What to do if the cat wheezes. Respiratory system of a cat: possible disorders and their causes

There is an opinion that cats feel when their owner is sick, and in some cases they can even “heal” him. For example, when high blood pressure, pet lie down in the area chest and the owner's pressure returns to normal. Also, people should be attentive to their pet and monitor its health. Although it is not always so easy. They have diseases that are difficult to detect, but if you look closely in time, you can save the animal from serious health problems.

It is difficult to notice problems that are associated with a cat's breathing. She always breathes easily and inconspicuously. If she began to breathe with her stomach, then this is already an alarming sign for the owner. You can also count the number of breaths and exhalations per minute. If this is a kitten, then the amount reaches up to 50 times per minute, in an adult animal about 30 times. And also the cat breathes a little more often than the cat.

Causes of heavy breathing

If the cat began to breathe heavily, then for sure some kind of disease began to progress in her body. Here are examples of the most common ones:

• Hypoxia.
• Hit in Airways particles of food or toys.
• Heart failure.
• Joy.
• Heat.
• Allergy.
• Injuries.
• Elevated temperature.
• Poisoning.
• Tumor.
• Hydrothorax.
• Pneumothorax.

Now let's look at each of them in more detail.

Hypoxia is lack of oxygen in organs and tissues. This disease has an acute and chronic course. Acute occurs with large blood loss. Chronic form appears as a result of diseases of the respiratory system, liver, blood.

In the case when heavy breathing is accompanied by wheezing, this may indicate that there is foreign body.

Heart failure makes itself felt after the pet finishes its active games. At the same time, one can notice not only heavy breathing, but also the cyanosis of the tongue, which soon passes.

If the animal has experienced shock, its blood circulation is disturbed, as a result of which there is a lack of oxygen.

A pet that has damage to the ribs, chest and spine will breathe with the stomach, while the ribs are practically motionless.

When a cat experiences joy, her breathing quickens, but this is a temporary phenomenon.

Most dangerous reasons heavy breathing is hydrothorax and pneumothorax. When inhaling, the lungs should expand, but when there is an air vacuum around them, they cannot do this. This disease is called pneumothorax. With hydrothorax, the same thing happens, only there is no air vacuum around the lungs, but there is a liquid that only a specialist can extract.

Hydrothorax very rarely occurs as an independent disease. As a rule, this disease appears in parallel with heart failure, anemia, or diseases of the kidneys and liver. This disease often leads to lymph outflow, congestion in the veins, and a decrease in the functionality of the heart muscle. All this can lead to the death of the animal.

1. There are 3 types of pneumothorax: open, closed and valvular.
2. An open pneumothorax occurs during an injury when a hole forms and air enters and exits during inhalation and exhalation.
3. Closed pneumothorax also occurs as a result of injury, only air remains in place. The passage to it is closed by a blood clot.
4. And the most dangerous form is valvular pneumothorax, since air enters with each breath, but cannot exit, because it is closed by a valve.

The more complex the injury in pneumothorax, the less likely the animal is to survive. If the injury is not large, then the animal will live. In case of penetration a large number air, the organs in the chest are cooled, the volume of the lungs decreases and respiratory distress occurs. In addition, through the wound, the infection can penetrate into the lungs and chest.

The animal may be frightened of such a state and begin to breathe rapidly, resulting in suffocation.

Animal treatment

Since the causes of the disease are different, the methods of treating the pet are completely different. Breathing on its own can return to normal only after experienced emotions of joy and shock. In other cases, only a veterinarian can help.

Hypoxia in cats can be treated with pharmacological preparations which reduce the consumption of oxygen by the tissues.

If pieces of food or particles of a toy get into the nasopharynx of an animal, then you should not try to pull them out yourself. Only a doctor can do this.

In the case when fever and cough are added to heavy breathing, this may indicate that the animal has bronchitis or laryngeal edema.

Wheezy breathing can be characteristic not only for diseases such as hydrothorax and pneumothorax, but also for edema, pneumonia and heart disease.

Be sure to examine the body of the cat, if it shows scratches and bruises, she may be injured. An animal with severe bruising loses its appetite and is constantly thirsty. It needs to be shown to a specialist, possibly an ultrasound or x-ray.

