Kitty coughing

maxmommy · Feb 4, 2010

My five year old cat max started coughing two days ago. I brought him to the vet today and he said his heart and lungs sounded good. He gave him a round of antibiotics and said if he does not improve then the next step is an xray. I hope that it is a cold but its awful not really knowing for sure. The vet went over everything from asthma to heart disease so I am a bit freaked out. I was also thinking it could be a hairball because he is proned to them but he usually hacks them up with out a struggle. I have been giving him hairball treatment also. I guess my question is how common is it for a cat who never leaves the house the have a cold? Any advice is appreciated. Thanks, Jenn

ondine · Feb 4, 2010

is he coughing or heaving? Hairballs usually cause that heaving/vomiting action. I heard recently that cats can get heartowrms and that can cause them to cough. Did the vet check for those?

I just went through heartworm treatment with a dog I rescued and it was horrible. I hope that's not it!

turtlesmom · Feb 4, 2010

My 10-year-old cat has had three colds, never goes outside, and is our only pet. I still can't figure it out. January 2009 she got one three days after coming home from the vet for a yearly checkup and vaccinations; the two times before that she hadn't been anywhere.

Pam

maxmommy · Feb 4, 2010

I asked the vet about heartworms and he thought it was unlikely but I might call tomorrow and see if I can have him tested just for peace of mind.

It's hard to say for sure but the cough sounds wet and when he is done with a coughing fit it seems like he swallows so I think he is coughing something up. He did not have a fever and the vet said his lungs sounded clear. Aside for the cough he seems fine eats, drinks and cuddles as normal. He really only got the first dose of antibiotics tonight since he gagged and threw up the first dose this morning. I'm keeping my fingures crossed it's only a cold and he will improve with the meds.

maxmommy · Feb 8, 2010

Well my poor boy's cough has not gotten any better with the antibiotics so tomorrow i am going to make an appointment for him to get a chest xray. I am so upset and I am fearing the worst. He is still eating and drinking as normal. He still will cuddle with me but I can tell he is not as affectionate as normal. His cough is a wet cough and seems to get worse at night. Other than the cough he does not have any other symptoms, his eyes and nose are clear. I just can't belive how fast this came on, I am still hoping he has a virus and that is why the antibiotics have not helped. Please keep your fingers crossed for my kitty.

ryffian · Feb 8, 2010

Keeping my fingers crossed for you and Max! Hope it's nothing serious.

mews2much · Feb 8, 2010

My old cat Coco has a very bad cold right now and she has never left the house.
It can happen.
She has always had asthma.
The vet would have heard wheezing or something if your cat had asthma.
I hope the meds work for him.

mystik spiral · Feb 9, 2010

I hope everything turns out OK!

otto · Feb 9, 2010

Is Max pooping okay? That cough with the swallow at the end does sound kind of like a hairball cough, because sometimes most of the fur works it's way down the other way and causes problems, while some sticks in the gullet.

I guess the hairball remedy would clear any fur lingering in the throat or esophagus though, have you been using it?

I'm sorry you and Max are going through such a scary thing. Along with the heartworm test and the chest x ray, I suggest an xray showing the lower end too, to check for blockages.

Please keep us up dated on Max.

maxmommy · Feb 9, 2010

Thank you everyone for well wishes and advice. Max is going to the vet at 10:15 for his xray. He is eating and pooping as normal. I am going to ask the vet to also check for heartworms.

I don't know if it could be connected but over the summer we rescued two kittens at separate times. The second kitten came with a cough and was treated with antibiotics, he recovered quickly. The other kitten never coughed but when she was spayed at the end of Nov. the vet said they heard a little fluid in her lungs and put her on antibiotics. She also improved although she never really did cough I only noticed that when she slept she would have a wet sounding snore. This is also the same kitten I posted about that first tested positive for FIV but then tested negative after her second test. I will post when I get back from the vet, hopefully it will be good news! Thanks, Jenn

alleygirl · Feb 9, 2010

My Riley had heartworms and he is 100% indoors. He developed a cough that got progressively worse. Thankfully, he is now heartworm free and has been off his meds (presnisolone for the lung inflammation) for 2 weeks now with no return of symptoms yet.

