Here we are, almost one month after dealing with Oscar’s liver disease and death, and now we are going through a whole new adventure with our other cat Charlie, who is 14 and has been with me since 1996.
My cat has had asthma for years and I never knew it. I took him to the
vet for his dry cough many years ago, but the vet didn’t seem to know what it was. He asked if there was vomiting or hairballs (there weren’t), said “I wish he’d cough right now so I could see it,” and sent me home with a shrug and a 7-day course of antibiotic which didn’t help. Since he didn’t seem concerned, I wasn’t concerned. Charlie never wheezed or seemed out of breath. He just coughed once in a while.
So years went by, and then Oscar passed away. Oscar passed on the eve of an August heat wave. For the next two weeks, I slowly started to notice–perhaps because I now didn’t have an eye on Oscar every minute of the day–that Charlie’s coughing was increasing. We tried to bring home a new cat in a foster-to-adopt situation, but the stress made Charlie cough more. So off to the vet we went.
Charlie was x-rayed and his lungs had the “classic donuts” associated with the inflamed airways of asthma. The vet said old, dead heartworms couldn’t be ruled out, but she wanted to lean toward asthma and either way, the treatment was with steroids. I was very nervous about this, but I felt better that so was she. She wanted me to start him on 5 mg of prednisone twice a day for a week, and slowly taper off until we found the smallest amount that kept his coughing under control. I was nervous still, because I knew from previous research that steroids can give cats diabetes, and Charlie is a bigger cat. So I did my research, as always, and became a less compliant cat mom for my veterinarian, as usual.
In my research, I found out about a better way to treat asthma that I knew was for me – Flovent (Fluticasone, a steroid spray) sent directly to the lungs by the Aerokat chamber made especially for cats. It’s true that steroids are the way to treat feline asthma, but if the steroid goes straight to the lungs it stays out of the bloodstream and there is no chance of the terrible side effects that come with oral steroids. I myself have been taking Flonase nasal spray for years, and it has helped guard me against sinus infections, so I was excited to hear that the inhaled version could also help Charlie! (Please don’t confuse Flonase and Flovent. While both are Fluticasone, Flonase must only be used for the nose and is only for humans. Flovent and Flixotide are orally administered sprays that are safe for cats.)
I called my vet to ask if I could try the inhaler. She said I could try it, but warned me that “it’s expensive and my cat will hate it.” More supportive than some veterinarians, but less than others. She gave me a prescription for Flovent, but only for the 110. I would soon learn that that dose is not enough for most cats.
I was nervous about the price at first, but found out that you can get the inhaler MUCH cheaper at safe, overseas pharmacies like In House Pharmacy (formerly 4corners), where I placed my first order for Flovent, or Flixotide as it is called there. Whereas the inhaler would be about $150 or more from my local pharmacy, I purchased one from them for just $50. Since it takes a few weeks to arrive from 4Corners in the mail, a very compassionate member of FAIM sent me some Flovent so I could get Charlie started quicker! When my own Flovent arrives, I’ll just send one back to her to keep in the FAIM stash. It’s amazing the help you can find if you just look!
Now it was time to learn how to get my cat to use the Aerokat. I ordered my Aerokat Chamber last week and as soon as it arrived, I started to get Charlie used to it by showing it to him during “treat” time (giving him his prednisone in a Pill Pocket, which he loves). I would place the Pill Pocket in my hand directly in front of the Aerokat so that his nose was almost up against the mask when he took his treat. Then I started putting it on his face for 2 seconds and giving him more treats immediately after. Then I gradually increased the amount of time I left the mask on his face, all while I waited for my Flovent to arrive in the mail. The first time he saw the mask coming at him he did not look happy, and did try to avoid it, but surprisingly he has been better than I thought he would be.
Above is video of Charlie getting his Flovent for only the 6th time! I am shocked at how well he is taking it. Although you can’t see it in the video, rest assured that I did shake the canister for 15 seconds before giving him a puff. And unfortunately my cameraman stopped recording, so you don’t hear Charlie purring as I pick him up and take him to his food, where he begins to devour his breakfast happily.
Please know that not all vets are up to speed on inhaled meds for feline asthma. My vet never would have mentioned it to me had I not asked. And, she gave me a prescription for the 110, but I soon learned through the FAIM group that I needed to give Charlie a larger dose than that…and I got the larger dose without my Vet’s prescription. I also found out that I have to keep Charlie on his prednisone at a steady rate, not decreasing it until the Flovent builds up in his system for at least two weeks. This was an instance where I had to listen to people with years of experience in treating their own cats with asthma, because sometimes such experience gives you more insight.
I give Charlie two puffs (220 mcg each) of Flovent per day, one in morning and one at night. When dosing asthma meds for cats, it is always better to give too much than too little. If I hear Charlie’s throat “humming” when he breathes or eats, I up his puffs to one in morning and two at night, or two twice a day.
Update-February of 2010: Charlie is doing so well on his asthma medicine! He has not coughed once since I started treating him with Flovent and Aerokat. He is over six months completely cough free.
Update-January of 2012: My sweet, naughty Charlie passed away of liver disease on December 8, 2011. This was completely unrelated to asthma, unless the liver disease and asthma were both caused by environmental toxins like air fresheners, dust, etc. Aerokat allowed him to live a comfortable life, breathing comfortably until his last breath. I love you Charlie!!!
Update – Dec. 2016: People have asked me if I thought the inhaled steroids caused his liver disease. He lived 15 years, 3 of those cough-free after years of coughing. I tend to attribute his liver issues to how he grew up: in a home filled with toxins because I did not know better. I was young and he was my first cat. He grew up will all of the following: Smoking. Febreeze sprayed on all furniture and pet beds. Powdered carpet fresheners sprinkled prior to vacuuming, which he probably walked on and licked off his paws and fur. Exterminators spraying toxins in the living areas of our rented apartments (I bought my first home 4 months before he passed away). Scented cat litter. Being wiped down with dryer sheets to limit static electricity (because I read that as a tip somewhere and naively thought it brilliant). Harsh cleaning chemicals and air fresheners. And of course, low-quality cat food for his first 9 or 10 years. I no longer do any of those things. Maybe some air fresheners and Lysol, and dryer sheets used in the dryer only, that’s it.
Charlie, you are one very handsome boy ….and what a trooper about getting your puff!
We also found that in the beginning, giving treats helped create a positive association with administering the inhaled meds, but then we had to cut out the post-med treat. Our kitty started getting worse about trying to shake off the mask, and we realized it was because he wanted to hurry up and get his snack!
Sandy
and Brooks (another very handsome boy, but not a fan of deferred gratification)
Im so glad to hear that you found something that will work for him AND you. What a relief!
Jaime
I am currently looking to purchase the aerokat inhaler to treat my kitty. Any suggestions where to go for a reasonable price?
Hi Beth, good luck with your kitty! I actually purchased from the Aerokat maker directly (linked above) and didn’t find it unaffordable. I didn’t even search elsewhere for a cheaper price, which is unlike me. If anyone has other ideas of purchase points I’d be interested. I wonder if anyone on eBay or Amazon sells it?
OK I just checked both places. Nothing on Amazon and only one on eBay – an old model that does not have the breath counter flap, which is very helpful for counting how many breaths they take….it’s also very cute to watch it vibrate when your kitty starts to purr while taking his puffs like Charlie now does. He doesn’t purr because he loves taking his puffs, but I think because mom is petting him during and he knows he’s about to have treats or dinner 🙂
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It is incredible that so many vets are still not able or aware enough to diagnose pets with allergies, even though it has become such a familiar phenomena. Well, I am glad to hear that you figured out wat it was and found a solution that offers relief for your cat!
Wait, so is Charlie still on the prednisone? My cat has mild asthma and I’ve been planning to put him on flovent to treat it. My vet prescribed some prednisone, but like you I became reluctant to put give it to him after reading about all the side effects and I have yet to even open the bottle. Would you recommend putting a cat on flovent alone?
By the way, thank you so much for your articles. You’ve been a much bigger help to me than any of the vets I’ve spoken to so far.