To cure hydrothorax, you first need to establish the cause of the disease. Treatment is with a course of antibiotics and vitamins, as well as heart and diuretics. You should also limit your pet's intake of water and liquid foods. The cat is punctured and the liquid is partially removed, no more than 300 ml.

Treatment of hydrothorax is ineffective, therefore, purebred expensive animals are mainly treated.

With pneumothorax, first of all, it is urgent to administer drugs to the cat that can relax it and bring it out of state of shock. You also need an open pneumothorax, by operation, to make it closed. When the form is closed, a small amount of air enters, which is easily absorbed and the pet recovers.

In any case, no matter how difficult the condition of the animal is, there is no need to leave it to the mercy of fate. Let the specialist examine the cat and decide its fate. If there is even a small chance of salvation, it must be seized upon.

Cat breathing problems

An attentive owner will immediately notice that something is not right with his pet. This can tell not only, but also her breath. Accelerated or weak, it may indicate alarming symptoms in the body. And today we will tell you about how to determine if a pet is healthy by breathing, what to do if your cat is wheezing, and what this dangerous symptom may indicate…

How cats breathe

To begin with, let's figure out how cats breathe and how their respiratory system works. In order not to go into details and details that a non-veterinarian does not need, we will only say that

The respiratory system of a cat is very similar to that of a human.

First, the cat swallows a portion of air, from there it enters the pharynx through the larynx, then goes through the trachea to the bronchi, and then into the lungs. From there, oxygen is delivered to every cell of the cat's body.

When a cat exhales, its diaphragm relaxes and the waste air is removed from the body through the bronchi into the trachea, from there into the larynx and into the pharynx.

The respiratory rate of a cat is a variable value and depends on the state in which the animal is. When the cat is calm, she can do up to 30 breaths and exhalations in 1 minute. Kittens breathe more often - up to 50 times per minute. By the way,

cats have more frequent breathing than cats, this should also be taken into account.

What can affect a cat's breathing rate

The respiratory rate of a cat can change if the animal is frightened, furious, surprised, happy ... However, these changes are not long-term and soon the respiratory rate of the cat is restored to the normal range. If you notice that the pet is breathing quickly and shallowly, it is most likely that he is scared. Such breathing can be observed in a cat during childbirth, during veterinary procedures. During sleep and at rest, the cat breathes less frequently ...

Cat breathing problems

However, the change in breathing is not always so harmless. If, along with this symptom, you notice that the cat has dilated pupils, it's time to sound the alarm. Something has happened to your pet, and it's important to figure out what it is.

• If the cat is overheated, she fever body, when inhaling and exhaling, there is no movement of the ribs.
• For diseases internal organs and the failure of entire systems, abdominal breathing can be observed when the ribs move quite pronouncedly.
• In case of damage to the ribs, muscles of the sternum, spine, lung diseases, the cat will breathe in the stomach, since each breath is accompanied by pain.
• At high temperature, bronchitis - the cat breathes heavily.
• With laryngeal edema, foreign body in oral cavity or the larynx, the cat may breathe through the mouth and wheeze while doing so.
• With heart disease, pneumonia, edema, wheezing and hoarse breathing is observed ...

What to do if your cat is wheezing and has trouble breathing

If you find that your pet is breathing heavily, wheezing, do not hesitate to visit the veterinarian. While someone close will be preparing to transport the pet, carefully inspect the animal, including the oral cavity and larynx, for the presence of foreign objects. Sometimes a cat can swallow a part of a toy during play (more on this), and it will interfere with its normal breathing. If you can’t find the cause yourself, only a good veterinarian can help you. And the sooner you get to him, the better for the cat.

What to do if the cat is not breathing

If your pet has stopped breathing, it has a change in the color of the mucous membranes (when the supply of oxygen to the body stops, they turn blue or turn pale), time goes by for seconds. you need to restore respiratory function cat, and then take her to the vet. To do this, you will need to do artificial respiration to the pet.

The article contains general information on this issue, which can most often be encountered on various forums, blogs and websites, which allows you to better understand how veterinarians act in such cases and what they can advise.

