blood work. Anemia or low hemoglobin can also cause an elevated respiration rate amongst other things. It would be good to get a blood panel done since you are already there.

    Sending prayers :bighug: :bighug:
     
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  22. Jessica & furbaby Indie

    Jessica & furbaby Indie Member

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    Thank you! Good call!! I will do that.
     
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  23. Tuxedo Mom

    Tuxedo Mom Well-Known Member

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    If you have a blood panel done have them include the thyroid test as well.
     
  24. Jessica & furbaby Indie

    Jessica & furbaby Indie Member

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    I did experience this type of breathing with my previous cat when she was Hyperthyroid. But Indie is overweight and not having any of the other signs but you just never know. So I will definitely ask for that as well.
     
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  25. JanetNJ

    JanetNJ Well-Known Member

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    Wow that's really low. Could she have fainted from hypoglycemia???? There is a margin of error with any test strip, and the stress from being at the vet can make the numbers rise. I'm thinking now she may have passed out from low blood sugar. Did you test her at home before bringing her to the vet?
     
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  26. Jessica & furbaby Indie

    Jessica & furbaby Indie Member

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    So no for sure answer from chest xray. They r going to send it out to a radiologist. Her bp was low. She still is having rapid breathing. Maybe congestive heart failure but they aren't certain. I am so scared. I don't know what to do.

    They said typically they hospitalize for this but something about because she doesn't seem to need oxygen they may send her home?

    They are doing an in house test of the blood panel... Am sure am wording things wrong. So will have that back in 20 mins BUT doesn't include thyroid panel which she wasn't concerned about.
     
  27. Jessica & furbaby Indie

    Jessica & furbaby Indie Member

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    No I didn't. Because I tested her at +3 and was over 100 so that never even crossed my mind.
     
  28. Jessica & furbaby Indie

    Jessica & furbaby Indie Member

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    Am going to see if they have a can of Purina DM I can feed her. Wonder if she will eat. She is now by me while we wait for the radiologist to get back to us with a better reading of the chest xray.
     
  29. Tuxedo Mom

    Tuxedo Mom Well-Known Member

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    Did they see any fluid in the chest cavity when they did the xray. With CHF that is one of the things that can cause breathing problems.

    ETA the blood work may show more. The T4 test can be sent out if they can't do the test there
     
  30. Jessica & furbaby Indie

    Jessica & furbaby Indie Member

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    Dr couldn't say definitively said was hazy. And thata why radiologist is now going to review but has to be "sent out" for review so could be 45 mins till we get the review.
     
  31. Tuxedo Mom

    Tuxedo Mom Well-Known Member

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    Thanks...they are probably sending it to IDEXX or one of the other specialized labs which is a good thing since they have board certified radiologists on staff.
    Also if the BP is very low that can certainly cause breathing problems, since oxygen is not getting to the lungs properly.

    CHF can be treated with medications. The big concern would be to see if there is any fluid in the chest cavity since that would have to be removed to relieve the breathing problems. If there is fluid build up they may want to put her on a diuretic.. There are treatments once the problem is properly diagnosed.

    Sending many prayers and lots of :bighug: :bighug: :bighug:
     
  32. Tuxedo Mom

    Tuxedo Mom Well-Known Member

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    Did they tell you what the blood pressure reading was?
     
  33. Jessica & furbaby Indie

    Jessica & furbaby Indie Member

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  34. Jessica & furbaby Indie

    Jessica & furbaby Indie Member

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    94...guessing thats the top number.

    And usually a cats bp is elevated at vet due to stress. So if thats her high number then that can't be good. She is laying on my arm shaking and purring so loud. Definitely not an affectionate purr!! She is freaking out.
     
  35. Tuxedo Mom

    Tuxedo Mom Well-Known Member

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    OK that would be the systolic measurement and that is definitely on the low end. Normal is between 120-180 with 180 getting into hypertension.

    This could be from possible CHF or from a very low glucose reading amongst other things


    ETA What was the glucose reading from the lab machine when they did the blood work?
     
  36. JanetNJ

    JanetNJ Well-Known Member

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    That's the lower end of normal.
     
  37. Tuxedo Mom

    Tuxedo Mom Well-Known Member

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    Another thing that can cause raised respiration and a low BP is a bad infection. This would show in the bloodwork
     
  38. Jessica & furbaby Indie

    Jessica & furbaby Indie Member

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    Bg was 115 from blood in vein. But was 33 originally when they tested her ear! Isn't that weird?! She is only on 0.1 units and would not have been so low at +7....so I don't believe the 33 reading. BUT i do know typically her BG gets elevated in stressful situations. So the 115 may have been crom stress and 33 was right?? But still doesn't explain rapid breathing for days.
     
  39. Jessica & furbaby Indie

    Jessica & furbaby Indie Member

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    I am so glad u suggested blood panel because they never even did AND had taken blood to test her BG. So they had it. I was the one to suggest it (thanks to u). Wow.
     
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  40. Tuxedo Mom

    Tuxedo Mom Well-Known Member

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    I would definitely trust the lab machine reading for the glucose level. Why there was such a big difference with the ear test is strange...but it could have been a wonky strip.
     