Thank you Mitch! Yes, I definitely recommend putting a cat on flovent alone, and NO, Charlie was only on prednisone for about 2 weeks, long enough for the flovent to kick in (it can take at least 7 days to start working, but the prednisone usually only takes 2 days). Flovent should help a mild case of asthma. Charlie’s case was pretty severe, and he hasn’t coughed in almost a year now using flovent only! In some rare, very severe cases, I have heard of prednisone being used in addition to flovent.
That’s a huge relief. Thanks again.
Hello again! So my aerokat metered chamber came in the mail, along with a 250 mcg flovent inhaler. Trouble is that I found out after placing my order that the recommended dosage for mild asthma cases (which my beloved kitty Manny has) is 110 mcg. Would you happen to know if there are any risks/side effects involved in using an excessively large dose to treat a mild case? Would you recommend it or not? Sorry to be bugging you for advice, but I posted my concern to the FAIM yahoo forum and haven’t had any feedback in over a week, so I’m asking around elsewhere in the meantime. Thanks for your time =).
Hi Mitch! We’ve discussed this a lot and the consensus is that more is better than not enough. Especially since you are just getting started, it’s important for you to knock the asthma down initially. There are no risks that we have seen. If you want to taper down to 110 later, you can try that. You should do it slowly so as not to create a sudden dip in the medication and create an asthma attack. Good luck Mitch, Manny is so lucky he has you!!!
I quote:
“…steroids are the way to treat feline asthma, but if the steroid goes straight to the lungs it stays out of the bloodstream and there is no chance of the terrible side effects that come with oral steroids.
“I have to keep Charlie on his prednisone at a steady rate, not decreasing it until the Flovent builds up in his system for at least two weeks.
How do you reconcile these contradictory statements? How can a drug both “stay out of the bloodstream” and “build up in the system”?
The statements are not contradictory at all. Steroid injections flow through the blood stream to all the organs, and can cause issues in those other organs.
Inhaled steroids are delievered straight to the lungs where they are needed, and the other organs are not touched. But it still needs time to “build up in the system,” ie the lungs, to begin working. The effect is not immediate.
For more info, see http://www.fritzthebrave.com/meds/inhaled.html
First, thank you for all the great information! My Ollie cat has had asthma and been on prednisone most her life. I would never have opted for this route had I knows about the Aerokat and the flovent. Although an inhaler was mentioned with her original diagnoses, it was mentioned as a last resort if the other meds stop working. Poor kitty! Do you use the 4 corners pharmacy to purchase the flixotide still? I just want to make sure the meds work since there isn’t a prescription needed. Also, the 4 coners site has different levels of mcg’s…50; 125; and 250. Ollie doesn’t cough everyday, so i’m gonna say she has mild asthma. BUT, like me (and probably most people), her allergies are seasonal… worse with weather change and in the spring. During these times she is coughing at least once a day. Any advice you have would be appreciated. Thanks!
Hi Stasha!! Yes the 4 corners pharmacy flixotide works perfectly. But if Ollie is on prednisone right now, that may be masking how much coughing she would do. I would go with the 250 if I were you. It is perfectly safe to give more than needed, but dangerous to give too little. I thought Charlie had mild asthma too, but I use the 250 on him 3 puffs a day (2 in morning, 1 at night). Good luck!!
I bought the aerokat for my cat with asthma. I have never been successful getting her to use it. She is so traumatized by this thing it’s ridiculous. I have asthma myself, so I decided to give her one quarter of my albuterol pill(which is about 1mg) and see if it would open her lungs the way it does for me. It did! My cat hasn’t had this much energy since we got her. You can order albuterol pills online without a prescription oversees and it is dirt cheap. Cut the pills into small pieces to start to make sure your cat can tolerate it. Like I said, my cat gets about 1mg and she weighs only 6 pounds. She looks forward to me giving her a pill every morning. I think she knows I’m helping her breath. If an albuterol inhaler is safe to take, why wouldn’t the albuterol pills be safe? Just a cheaper way to go and less traumatic to your cat.
Hi….I have a 9 yr. old female who has had asthma for about 1 1/2 years. In those years she has had 8 prednisone shots. My vet suggested an inhaler and set me up with the Aerokat and picked up my meds at pharmacy. Now the fun has begun. I have watched every you tube video I could and read all kind of articles on how to get your cat comfortable using the inhaler but my cat continuously shakes her head back and forth and makes it very difficult. We are still practicing but tomorrow I must start her puffs as the last shot is about 2 weeks old and need to start inhaler. How do I keep her still long enough without stressing her out to give her a good 10 puffs? I know I won’t get that for for awhile. Seem to get maybe 5-6 breaths before she really starts to freek out so I leave her go and always give her a treat. Is she getting anything out of the 5-6 breaths and by moving her head around is the med leaking out of the chamber? Thank you so much. It looks like you have good success so I hope you are able to give me some advice!
Hi Cathy! My Charlie shakes his head back and forth too. This might sound silly but are you holding onto the mask? If you hold onto the mask rather than the end of the Aerokat, where the inhaler is, you can hold it on her face while she shakes her head back and forth. Just be gentle, don’t scare her with more pressure. Are you holding her between your legs so she can’t back out? Also, getting 5-6 breaths in the beginning is OK, usually the kitty calms down after a couple weeks. She might be thinking she is getting a treat BECAUSE she freaks out and you let her go. And no, the chamber is designed so that the medicine doesn’t come out (within a reasonable amount of time) unless the cat is pulling it out with her breath.
My kitten is skittish already and we are still just getting her to sit with us, on her terms only of course. Now she has asthma and the Aerokat scares her to death. I have tried treats, having it near her when she plays with her favorite toy and placing it near her when she sleeps, but any time I have it in my hand she scratches me to death to get away from it. Have you read anything about administering to skittish cats>
Nicole, I’m sorry your kitty is skittish! What is scaring her about it? Did you introduce it to her slowly, or did you put it on her muzzle the first time she saw it? Or is it the noise? When I hold onto my cat, I have my arms in front of his so he can’t really scratch me, as he can’t lift his arms. You may need to try the toweling method where she is wrapped in a towel. See info at http://fritzthebrave.com/treatment/hints.html#Towel
Thanks for the tips! Sitting on the floor with her beween my legs does help alot but we still struggle. Only at it for a week so I am hopeful it will get better! I did get a tip from a support group on FB to put the mask in some cat nip. Boy oh boy what a mistake!! The worst ever…won’t do that again. Maybe it does work for some cats but unfortunately not mine. Got her too excited! Guess you don’t know until you try. I also checked out sites to purchase the Flovent. I paid $158.00 for it and $46.00 for ProAir. I just can’t find one that sells the 110 mcg. I only seem to find 125 mcg. Guess I need to check with my vet to see if that dose is okay. Thanks Again For your help!
Cathy, most cats need 225. Too much is way better than not enough. My vet prescribed the 110, but that isn’t enough for my cat. There is no difference between 125 and 110 except that it may not be enough. Also I order 250 from 4cornerspharmacy.com for $50 each. They sell the 125 for $30 each. They are safe and no prescription needed.
I just was over at that 4corneres website and looked up Flovent and it shows it on the left side of the page . I clicked on it and it only brought up coupons for drugs to take to your pharmacy. The amounts of $ that came up for Flovent was over $200 for one inhaler, and it just showed a list for different pharmacies like Walmart etc. to compare prices with. They were all $200 plus for the Flovent. How did you get it for $50.00 ? Even using a coupon of $75.00 would still cost $150 for one inhaler? This 4 corners is in the USA, I thought it was overseas ?
Hi Kathy, 4corners changed their name. Here is their new site: https://www.inhousepharmacy.vu/p-399-flixotide-cfc-free-250mcg-inhaler-fluticasone.aspx
Since I don’t need a perscription should I order the 225 or wait until my next vet appt. in about three weeks? Patches has been on inhaler for 1 week. The only other thing in her system is the pred. shot she got earlier this month along with 1 pill 1 mg. in between puffs. (One morning, one night). So far she seems okay but once the shot totally wears off will I truely know what’s up. The shot usually only last one month anymore. Thanks!