If the cat is breathing heavily from the sides and stomach, how to help

Cats breathe through their rib cage, and under normal conditions, their chest rises and falls (depending on whether they are inhaling or exhaling). If you notice that the cat is breathing heavily with his sides and stomach, then this means that it hurts him to breathe with his chest. Therefore, check for possible damage. If the pet was not seriously injured, then soon he will begin to breathe normally, but if serious damage is detected, take the cat to the veterinarian.

Why does a cat breathe heavily with its tongue hanging out and screaming loudly

The above symptoms are signs of shortness of breath. Your pet may have been injured, check it out.

If the cat is breathing heavily with an open mouth, what to do

In cats, physiology did not provide for breathing with an open mouth. If you notice this in your pet, then this means that his respiratory system cannot cope and your pet needs the help of a veterinarian. At home and without a specialist, this problem cannot be solved.

Wheezing breath in a cat

Heavy breathing with wheezing can only mean that something is preventing the cat from breathing normally. In many cases, this is due to swelling or mucus that has accumulated in the lungs. This means that the pet is sick with bronchitis or similar respiratory diseases.

If the kitten lies and breathes often what does it mean, is it normal or not and how to help

In small kittens, breathing is a couple of times faster than in adults, and this applies to each breed. Therefore, frequent breathing of a kitten is the norm, especially when he lies tired after any physical activity(games, etc.).

What to do if the kitten has a hoarse voice

Brachiocephalic syndrome - associated with excessive growth of the palatine curtain and narrowing of the lumen of the nostrils, which leads to a decrease in the volume of inhaled air.

Most common in British cats, Persian cats, etc. Manifested by heavy breathing - the animal often breathes with an open mouth, breathing with wheezing, whistling; often the animal snores at night.

Diagnosis: auscultation, radiography, sedation with examination of the oral cavity, laryngo-tracheo-bronchoscopy

Treatment: Surgery is usually required.

The cat wheezes when breathing and swallows hard when meowing reasons and how to help

Airway and larynx problems Possible infection which requires medical intervention. Before going to the doctor, stop using fermented milk products in the diet. Carefully follow the instructions of the veterinarian, because there may be a complication.

Why does a cat breathe quickly when sleeping

Your cat is in REM sleep and that's normal.

Why does a cat breathe through his mouth like a dog and how to treat at home

Cats breathe through their mouths in the early stages of respiratory disease. Possible pulmonary edema. Call the vet as soon as possible. With such symptoms, it is also real: obesity, chest trauma, foreign body entry into the respiratory tract.

Why does a cat breathe heavily and quickly in the summer from the heat

Your cat has hyperthermia.

1 comment

Thank you I am very grateful to you. I was already afraid that my cat kirdyg thank you very well

Breathing with wheezing in a cat may indicate that the animal has a disease, and it urgently needs to be seen by a doctor. It would be in vain to assume that wheezing when breathing in a cat is the norm for an ordinary cold and soon the cat will heal itself.

Respiratory disorders (and wheezing is always a disorder) never go away in cats and cats by themselves and without timely treatment provoke the development of more severe pathologies that entail serious consequences, even death of the animal.

Wheezing by itself is not a disease. They are always a concomitant symptom of a disease. There are crepitating rales, blistering and dry. All of them are characteristic of certain diseases.

So, for example, creping rales (crackling in a different way) appear with pneumonia, atelectasis; vesicular (wet) are observed in patients with bronchitis, with pulmonary edema; dry wheezing is characteristic of diseases of bronchospasm, bronchitis. You can also distinguish a separate type of wheezing - the so-called whistle. It is usually distinguished with paralysis of the glottis, ingress of foreign particles into the trachea.

What to do if the cat is wheezing

Only a doctor will tell you what to do when breathing with wheezing in a cat. When addressing a problem to the clinic, the animal will undergo the necessary diagnostic studies to identify the problem and establish a diagnosis for sure. To do this, the cat is examined on an X-ray machine, listened to with a bronchoscope, and the necessary tests are taken.

The main advice in this matter for cat owners is not to waste time and not be inactive. The disease is best treated early stages until the treatment is most effective.