  41. Tuxedo Mom

    Tuxedo Mom Well-Known Member

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    Blood work is always indicated with these sort of problems since there are numerous problems that need to be ruled out. Even if the xrays show fluid in the chest cavity they should still have a full blood panel done before starting any treatment or meds.
     
  42. Jessica & furbaby Indie

    Jessica & furbaby Indie Member

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    So radiologist says no congestive heart failure. Blood work came back good. She is a bit dehydrated. They are retaking her bp now. Amd planning on sending us home. But what about the rapid breathing? What about the loud noise, what about her going completely limp and not responding to me petting her or picking her up. What?!? Ugh.
     
  43. Tuxedo Mom

    Tuxedo Mom Well-Known Member

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    Jessica

    Any word on blood work or radiologist report? :bighug:

    Good news on the CHF and blood work.

    They could give her some Sub Q fluid for the dehydration, but if she is only a bit dehydrated that should not cause the rapid breathing or limpness she experienced. And if the BP is still low along with rapid breathing then there is a problem.

    What exactly was the loud noise and did it just happen the once before she went limp or has it happened again since?


    ETA Has the vet given any thought to a minor stroke?
     
  44. Jessica & furbaby Indie

    Jessica & furbaby Indie Member

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    The noise came from within her like I thought something popped or burst and happened right before going limp. But no have not heard again. And they just said her bp is normal at 130.

    She mentioned there could be a clot but her pulse (she calles it something else) was fine which means she is getting oxygen fine which leads her to believe there is no clot.

    That the only other step I could take is meet with a cardiologist and get an ekg.

    ETA but she said she didn't think it was heart related and would be worth it.
     
  45. Jessica & furbaby Indie

    Jessica & furbaby Indie Member

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    No.... She never mentioned stroke.
     
  46. Tuxedo Mom

    Tuxedo Mom Well-Known Member

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    I don't know if kitties can have a TIA (mini stroke) like people can. It is something in people that usually only lasts a few minutes, but can be a warning sign of potential future heart problems. This could be way off base but I am just tossing out things to ask about. There needs to be some explanation for the rapid breathing and low blood pressure


    ETA Found this very quickly..they may know more about this

    Track how long the symptoms last. Stroke symptoms usually last at least twenty-four hours in a cat. You should take your cat to the veterinarian as soon as you observe symptoms, but that might not always be possible. Like humans, cats can have a mini-stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). This means that the symptoms may begin to subside after a day; however, you should still take your cat to the veterinarian even if symptoms decrease in severity.
    • These temporary signs are a strong indication that there is a problem requiring further medical investigation to prevent the cat from having a full-blown stroke in the near future.
     
  47. jayla-n-Drevon

    jayla-n-Drevon Well-Known Member

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    wow--I am just seeing this.... I am so sorry Jessica!
    This is crazy and your vet is upsetting even me:confused:
    I would have a cardio look at her.....my vet took X-rays of my cat with heart issue and said if he was just looking and not knowing he wouldn't be alarmed:eek:
    In the meantime my cardio has him on vetmedin and lasix and he is doing great now....(he can no longer have fluids unless really needs them and very small amount at a time )
    sending prayers....:bighug::bighug::bighug:
     
  48. Jessica & furbaby Indie

    Jessica & furbaby Indie Member

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    I have an appointment for Tuesday with a cardiologist.

    Meanwhile my vet specialist suggested going down to one shot of insulin in case that 33 BG reading was accurate. Thoughts??? I hate to go down to one and have her BG readings increase and we never get off of this.
     
  49. Tuxedo Mom

    Tuxedo Mom Well-Known Member

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    What readings are you getting at home? I would tend to trust the lab machine reading more than the meter reading at the vets.
     
  50. Jessica & furbaby Indie

    Jessica & furbaby Indie Member

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    This morning after vet visit... About an hour after being home she was 126. Then at +4 was 97. She was 146 tonight.
     
  51. Tuxedo Mom

    Tuxedo Mom Well-Known Member

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    Those seem pretty much in line with your usual readings. It is your decision what you do with the dosing, but shooting Lantus once a day will not cover the whoel 24 hours. If you are unsure you could cut his does down to 0.05 unit and give it twice a day. Personally I think that 33 reading at the vets was a wonky strip. Indie is showing no signs of bouncing which would be expected after a hypo number plus the other reading done at the vets was 115.
     
  52. Jessica & furbaby Indie

    Jessica & furbaby Indie Member

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    Thank you for taking the time to respond! I value ur feedback. I skipped tonight's dose because she is off schedule anyways and I didn't sleep last night and am going to bed soon and not getting up to test. Will start fresh tomorrow. Will do 0.1. I still need to buy those calipers to help with micro dosing.
     
  53. Tuxedo Mom

    Tuxedo Mom Well-Known Member

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    Sounds like a good plan. Indie has been doing well with his progress and it would be a shame to throw it off.

    Have a good sleep tonight. You certainly will need it after the trying day you have had.

    :bighug: :bighug:
     
  54. Jessica & furbaby Indie

    Jessica & furbaby Indie Member

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    Thank you so much again. You were awesome helping me get through the hours at the ER vet just wanted u to know how much I truly appreciated it! ❤
     
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  55. Tuxedo Mom

    Tuxedo Mom Well-Known Member

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    You are most welcome. I'm glad that I was able to be of some help to you today.

    :bighug: :bighug:
     
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