That’s a tough one, I’d ask the Feline Asthma Inhaled Meds group on Yahoo that question. You’re right, you can’t really know what she needs until the shot wears off. But I would say safer to start and 225 and see if you can pull back. That’s safer than not giving enough. How much was she coughing before? Is she still getting prednisone in pill form? I hope I read that wrong and she isn’t.
Hello! I will ask the Feline Asthma Group. I do have a vet appt. in a couple of weeks so they can see how she’s doing. The shot should have worn off by then since they only seem to last a month with her. The vet said in the beginning if I felt she wasn’t getting enough from the inhaler I could give her the pred. pill up to 5 mg. a day. Since she had the shot I wondered so I did give he only 1 mg the past few days. Now that she seems alittle better with the inhaler do you think I should cut out that 1 pill and not give it to her or do I have to taper down not knowing how much of the shot is left in her. The month is about up for the shot. Thanks Again!
Hi…just want to says thanks for all your insight to the Aerokat. Patches now takes it like a trooper and is doing great! Thanks Again for all the helpful information!
Way to go Patches!!
Just found out my kitty has asthma and researching all the treatment options. This method seems like the safest route, but the price of the inhaler seems steep and I am leery of using online distributors. I’m curious about how long one inhaler lasts? Maybe that would make me feel better about the cost. The cost of kitty’s other medical needs is already over $100 a month (not to mention my other cats’ medical needs). She is taking hyperthyroidism medication and getting blood work every month or two (to monitor her hyperthyroidism). Thanks for your help!
Hi Kristina, I’m glad you’re looking into this option for treatment. If you get an inhaler from 3cornerspharmacy, it’s about $50 for a puffer. That’s 120 puffs. So if you find you have to give 2 puffs a day, a puffer will last 2 months at $25 a month. If you find you have to give 4 puffs a day, like I do with Charlie, it will only last 1 month @ $50/month. But try to buy a puffer at your local pharmacy and that cost will go up over $100. Good luck!!
THANK YOU!!! With that said, thank you so very much for the pharmacy info and general kitty info. Our cat Smokey was diagnosed with feline asthma, after I mentioned it as a possibility to the vet. We were prescribed two inhalers. Both flovent for everyday use and albuterol for when he has an attack. We didn’t notice much change with the flovent but the rescue inhaler seems to work during an attack. I have decide to try the flovent once again utilizing the pharmacy you suggested. SO much cheaper then the Canadian pharmacy I had used and WAY cheaper then the pharmacies here in NV. I am still going to try the 125 but up the usage per day. The vet had suggested 110 or 125 and we opted for the 125. Since we didn’t notice too much of a change I really appreciate what you said about 225 being safe. If this one more go of 125 doesn’t work too well, then I am going for the higher dosage. Luckily Smokey is okay most of the time w/out steroid pills, but with the weather getting colder I am noticing his flare ups happening more frequently. I am also considering buying a humidifier since our weather here in the desert is horribly dry. Once again THANK YOU for all of your help. Although our vet actually called me at home after she researched various pharmacies and prices (very nice and out of her way) your knowledge about the disease and the treatment has far surpassed what I have gotten elsewhere. Continued good health for your beautiful boy Charlie and I am hoping with time and patience our boy Smokey is as good a boy as Charlie when using the inhaler. THAT is a work in progress. And I have the scratch marks to prove it! 🙂
Great to hear Melissa!!! Good luck to you! And don’t fear about getting the higher dosage. I have even heard that too much is safer for them than not enough.
Hi! I just went to the 4 corners website and am confused as to the dosing of the flovent. My cat Moby has asthma and has a flovent inhaler and an albuterol rescue inhaler that I got from my vet. His flovent dose is 110mcg…on the 4 corners website it has 125 or 250…but I saw that you said you use the 220mcg…where did you get that dosage? I just want to make sure I give my guy the exact med he needs. My cat is also 20lbs so I am considering upping him to the 220mcg dose because of his size. Any info would be great! Thanks!
Hi Beth!
Sorry, I just use the two numbers interchangeably because they are basically the same. I did sometimes get the brand name to use on Charlie too. My vet also prescribed Charlie the 110, but I knew that wouldn’t be enough so I never got that dose. If I were you I’d start with the 250. He needs a kick start, and too much won’t hurt him. Too little might, however!
Hi Beth. I just want to say thank you for all the advice. Like you, it took us years to realize our cat Puppy was asthmatic. Always ascribed it to “difficulty coughing up furballs.” And we too found that our vet does not seem to know a lot about asthmatic cats. Worse, Puppy went into a panic attack when he went in for the appointment to investigate his very brief and infrequent spells of labored breathing, and the vet jus assumed he was ALWAYS in such a distressed state. I have had a very difficult time convincing our vet to please trust what we tell him about Puppy’s daily behavior, to please understand that we LIVE with this cat, not him, so we know what’s “normal” and what isn’t. He also does not want to hear anything about our online research, research which has proven invaluable to us, from the first I heard “it could be asthma” — and then found so many online videos of cats having asthma attacks. A “Eureka” moment, but we felt terrible that for years we thought it was merely furballs and were not treating Puppy as we should have. Our vet knew of this “furball” issue, yet never once suggested it could be asthma. Now we understand the difference, and that is thanks to sites like yours, not thanks to our vet. We now have to start Puppy on Flovent. And find another vet. Some vets just really do not understand cats, and that no cat acts normally when visiting the vet. I came to your site just to double check the prescribed dosage, and discovered so much more information. Thank you, I’m sure I’ll be back!
That’s great Johanna, that you are getting everything on track. Just goes to show that while we do need vets, they just don’t always know everything. How many times have you had to look up an answer to something you once knew by heart in a book or something? Happens to us all the time, yet we never see vets do it. They don’t always have all the answers, and some of them get very insulted if they feel you are trying to “do their job” for them. When I suspect something, I think my vet usually welcomes it because he knows I will OK extra testing above the norm….so he makes more money!
Anyway, not sure if you meant your comment for me (I’m the blog owner, and my name is Leigh), but thank you for sharing your story!!! Good luck to Puppy!
Hi have read all the posts with much interest. We have just acquired a cat who has been living outside for several years & now the neighbours old cat & dog have sadly gone he has been living in the garden. After feeding him for a few days he used to stare in through the window. Couldn’t take the sad look for long and he has now moved in & totally taken over the house! He has a very bad cough. Coughs at least 4 times a day, mainly at night. No sign of fur balls, just a wheezy dry cough that upsets us more than him. Checked out YouTube and it does seem he has asthma. Do you think I should go ahead with the Flovent? It’s just money is very tight & just a visit to the vets would pay for a Flovent? Would it be bad to not go to the vets for a proper diagnosis?
I understand Amanda 🙁 It’s just that it COULD be other things, and if you have to wait for the flovent to arrive, the vet could start you on a steroid pill to take care of the coughing while you wait. An xray can confirm asthma. Good luck!!!
Thank you for time, I will take him to the vet
Hello! I just wanted to say thanks for the Webpage, the video,… everything, really. We’ve discovered that our male kitten (Charlie!) has feline asthma. I’ve ordered the AeroKat (after TONS of hours of research! LOL) and right now I’m waiting for the Flovent to arrive via mail. My vet has prescribed Albuterol (liquid form) as well as the Ventolin puffer. However, the albuterol doesn’t seem to be doing anything, in terms of controlling the cough. The puffer, from what I understand is just a reliever puffer, in that it’ll make the animal feel better during an asthma attack, but not for more than a few hours (IE) nothing long term. If anyone out there any information re: what else I can do, if anything, to help the little guy, I’d surely appreciate it a whole lot! Thank you again for all the information… and (your) Charlie looked like a Prince, proper! Thanks!
Hi! I’m glad you found the site helpful. You’re right…both Albuterol and Ventolin are for actual asthma attacks. They are for rescue. The Flovent is a steroid, and it is for prevention. There’s more info on albuterol here: http://www.fritzthebrave.com/meds/inhaled.html You doctor should have given you a prednisone pill to use just until the Flovent comes. Maybe there is a reason he didn’t want the cat on a steroid pill. You said it’s a “kitten,” so I’m not sure what that reason would be. If you still have over a week to go waiting for the Flovent, maybe ask your vet for prednisolone. That should start controlling the cough on day one or two. Then wean the cat off of it when you start daily Flovent. Good luck to your Charlie!!!