How to treat wheezing breath

Wheezing breath in a cat is treated in various ways and means. Depending on the type of disease, the doctor prescribes the appropriate treatment.

Swelling of the larynx is treated with drugs that relieve swelling;

The brachiocephalic syndrome usually clears up;

Pulmonary edema is relieved intensive care, artificial ventilation of the lungs is often required;

Bronchitis is removed with antitussives;

- Neoplasms, tumors are eliminated by chemotherapy (if amenable);

Foreign bodies are removed, as a rule, with the help of an endoscope;

Paralysis of the larynx is eliminated by surgical intervention.

The results of treatment with timely treatment to the clinic are mostly positive.

If the cat coughs, as if choking and wants to vomit, this is not a reason to panic. You should not start treating the animal yourself. It is better to pay attention to what other symptoms are observed. You can make a video when coughing home pet, and visit the veterinary clinic as soon as possible.

Types of symptoms

Cough means one thing - the cat's body is trying to get rid of something. muscles respiratory organs contract and make a push, at this moment the cat coughs. Such attacks are accompanied by other symptoms. The cat sneezes or wheezes, breathes heavily, his eyes are watery.

There is a violation of the natural microflora of the throat, esophagus and lungs, so the cat develops a cough reflex. The immune system enhances the secretion of secretions, directs white blood cells to fight symptoms. Cough has different causes:

• microbes;
• foreign bodies;
• viruses;
• wounds.

But the essence is the same - the discharge accumulates, and you need to get rid of them. The cat's body is designed in such a way that with a strong cough from the side it looks like the animal is about to vomit.

When a pet coughs, symptoms vary by:

1. 1. Duration: sometimes the condition develops in attacks, in other cases it constantly torments the animal.
2. 2. Intensities: slight coughing or manifestations so strong that it hurts to look at the cat. The condition may be accompanied by vomiting and snot.
3. 3. Sound: cough is painful and muffled or loud. In other situations, the cat constantly breathes heavily.
4. 4. Discharges from the mouth and nose: dry coughs are dangerous, but worse when purulent and bloody marks are visible.
5. 5. Timing of manifestation: Respiratory disturbances worsen either at night or after sleep. For diagnosis, it is important at what time of the year the cat fell ill. Behavior also varies - the animal coughs after hissing or stretching and clinging to the floor. All these points are important for diagnosis.

Causes of cough and how it manifests itself

When a cat has such a cough, as if she wants to vomit, this indicates the following conditions:

If a cat has these symptoms and is coughing as if she is choking, do not try to determine the causes yourself - you can harm your pet.

Treatment

If the matter is in a foreign body or woolen lumps, the cat usually coughs them up. Sometimes they pass through the digestive system and are expelled with a bowel movement. But if the object is stuck in the throat or esophagus, surgery will be required.

• use phytomines for forcing wool;
• try to pull out the foreign body with tweezers on your own (if it is really visible in the throat) - it is important not to rush, not to panic and not to make sudden movements;
• try to help the cat vomit - you need to lightly press your finger on the root of the pet's tongue.

If the attacks are repeated frequently, contact your doctor.

In order for the doctor to understand what the problem is, film the cat coughing on camera in advance. Already by the sounds, the professional will determine in which direction to look for the source of the disease. So, with a strangled cough and wheezing, the cat will be sent for a cardiological examination.

The veterinarian will also pay attention to whether there are purulent, mucous and bloody discharges in order to exclude infectious inflammation of the respiratory tract. The necessary smears and tests will be prescribed to determine the type of pathogens.

can be assigned and medications for the treatment of a coughing cat. We need such drugs so that an animal that sneezes and coughs gets rid of excess mucus in the throat. They are prescribed for dry coughs or with weak natural expectoration. They will also suppress allergic reaction, reduce swelling, free the airways. If you are concerned about asthma - the main emphasis on treatment is done in the spring and autumn periods. Properly selected by the doctor medications effectively suppress the inflammatory process.

If the appointment has not been received, do not purchase such medicines on your own. They are selected only after careful analysis. In order for antibiotic treatment to be successful, you need to understand what kind of microorganisms caused the infection so as not to harm the health of the cat.