I really recommend the heartworm test and also a fecal to test for lungworm. Neither are common, but as I found out, they can happen!

maxmommy · Feb 9, 2010

Well we are back and it did not go so well. Max went nuts for the xray and they could not get any pictures. They gave me the option to put him under but at that point he was panting and drooling like crazy so I wanted to bring him home so he could calm down. They were able to get blood and he did test negative for heartworms also FIV and Felv. The vet also thought asthma was unlikely since he had a shot of long lasting steroids last Thur and did not show any signs of improvement. The vet thought a cold was also unlikely because he does not have a runny nose or eyes only a cough. He listened to his heart and he has never had any signs of a murmur, although he said it does not rule a heart issue out. So we left it off at if I decided to do the xray I would bring him back and they would put him under for it. I feel so bad for my kitty the cough sounds awful and don't have any answers to make it better.

maxmommy · Feb 9, 2010

I forgot to say the vet gave me the meds for lungworm even though he did not test positive for it, it won't hurt to give it to him just in case.

alleygirl · Feb 9, 2010

Originally Posted by MaxMommy

Well we are back and it did not go so well. Max went nuts for the xray and they could not get any pictures. They gave me the option to put him under but at that point he was panting and drooling like crazy so I wanted to bring him home so he could calm down. They were able to get blood and he did test negative for heartworms also FIV and Felv. The vet also thought asthma was unlikely since he had a shot of long lasting steroids last Thur and did not show any signs of improvement. The vet thought a cold was also unlikely because he does not have a runny nose or eyes only a cough. He listened to his heart and he has never had any signs of a murmur, although he said it does not rule a heart issue out. So we left it off at if I decided to do the xray I would bring him back and they would put him under for it. I feel so bad for my kitty the cough sounds awful and don't have any answers to make it better.

I'm surprised they were able to do the heartworm test in-house? Even my specialist had to send off for the results. It was not something they could do with the regular blood test.

maxmommy · Feb 9, 2010

They did a snap test that they also use for fiv and felv. I just did a quick web check and it seems to not be that accurate. Now I am not sure what to do. Should I call back the vet who did the test or search for a whole new vet?

mews2much · Feb 9, 2010

I would do the xrays because they can rule alot of stuff out and you might get answers.
Sorry he acts so bad

maxmommy · Feb 9, 2010

I was surprised how upset he was he is such a laid back kitty. They took the blood first and I think that is what got him so upset, after that he was not going to cooperate. I do want to get the xray done we have a major snow storm heading our way tonight and tomorrow so hopefully Thur I can get him back to the vet and get the xray done. I don't like that they have to put him under but he needs the xray so it will have to be done.

mews2much · Feb 9, 2010

It sounds like the blood test see him off.
My Cleo,Coco and Oreo all have had chest xrays and none of them needed to be sedated.
Meeko went crazy and bit a vet and had to be given gas to get the tests.
But she hates vets.
Good Luck.

alleygirl · Feb 9, 2010

I agree with getting the x-rays when you can.

Riley's standard blood tests were fine, and they didn't hear anything abnormal with the stethoscope during his exam, but his x-rays were cloudy and showed the inflammation. X-rays can catch a lot of stuff before it is noticeable from the outside.

What is his coughing like? If you search youtube for cat asthma videos there will be several on there. Riley had the same cough with his heartworms (the heartworms caused inflammation, which caused chronic bronchial disease, so same symptoms and cough as asthma). Let us know if his coughing looks like those.

maxmommy · Feb 9, 2010

His cough is a very wet sounding cough he extends his neck and head out low to the ground when he starts coughing. I have not seen him cough anything up but he does seem to swallow when he is done. I wish they had done the xray before the blood work now I am afraid he is going to go nuts at the vet when I bring him back.

Kitty coughing

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