Hey – Thanks again! I’ve been on the horn with the vet’s office today and they’re going to add a liquid form of prednisone (?) to his medication, I think. And I’m sorry re: the ‘kitten’ reference. Charlie and his sister are both 2 years old and will be 3 in June of this year. I keep thinking of them as kittens, I suppose! Augh!
Anyhow, the vet doesn’t seem to want the cat on a steroid pill/injection because he is worried about long-term side effects. But weaning him off of it once the Flovent becomes available should be okay, I’d think. I’ll talk more with him and find out what my options are. Again, thanks for all the useful information and the support! I’ll come back to post more re: what is happening with our boy!
That’s exactly right…you don’t want Charlie on steroids long-term. I just mentioned putting him on them for now, until the Flovent comes, to get him out of danger. That is exactly what my vet did for my cat. The old treatment (that some vets still do) is keeping the cat on prednisone/prednisolone long term just for the asthma. That is not really cool. But short term is fine! Good luck! Hopefully your Charlie will be a champ with the spacer like mine was 🙂
Hi Leigh:
Just wanted to log in an update.
First up, for anyone that is still on the fence about it, the AeroKat spacer is a GREAT tool to have when dealing with an asthmatic kitty! It is made things a whole lot easier than the ‘bag over the head’ trick that I was asked to do. Also, it is a tad cheaper to order it through your vet (they’ve a physician’s discount or some such.)
As for Charlie, he HAS taken to the spacer better than expected. The whole “I’ll give you a treat when this is done” is a fantastic trick! And thank YOU for that as well! So, at the moment ‘we’ last for about 10-15 breaths before wanting ‘out.’
As for the not so good news: I’m STILL waiting on the vet’s office to get us the prescription. I was informed that they’ll get it out to me today but we’ll see… With the holidays last week, I guess everything has slowed down a bit.
I’ll post another update in the coming weeks. Thanks again for all the help!
Hi! Thanks for all the information that you have put up here and on the web about Aerokat and Feline Asthma. My cat has had asthma for 2 years. I have ordered my Aerokat today, after my vet suggested it. I also wanted to share, that I use homeopathy for her Asthma. It has reduced her asthma quite a bit (but she still has attacks, especially when the weather changes, and I use prednisone for those times). The homeopathy I use is Aconite and Pulsatilla. And it has significantly reduced her Asthma. Before, she had severe asthma attacks daily when she was not on a steroid (either a shot or prednisone). Now, she has mild ones about 2/month.
Again, thanks for all the information. It really was helpful!
Hi I have a cat named Bonnie,she has a coughing and wheezing sound she makes,and when she is coughing she shakes her head.She sounds like she is having trouble breathing,when she makes these sounds.Other times when she is just laying there,and she makes no sounds,she seems okay. If the dog comes up to her,she gets real nervous,then starts to make the coughing,wheezing sound again.When we took her to the vet,he said she might have a touch of asthma.He said keep a watch of it,it’s hard to tell if that’s what she has.There are no signs of hairballs either.Sometimes when she grooms herself,their is some hair by her mouth.She lays around a lot,and when she sits her breathing is fine.
Sondra, does Bonnie’s tummy move out when she breathes? On Charlie, you could see that he has to use his stomach muscles to push air out on an exhale. That meant it was difficult for him to breathe out, which is what asthma can cause. It’s a very uncomfortable problem for them. I hope you’ll look into treatment with the Aerokat.
I have a question for you. You said that the dosage that was given was not enough for most cats. Was that related to the size of you cat?
That is the amount that my vet has prescribed for Isabella. She only weighs in at 8 lbs 3 oz. Since my pharmacy sells the inhaler for $198 I am looking at 4 corners to order it. Did you feel they supplied quality product?
I think I will order the 110/125 for now. but would love to know what you found out.
Nancy
Sorry Nancy, I was out for a week on vacation!!!
No, the dosage was insufficient not due to size, but due to the severity of his asthma. Yes, the product from 4 Corners is great, it just is generic so it has no counter, so you have to keep track of how many puffs you give daily.
I have read many times that the higher dosage of puffers isn’t dangerous, but too low a dosage can be.
Hi,
I wanted to say thank you for all the info you share on your site. I got tired of dosing my Toronto with pred and felt there must be a better way (he was always hungry and gained a lot of weight). I googled feline asthma and found your site with all your recommendations of FAIM, 4corners, and Aerokat. I followed up with all of them and Toronto has now been puffing for 1 week and seems to be doing great with all of it. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge and recommendations.
Julie, that is so awesome!!! Thank you for letting me know that! I’m so happy for you and your kitty!
hello my kitty tiger lilly is 12 years old and for the past few months she has been coughing and wheezing and we took her to the vets and had chest x rays done and they saw a ‘mass’ but couldnt take a sample of it to see if it was cancer. So they suggested we have surgery on her lungs and remove it without even knowing what it is in the first place.. at her age I dont want to out her under at such high risks and pain for her. But i didn’t ask if she could have asthma, someone above mentioned ‘donut circles’ in the lungs means asthma.. so could this be asthma for tiger?
where can i get an aerokat chamber ASAP? would it be safe to give it to my kitty even if the vet hasn’t diagnosed her with asthma? please i hope someone answers, she is becoming tired of coughing and she doesn’t seem happy lately, and i love her so much i just wanna help her. If anyone could message me at tinapopescu_8@hotmail.com that would be so appreciated. Thanks.
Tina, I’m sorry about your kitty. I am not a vet, but I would think your vet could easily see the difference between the donut circles and a mass. Did your vet suggest a steroid pill? I honestly don’t know if administering steroids via a puffer into the lung would help with a mass or not. You should ask your vet about that. I don’t think it would hurt, but I can’t say if it would help.
thank you. my kitty has developed asthma and the vet has recommended this. you made me feel a lot more comfortable about it all. thank you!
Aw Jerriann, thank you for telling me that! Good luck to you guys!!
this website helped me out so much! Just wanted to thank you! We have a Charlie also and just go the aerokat for him. Do you keep doing the flovent every day even if they arent coughing?
Hello Mara! Good for you and Charlie! Yes, you keep giving Flovent every day. It is a preventative and it takes time to build up in their system. It isn’t a relief puffer like Albuterol and Ventolin are.
Leigh, thank you so much for your informative website and posts. It is helping me and my little Siamese, Nikki, through a tough battle with asthma. He’s barely 2 years old but has had tons of medical problems including IBS, food allergies and now, asthma. My vet was giving him a once-a-month shot of depomedrol, which you must know is a strong steroid and dangerous over long periods. We tried prednisone pills before that, but it had absolutely no effect. Then, just two weeks before I had to go in for lung surgery myself, my vet closed his shop without notice! I did not have the money to go to a new vet since they all insisted on putting Nikki through all the same tests and examinations over again for hundreds of dollars and I can’t do that right now.
Finally I found your site and have joined the FAIM yahoo group. I ordered Aerokat, some homeopathic pills and managed to get my vet to write one more Rx for depomedrol just in case nothing else works. I’m still in the process of getting him used to the aerokat mask which he continues to resist but am waiting until his breathing and coughing issues return to try a dose. I’m hoping he will allow me to get him 10 puffs of 250m and that it will at last do the trick without needing steroids. He’s so tiny, barely 7 lbs, I don’t want to risk him being on steroids any longer. Sorry to be so lengthy, but wanted you to know your site has been of inestimable help for me and the little guy.
Just wanted to say I am sorry to hear of Charlie’s passing. I posted back in November of 2011 and just came back to get the name of the pharmacy you recommended to do an inhaler reorder. I thank you again for all your knowledge and help and I thank Charlie for being such an inspiration for all of those other kitties out there battling asthma. Thank you Charlie and R.I.P. brave man.
