Feline Asthma

My cat was recently diagnoed with asthma. She is 5 years old and until now never had any problems. She has stopped eating and drinking everything needs to be forced in her. Shes on medicine. Does anyone go threw this with there cat? I cant stand to see her like this, i dont know what else i can do to make her more comfortable. I want to try to get her eating and drinking again so atleast i dont need to force stuff down her, she hates that. I dont know if there anything else i can do for her or should do. Im new to all of this, i just wanna help her however i can.

Thank You

Asthma makes it very hard to breathe because the air sacs collapse when you exhale and that makes it harder to inhale and inflate the air sacs. It takes a whole lot of energy to breathe during an episode.

There is a need for extra liquids - to replace the moisture lost during the faster breathing and to help liquify the secretions.
It is not unusual to not want to eat because during an episode, you tend to mouth breathe. Liquids are easier to swallow and probably the best option.

The medications are usually a bronchodialator and a steriod. The bronchodialator opens the lungs up, but also increases the heart rate - which causes you to feel tired (as does the lack of oxygen from an asthma episode). The steriod decreases inflammation in the lungs as well as increases water retention and makes you hungry. Both types of meds can take several days to take effect and to wear off.

I hope this helps a bit.

Have you tried offering her wet food? Even at his sickest, my cat would still eat a little of the Meow Mix tubs or Friskies. Or you could try to get her appetite started back up with some boiled chicken or a little tuna water on the food? She may be having trouble smelling the food if she is having breathing issues, and cats need to smell their food to want to eat it, so the smellier the better.

I have tried the wet food. I even tried tuna fish. When she smells something she like gags, like she cant smelll food or something. I know she may not want to eat from feeling sick, but i hate having to force feed her. The vet told me to do it because shes losing to much weight and needs food inside her, shes also really dehydrated so i gotta force her 2 get liquids in her. When we were at the vet he put her right on fluids. All day she breaths very heavy and threw her mouth a lot. Right now shes asleep next to me, she doesnt usually sleep for very long. I have tried regular wet food and adding a little water to make it more liquid but she wont eat anything, she wont even smell it without it upsetting her. Giving her, her medicine is the worst she hates it and gets really upset when i give it to her. Right now ill be happy if she just starts eating again on her own, but i dont know how to do that if she cant even stand the smell of anything. Think i may have to call my vet tomorrow and see if hes got any idea's. I cant stand to see her suffer like this . I'm new to animal sicknesses, in a way. Ive always had animals never had any of them really get sick less its a cough or something only animals i had that ever got sick was my dog she got cancer, but my animals are always very healthy, but i used to work in a vets office so caring for animals is nothing new to me, although i've never had to deal with an asthma case so this part is all new to me, and it being my own animal i feel so helpless.