After writing about my Tiger a staff worker at an assisted living home told me to stop using Fabreeze
Amazingly he has stopped having difficulties! I am thrilled
I have a happy cat. I hope this helps someone else!!
After writing about my Tiger a staff worker at an assisted living home told me to stop using Fabreeze
Amazingly he has stopped having difficulties! I am thrilled
I have a happy cat. I hope this helps someone else!!
Yes thank you Jerriann! Anyone with a pet with asthma or allergies (even skin allergies and ear infections) needs to take stock of what they use in the home. No Febreeze, scented/dusty cat litter, air fresheners or harsh chemicals should be used. Clean with vinegar, keep the home dusted and vacuumed, and find cleaning products that have natural ingredients in them.
I used to love Febreeze when Charlie was young, I used it a lot. I have a suspicion that that not only contributed to his asthma, but it may have contributed to the liver disease that took both him and my other cat away from me. We forget that they sleep with their noses right on the surface of our floors and furniture, breathing in whatever is there.
My cat Bronx was diagnosed yesterday with asthma and he will be taking Albuterol with the Aerokat chamber. Has anyone used Albuterol ?? and I am being told it is cheaper at a pharmacy than to order it on line.
Lisa, Albuterol is an emergency treatment for asthma ATTACKS. It does not treat asthma. Albuterol is the same thing as Ventolin. They are bronchodilators. It is really not correct to give these medicines daily, unless in conjunction with a corticosteroid. As for price, 4cornerspharmacy.com sells them for about $12 a chamber. Compare that with your pharmacy and online. Please read this article to find out more about the difference between Albuterol and medicine like Flovent: http://suite101.com/article/treating-feline-asthma-with-the-aerokat-inhaler-a203244
First of all, thank you so much for the information. It has made helping my cat liv comfortably so much easier. I have been giving her treatment for about 8 months mow and have been giving her flixotide 250 mcg once every couple days and it has worked wonders. She has gone months without and attack.
The vet-originally prescribed 2 puffs twice a day and my cat started vomiting regularly and i since have taken her down to one puff every two days and she now typically vomits the day after i administer the inhaler. Ideally i would like her to be able to breath and not get sick. Has.anyone had an experience like this or have any advice? I didn’t jot see this as a side affect on any of the informational sites I could find .I appreciate any input in advance.
Matt, that is indeed odd, I’ve never heard of that before. Maybe it’s a coincidence and the cat is just allergic to its food? Or, are you not wiping her face after the puffs and she is licking off the residue?
I am thrilled that I found this site! I have had about enough with my vet. My Russian Blue has had asthma most of her life, she is 9 now. She has been on 5 mg of prednisone for about 7 years with no serious side effects. But over the last 3 years or so, my vet refuses to renew her presciption without routine exams, bloodwork and xrays. I have put up with this because I want her to be healthy and she is, but its gotten out of hand and very expensive. I have on several occasions asked about flovent and ventolin, but it has been dismissed everytime for one reason or another. Now im certain that she was on prednisone only as a cash grab opportunity. Can you please offer some dosage advice??? Thanks
Actually it’s not a bad idea for your vet to be doing the routine exams, bloodwork and xrays. I have bloodwork done on my pets once a year when they get older because that helps keep an eye on things that aren’t visible! Your vet knows that long-term prednisone is not exactly safe. Are you sure your cat isn’t overweight? 7 years is a long time to be on prednisone. My vet tried to dismiss flovent too, but you don’t need a prescription to start your cat on it. My vet didn’t think my cat would let me do the mask, but we went slow and steady and we won the race 🙂
As for dosage, more is always better than not enough. As I said in the article, I gave Charlie two puffs (220 mcg each) of Flovent per day, even though my vet prescribed half that. His asthma was too severe for the smaller dosage. You should get the 220 and see what happens, if you need two or four puffs a day. Wean off the prednisone slowly after starting the Flovent. Good luck!
Thank you so much for this site! My cat, Valentino, was recently diagnosed with asthma and I have taken most of my recommendations from this site. Your recommendation for 4 corners pharmacy is a goldmine. His meds just came in today so I will start puffing him tomorrow. While awaiting his meds to arrive, I have tried to positively reinforce the AeroKat so hopefully it will be a smooth transition. I am a little confused on the dosage and see that you give a larger dosage than I anticipated. How did you discover the best dosage for Charlie? Have you noticed side effects? Also, do you have an albuterol inhaler that you use for coughing attacks? I have one that I have used while awaiting his inhaler to arrive (in addition to the prednisone), but I’m hoping I can manage his coughing with just the flixitide. Thank you so much!
Hi Kerisa, awesome!!! I think I got the correct dosage through the Yahoo Feline Asthma Inhaled Meds group (FAIM) and trial and error. When I tried lowering it, he coughed more, and they say giving more is way better than not giving enough because it’s safe. No, I saw no side effects and I wiped his muzzle after each session to make sure he didn’t lose any fur around it. Yes, I did have an albuterol but I hardly ever had to use it. Good luck!!!
Thank you for your response. I have just started using the inhaler and am tapering off the prednisone while increasing the use of the inhaler. Valentino has been coughing a bit more (usually in the middle of the night). I read that it may take 7-14 days for the inhaler to build up enough to be effective. Did you find this with Charlie as well (that he coughed more duriing the transition)? Also, Valentino’s coughing spells usually lasst 30 seconds to 1 minute so by the time I can get the Albuterol, he is done coughing. Do I still administer the albuterol or just leave it be? I have not been giving it at this point. Thank you so much. You have been the only person I can ask these question to. My vet is very supportive, but not very knowledgable…. Thanks!
Hi Kerisa. No, Charlie did not cough during the transition because I didn’t begin tapering off the prednisone until he’d been on the inhaler for a week. Make sure you are giving two puffs am and two pm for now. And yes, even if he is done coughing still give the Albuterol because after the coughing spell he still has a tightness in his chest that is uncomfortable to him. The albuterol will relax that and make him feel better 🙂
Great! Thank you!
Just started my guy on the Aerokat. The instructions say 6-7 breaths. He was a bit freaked and took those breaths rather quickly. How many breaths should he take or is the 6-7 okay?
It’s ok if he takes them fast. Hopefully he’ll learn not to be nervous. I used to hold it there for 10 I think just to be safe 🙂
I’ve looked at so many youtubes and websites and see from 5 breaths to 15. I wanted to give him the right amount.
It took a couple different vets to know what was wrong with my Siamese boy cat Sin sin. I took him in when i thought he was dying and almost turning blue! Finally this vet told me he had bronchitis and that was a severe asthma attack. so she prescribed 1ml of Prednisone and 2 puffs of albuterol …twice a day….for 30 days….after two weeks he was better and i scaled it back tremendously. Now i give him .05 ml of prednisone a day and two puffs after his attacks. should I be giving him the puffs while he is experiencing the attack?
He is only 3 and for the past few days he seems with very little energy and is having attacks a couple times a day….last night and this morning and after attacks he thew up all his food. Not sure how to help my little guy. Thanks in advance for your help.
Please remember albuterol is only for emergencies. It relieves attacks, it does not treat or prevent attacks! You should get him on Flovent and gradually off the Prednisone. Yes you should try to administer the puffs as soon as you can, even if coughing.
Hello, My cat was diagnosed with Asthma about a year ago. After using intervenous steroids for a couple months her health started to deteriorate and I started giving her flovent with the aerokat. It was amazing for the first couple months, however, she then started to vomit the same day or the following day after I would give her a treatment. I now only give her a treatment once during the day every three days or so (when she sounds raspy) which always leads to her getting sick and vomitting(not immediately but within hours, sometimes the following day). I do not see this listed as a side effect and could not find any information about why this is happening. I am wondering if anyone has experienced this or can give me any suggestions. She is about 9 years old. Thank you.
I am sorry, I can honestly say I have never heard of that as a side effect. I’m also confused because you said, “then started to vomit the same day or the following day after I would give her a treatment.” But weren’t you treating her every day?
I apologize if I was unclear. When I initially started treating her, it was twice a day like most people including my vet suggested. Once she started vomitting regularly, I slowed it down to every other day and now administer it every three days. When I slowed down to every other day, I noticed a drastic improvement with her not getting sick as much, but it seems to be catching up to her again and she is now getting sick everytime a treatment is administered. I only treat her once every three days, on the treatment day only one treatment is given. I ordered it from 4 corners pharmacy as recommended in many blogs to save money, but am wondering if I may have gotten a “bad batch” if there is such a thing.
Might be a silly question, but do you rinse out the mask after every use and wash out the chamber once a week?
I usually only clean the mask every couple of weeks by soaking it in water. Do you think this might be the culprit? Thank you again for taking the time to answer my questions, I really appreciate it.
I rinse the mask out every time with water until it squeaked. Not once a day, but every time. The chamber gets build-up on it. About once a week I disassemble, soak all the parts in soapy water, then wipe them all with a rag to remove the build-up and rinse. No way to know if this is your culprit but maybe give it a try 🙂
I dunno, seemed like a lot of money. I have a cat with asthma and I have searched for solutions to his problem. I have very slight asthma and my Doctor tossed me an inhaler as a gift. it seem the steroid used is fine for cats so I just clamped my device into the end of a toilet paper tube so that end is tight.
I just get my boy on my lap and put the device (tube and clamped inhaler) against my leg and give it 2 shots, he does not like it shot in his face of course, and put it gently over his muzzle. He is fine with this after only a bit of discomfort for the first 3 or 4 times we have done this.
Makes a huge difference. He was having attacks maybe 2 or 3 times an hour and now he goes for 6 – 8 hours without an attack.
I like the Aerokat because it keeps the medicine in the chamber between breaths and has a flap so you can count breaths and make sure they are actually breathing in. I don’t know how long you’ve been doing this but hopefully you can get to the point where there are weeks between attacks.
Hey,
For the benefit of those who will be following, we found something that worked for dogs and according to the water coach, this also works with cats. It was too late for our cat, TC. As we have switched to holistic health for our selves, we wanted to know if there was any option for cats and found this.
It is called the water cures protocol. On the website, http://www.watercures.org/asthma-in-dogs.html
Thanks for the wonderful explanations and for the comment section–reading what others are going through is helpful. We have our cat on flovent (prescribed by our Vet) for 10 months and our Siamese girl is breathing fine. We need to use the inhaler twice a day, once didn’t work. It solved her asthma. It also solved her allergies; she no longer creates “hot spots”. However, during this time she has lost slightly over 1 lb in weight. Does anyone else have this problem? She eats regularly but not as much as she needs. Best regards, -J
I have a 9.5 year old cat named Honey who was diagnosed with Asthma 6 months ago. I didn’t have any trouble getting her to use the Aerokat. I think after the first couple of times she realized how much better she felt. Now her brother (litter mate) Moo has also been diagnosed with asthma. I tried putting the mask on his face just like I did his sister and he hates it and is now afraid of me and the mask. I’ve been watching videos of how to train your cat to accept the mask, which I will start right away. Moo’s meow has changed a lot in the past month since I noticed his first cough. His voice is very hoarse. I’m wondering if anyone else has experienced this issue. I didn’t notice it with Honey, so it has got me worried. My vet heard a noise in Moo’s throat, but his lungs sounded pretty clear. Xrays did not show anything abnormal in the throat area, but did show a “whispyness” in his lungs. The vet thought we should do a scope view down Moo’s throat to make sure we aren’t missing anything, but I’m very worried about Moo being put under for this procedure with him having asthma. Any advise would be greatly appreciated, my cats are my babies and I want to do the right thing.
I did notice Charlie’s voice was different yes. I wouldn’t worry about that for now and just focus on getting him OK with the mask, poor thing. Back to square one and move slowly. Good luck!!
I have a beautiful black cat who will be 17 in June of 2015 my sweet Darling. She has had asthma for about five years it is relatively mild and is worse in the winter. I recently have started using a humidifier which helps but isn’t enough. She has been getting steroid shots a few times a year and now the vet has switched her to the prednisone pills. I was concerned about the side effects and through my research learned that inhaled corticosteroids and bronchodialators are a safer route to take. I never would have found out about this without doing my own research since it was never even brought up as an option by my vet. She said I could try the inhaled corticosteroid and albuterol but that when using the aerokat mask there is a great risk of severe dermatitis that will cause oozing sores. I have found nothing in my research to suggest this but it is still a concern because I am trying to improve my Darling’s life not make it worse with open sores. I have dealt with a few situations with my other cats that have made me realize that while knowledgeable vets don’t know everything. So I am looking to those who have had experience with this product for insight. Did Charlie ever suffer any dermatitis around the mouth and nose due to the aero at, or have you heard of this from anyone else using the aerokat? Any advice and insight is appreciated.
Yes, that is a very common concern. Charlie never suffered from that because I always wiped off his face with a wet paper towel after every session. I was careful never to use the same spot of the paper towel on a different area of his face so that I was not spreading around the residue. I would turn the paper towel around when I moved to the other side of his face. You can see this in this video of me and Charlie: http://youtu.be/Xxbj_CW5wCE
Thank you so much for the insight. Wiping her face would be no problem at all. The vet just made it sound like a certainty that she would develop severe dermatitis because of this course of treatment and it scared me. The vet thought she had diabetes earlier this year due to the steroid injection, luckily she doesn’t but if inhaled corticosteroids are less of a risk I definitely would like to try them. Thank you so much for the wealth of information you have shared from how to get the cat used to the device to dosing and beyond. It makes me more confident about this course of treatment. I read that Charlie has since passed, I’m sorry for your loss but thank you again for continuing to share your experience with all of us who are just beginners. You are a blessing for sure.
Thank you for all your information, this is one of the main sites I looked at before going the Aerokat route with my 8-year old male cat, Nicki.
I’m in a small Canadian city, vets here don’t seem to have experience with feline asthma, and Nicki went undiagnosed since he was adopted at 6 months of age till last winter, when things had progressed (and I had a new vet, my third vet clinic). X-rays showed the classic halos and he was put on Prednisolone. No mention of the Aerokat–I opted to go that route this fall, approached the vet about it. Took 33 days of practice (and even now, with lots of treats and praise, he still resists) and now he’s been on Flovent for 16 days, 125 mcg (in Canada, which is 110 mcg in the US) twice a day. I weaned him off the Pred too quickly and he’s been having several asthma attacks daily now. It’s like he’s not on any medication at all.
I checked in with our vet this morning and we’re going to try two puffs (so 250 mcg Canadian dose) twice a day. If that works he’ll give me a new prescription. His new vet text also mentioned a new inhaled med that combines a bronchial dialator with the steroid, though he wasn’t sure if it would be available to us here.
I wanted to ask if you are aware of Flovent taking longer than the generally accepted two weeks to take effect. I’m not putting him back on Pred now that he’s off it, he was on it for 8 months. (That’s the accepted treatment at the vet clinic; again, I was NOT encouraged to try the Aerokat).
Also, I find the small mask a bit large for him, am wondering if you have any suggestions.
I am aware of the Yahoo groups but haven’t joined (had joined a couple of feline health groups in the past for other cats with other health issues). I am easily overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information and suggestions. (For example, I’ve had people telling me one cat was in renal failure at 3 years old and by blood test results alone; turned out it was no such thing at all. I had another cat “diagnosed” with pancreatitis, when he was constipated from a change in food and which was remedied, years ago, by a baby enema and a switch back to his regular food. So no, I really don’t want to join another group.)
Thank you again for all this information, it’s a godsend for many of us out here in cyber space, as you no doubt now.
My best regards to you and your family, two-legged and four-legged, and a very happy New Year.
Kim
one of the most common sayings in the feline asthma world was “too little is worse than too much” when it comes to puffs. The vets here don’t know anything about aerokat generally either. I was not encouraged to try it, in fact I was discouraged. I was then prescribed the same small dose as you were. That was not enough for my cat. I had to go with the 250, two puffs twice a day forever (4 puffs total). Once in a while he would get 250 three puffs a day, but that was as low as I could go to keep him from coughing. Once you double the dose you should see improvement in a week or two. Let me know!!
Leigh,
I’m amazed at your quick response, and very much appreciate it. I’ll certainly post back, I hope with good results. I was concerned about over-dosing.
Nicki and I have come this far, and it’s taken so long to get to this point, that I’m certainly not giving up now. Mind you, he certainly won’t be impressed at having to endure 2 puffs in one go! If it works for him, I’d much rather have a prescription for 250 mcg in one dose — easier for us both.
Thank you again,
Best,
Kim
Leigh, a quick comment you and to anyone else who might come along after me and read this: Yes, you are correct re: keeping the cat on Prednisolone (if already on it) at full dose. I know I said yesterday I didn’t want to put Nicki back on it, but his coughing has been SO bad that I decided I had to start giving it to him again for the 2 weeks+ until the higher dose kicks in fully. A woman I know who is severely (life and death) asthmatic told me to keep Nicki on the Pred till the Flovent kicked in, but I was so desperate to get him off (the Pred) that I didn’t listen.
So to anyone else: Please DO keep your cat on his/her normal Pred dose for at least 2 weeks, while the Flovent kicks in, and only then taper. And if you have a severely asthmatic cat, definitely start at a higher Flovent dose, not the 125 mcg (110 mcg) that I was given (as was Leigh).
What a roller coaster!
Best regards and happy new year. I hope to have a good update on Nicki in 2 – 3 weeks (won’t know till he’s off the Pred again!).
Kim
What a terrific resource!
Thank you for sharing your experiences and knowledge.
I have a 16 yr.old IBD kitty named Morris. He’s a big ‘ol mush! Just recently, he has been given the dx of asthma.
This poor cat needs his own plastic bubble to live in… he’s allergic to everything. He was perfectly fine until Superstorm Sandy. The trauma of the entire event seems to have kicked his entire kitty body into inflammation overload.
First, a corneal ulcer combined with a respiratory infection. Then, polyps on his throat that were causing him to gulp and gag. Once we got him over all of that, he starting uncontrollable vomitting and diarrhea and went from 19 pounds to 8. That’s when we got the IBD dx. So, months of pills, slow and gentle tapering, he settled nicely to low doses of maintenance meds that he has to take every day for the rest of his life.
Prednisone is a HUGE no-no for MoMo- or any cat predisposed corneal ulcers and conjunctivitis. It triggers them. Luckily, we were able to slam him with a few days of it, and transitioned him to Budesonide, which effect the digestive system and pretty much leaves eyes alone.
Pepcid and Zyrtec.
(especially Zyrtec- that is a MIRACLE drug) I buy the plain generic 10 mg OTC and cut them into fourths. It really helps the belly in kitty’s with inflammatory bowel disease.
ANYWAY… he’s has always had episodes of coughing and wheezing. His entire life- he assumes “praying position” hunkered down on the floor and it sounds like a snotty lung hairball. That never comes out. Finally, one day I noticed he was coughing way more than usual, and his lungs actually sounded super crunchy with congestion. Took him to vet and got a film taken…. you know the rest.
Asthma. So, once again, I am being schooled.
It’s been 2 weeks since the dx, which given his allergic sensitivity to EARTH itself
(haha) and my goal is to get him back on his Budesonide for his tummy, and inhaled meds for his lungs.
We have at least a month of careful medication management. Right now he is on Pred, Zyrtec, Pepcid, and Terbutaline. One fourth of a tablet of each med at night.
I am feeling hopeful- especially after finding this site! Thank you and headbonks to all…. =^..^=
Wow! Poor kitty. Kudos to you for holding his paw through life! Have you looked into raw feeding for the IBD? I talk about that a lot in this blog too. It was the miracle cure for my other boy, Oscar.
I adopted my cat Arielle a little over a year ago. The shelter never made me aware that she had feline asthma and I was so nervous thinking that I might not be able to afford her chronic condition. Through extensive research and reading blog after blog, I found CanadaDrugs.com and was able to get 360 doses of Flovent for $62 with a $25 coupon off my first order, which they still offer! The customer service is great -and- they call my vet for refills. Arielle has an attack once in a while, however, it’s nothing like it was before. I’m so happy it worked for her and she didn’t fight the AeroKat. She just lets me place the device over her face and I think she knows it helps her breathe now.
Hello Leigh and everyone else whose kitties are suffering from asthma,
Just like many others my adopted cat Maya has been suffering from asthma for at least two years. She would have coughing attacks once in a while and we too dismissed it as her trying to get rid of hair balls, until 2 1/2 weeks ago she began doing it non stop all day long followed by panting with open mouth with her sides extending very noticeably.
I took her to the vet, mind you I live in Sicily, Italy, and here vets are even less knowledgeable than in the States or Canada. I explained the history, showed him videos of the cat in distress etc. Without offering to do x-rays or blood work or any type of testing the vet said that she might have infection and gave me amoxicillin antibiotic together with some anti-inflammatory drugs that were very expensive. After giving it to Maya I noticed that her attacks worsen, in fact, she was breathing with open mouth, extending her sides to the fullest, I really thought she’s going to die. I gave these meds to her for 1 1/2 days and then stopped, she felt better. On the third day I took her back to the vet, explaining everything and stressing that it seemed that the meds have worsened her situation. The vet told me that it was IMPOSSIBLE but offered to do an x-ray where I’m sure he saw it was asthma but really couldn’t explain anything besides saying that there is some liquids and blah, blah. He mentioned asthma but very briefly, mostly trying to tell me it could be lungworms or heartworms and how difficult it is for them to detect it, but right away gave her a corticosteroid shot, prescribed one week treatment of prednisone, and told me to continue with antibiotic. Also, when I asked if doing blood work, fecal sample or something like that could help detect what’s wrong he said that it won’t help to detect anything.
Well, after I gave her antibiotic she began having a severe attack again for about 12 hours to the point that I though she is going to die.
Needless to say I’m afraid of taking my cat to this clinic again and it is very difficult to find a good vet or even a doctor here. And of course, they don’t want to hear about your research or anything of that sort.
She’s been on prednisone for 3 days with 1/2 pill twice a day, each pill is 5 mg, then 3 day on 1/2 pill once a day. As soon as I took her off she began having coughing and breathing problems so for the past 4 days I’ve been given her 1/2 pill a day however today this dose didn’t really help her.
After reading all of the info on this site, as well as all comments, as well as checking other recommended sites I’ve decided to try this method. Today I was able to purchase Flovent 125mcg for 26 euros at my local pharmacy, and if I need a higher dose it is easily available and cheap. I also purchased Albuterol just in case and now I’m waiting for my pharmacist to see if he can order aerokat as well.
My question is since Maya has been on prednison for only 1 1/2 how should I wain her off of it when I start giving her Flovent? She’s been taking only 1/2 pill a day so far. Also, someone at the pharmacy said that while I wait for aerokat I can just put the inhale in the cats mouth and spray it this way. Do you think it is okay? I rather wait than stress her even more because it seems that as soon as she gets stress she has severe attack.
Sorry for such long explanation and thank you for all the info you’ve provided and all the input from other cat owners. I’ve been able to re-gain my health, and keep my other pets healthy due to all the info available to us in English as not much of it is available in other languages. In fact, when I say I research things online people here look at me like I’m some crazy lady who believes all the quacks that are online, they really don’t know how much valuable info is available on this magnificent web.
Thank you again. Lena
Lena, you are an amazing cat mom! It is possible that it could be heartworm but the worms would be old and dead and the treatment would be the same. You can try puffing the Flovent through a toilet paper tube from the medicine to the cats nose and mouth. That will also help train the cat to be ok with something over her muzzle. After a week or two of giving Flovent daily, THEN slowly wean off the prednisone. You can start giving the pill every other day for a week, then every three days for a week. I was able to order the Aerokat on my own without a vet, hopefully you can get it soon! And yes I would go with the higher dosage of Flovent. It is not dangerous.
Hello Leigh,
Thank you for your quick response, but I’ve just now seen it. This few month were tought as all of a sudden my older cat Benassi, that was only 9 year old, was diagnosed with lymphoma, got very sick quickly and we had to make the most difficult decision ever to put him to sleep. 🙁
I did get Flovent and Ventolin here in Sicily for Maya, which cost pretty cheap comparing to the States. Flovent 26 euro while ventolin only 5. I also order Aerokat to which Maya took right away, even thought she isn’t too excited about it she knows it helps her feel better. When I received it in february or beginning of March, one puff of Flovent with occasional ventolin helped her emancialy, however, lately she isn’t doing well and, in fact, I have to give her ventolin at least 4 times a day. So far, I have only been giving her 1 puff of 125 mcg flovent, and am thinking that should be increased to two puffs. Should it be with the same 10 breathes? I want to cry looking at her. Is there anything else that can be added during the season of spring? We think she might be having a reaction to all the pollen in the air plus we live in the city, not a very clean environment.
2016 brought with it a lot of health issues not only for my cats but also for my dogs, I have two of them. For the past almost 5 month I’ve been tending to their needs. 🙁 Poor things.
Thank you,
Lena
Lena, you aren’t giving enough. Get the 240 dose Flovent asap and give two puffs in the morning and two puffs at night, same 10 breaths. It is more harmful to give not enough than too much. If she improves you can try to go down to three puffs a day but stick with 4 puffs of 240 for a while.
Sorry about your other pets!
Hello Leigh,
I will do as you have recommended and we’ll update you.
Thank you,
Lena
My two yellows, Mac(13) and Cheddar(5), are my second and third cats with asthma. Their older “brother” Colby, took oral prednisalone for his asthma for almost 7 years before we lost him to complications of lymphoma. Mac’s been on Flovent for almost 5 years and Cheddar for almost 2 years. Now both boys have elevated liver enzymes that have not responded to antibiotics. Mac had both a needle and surgical liver biopsy/ exploratory in March and has shown improvement in enzyme levels having been on oral prednisalone, Ursadiol, and Cyclosporine since then. Now Cheddar shows up with elevated liver enzymes that have not responded to 2 weeks old Clavamox so he will be scheduled for a surgical liver biopsy. Mac’s entire liver was inflamed and he was diagnosed with an auto-immune hepatitis. What gives? Has anyone else suspected a connection between liver disease and Flovent?
That is interesting Marty. I will say that all 3 of my last cats and dog had liver issues when they reached their senior years. (Cheddar seems too young though!) I blamed myself for this, on all how I used to smoke occasionally when they were little, the cleaning products I used, the Febreeze I sprayed on every soft surface and pet bed, the scented cat litter, the wiping dryer sheets on my long haired cat to get rid of his static, the carpet freshening powder I used to sprinkle on my carpets before vacuuming. They were exposed to all those toxins and then licked their paws and fur. I don’t do any of those things anymore and I’m always thinking about what I’m subjecting them to. I’m not sure if it will help or if you are on to something.
I’m so thankful I found your site. Rudy was diagnosed with asthma 9 years ago and I used the Aerokat with him for approximately 2 years (Flovent and a bronchodilator). His symptoms became less and less and I was able to stop treatment. Until March of this year when his symptoms came back with a vengeance. I have a new vet now and he prescribed Flovent 125 mcg, 2 puffs, twice a day for 10 breaths which I’ve been doing. I also have to frequently use the bronchodilator as well to open the air passages. I haven’t been able to stabilize Rudy and now I suspect it’s because the Flovent dose is too low. Last week he was prescribed Prednisolone 5mg, 1/2 tablet twice a day to see if that would help with his asthma symptoms. He no longer coughs but has shallow breathing and I can hear mucous sounds when he breathes and purrs. Today is day 5 of the prednisolone and he’s so lethargic he can barely lift his head. The only thing new is the oral steroid so I’m going to taper it off because I don’t like what it’s doing and he still needs the inhaled meds. Instead, based on your suggestions I’m calling the vet and asking he prescribe Flovent 250 mcg. Does this sound like a good plan? Did you ever use the inhaled bronchodilator (salbutamol hfa) with Charlie? I worry it can lead to heart issues. Thank you so much for all the information you have shared.
I just spoke with my vet and he suggested reducing the prednisolone to 1/2 (5mg) tablet once a day. When I asked about the 250 mcg Flovent he didn’t seem to be aware of it and instead suggested giving him the 125 mcg (2 puffs) 3 times a day which I’ll do for now. I should also mention that in the past year Rudy was also diagnosed with severe food allergies. The only protein he can eat is venison which has been a challenge. He’s lost weight and “groomed” off a lot of his long hair. I wonder if there is a connection with asthma and allergies as both are inflammatory responses.
Hi Annemarie, obviously as the Flovent dosage increases the hope is the prednisolone can taper off to zero, you don’t want to do both at once. I’m sure you are wiping off his face after treating so he is not rubbing it onto his fur when grooming, which would cause irritation and hair loss. Giving too much Flovent is better than not enough. It was very rare that I even had to give Charlie the bronchodilator with the high dosage of Flovent. What type of food are you feeding? Charlie was strictly raw fed, no grains or kibble. Grains are very hard on inflammation. Good luck, you are doing so much for Rudy!
Thank you for your reply. In the short time Rudy’s dose was increased to a total of 6 puffs/day of the 125mcg, I noticed an improvement in him. The vet agreed to prescribe the 250mcg Flovent and I picked it up today at the pharmacy. Going back to 4 puffs a day will be less stressful on him and I’m very hopeful the increased dose with have a positive affect. I never would have known about using the 250mcg Flovent dose if not for your web site so thank you!
I special order Ziwipeak Venison and Rabbit canned food for Rudy. It’s from New Zealand, a grain free high quality food.
Thanks again and I’ll keep you updated.
Hi, I’m so glad I finally found your site. The vets around here have little knowledge of feline asthma, they dont even have rescue inhalers at their clinics. I was getting different advice from every clinic. I took him to three in my state before I realized that soon I was going to have to travel to a specialist to get the right advice. I found your website first. I up’ed Roux (my asthmatic cat) to a proper dosage. The vets had him on such a tiny dosage and he was having severe life threatening asthma. I’m very lucky he made it through that period! Hes been on flovent for 10 days and we are really beginning to see a difference. I have a few questions for you (and if anyone else wants to chip in with advice I’m happy to hear it too).
1. You said Charlie died of liver disease…how are you sure it wasnt the steriods causing it? I heard longtime steroid treatment in cats contributes to liver disease.
2. Roux still seems to have a lot of mucus and wetness leading up from his lungs. I kept thinking to myself…I wish there were a way for him to blow all of that clear of his airways…come to think of it I havent heard him sneeze in a very longtime. He has no secretions or anything in his nose or eyes, theyve tested for other issues besides asthma, antibiotics did nothing to help him. (Also its been a year and a half with issues…if it was a bacterial infection he wouldnt be doing well at all by now) Did anyone elses cat have “WET” asthma?? Did this go away with flovent after a while?
3. Roux sometimes seems to have problem with his mouth area (a vet has looked at it and found nothing) his breath is bad too (but hed been open mouth breathing before the flovent began setting in). Anyone elses cat have similar issues with their mouths (such as he cant get enough air to breathe so chewing his food is making him sound wet and he sometimes shakes his head while hes eating)
Thanks in advance!
I’m sorry for getting back to you late. I of course cannot be SURE that the inhaled steroids didn’t cause the liver disease, but I would have worried about that with pilled or injected steroids. I attributed it to the way he grew up. Before I knew better, I smoked, I sprayed Febreeze all all our furniture, pet beds, and carpets. I sprinkled powdered carpet freshener prior to vacuuming (he likely often walked on this and licked it off his paws and fur). I wiped my long haired cat with dryer sheets to limit his static electricity. I used air fresheners and harsh cleaning products. I used scented cat litter. I lived in rented apartments that had exterminators spray in our living space. Charlie grew up through all of that. That is a LOT of toxins to take into a tiny body. I don’t do most of those things any more, now that I know better.
I do vaguely remember the wet sound in Charlie’s lungs that I do think got better. But mostly the coughing stopped. I don’t know about the mouth issue. Does he eat any wet food? We wipe off the outside of the mouth to rid it off access steroids. Maybe he’s got some inside his mouth, although I haven’t heard of that.