Cat Ailment Mystery

I have a nine year old short hair named Uncle. I have taken him to two different Vets over the course of a year with no luck.

Symptoms:

He is very underweight.
Very labored breathing.
Weakness that wanes between better and worse.

Normals:

He eats regularly.
He goes to the bathroom regularly.
He was an insider most of his life, but became an insider/outsider three or so years ago.

Tests have confirmed he does not have Feline Aids. Xrays showed cloudy sections on his lungs. The first Vet suggested it was a fungal infection in the lungs and if not treated with a long course of very expensive medication he wouldn't last long. A year later I took him to the same Vet. She concluded it wasn't fungal, because she said he wouldn't have lasted a year untreated. She prescribed a steroid and something to help him breathe better. I administered all of the medication, and he showed a little improvement overall, but his breathing didn't have any significant gains.

I hate seeing him suffer. It is hot in this part of the country and he prefers to stay outside during the day. (I think he is cold in the AC because of his low weight). If anybody has any insight on his condition I would really appreciate some advice.

Phoodieman

Have you had any bloodwork done? Could the cloudy stuff be fluid?

It could be an infection or congestive heart failure...how long has he been like this? Did either vet say anything about the size of his heart? Normal, small or large?

Originally Posted by SweetPea24

Have you had any bloodwork done? Could the cloudy stuff be fluid?

It could be an infection or congestive heart failure...how long has he been like this? Did either vet say anything about the size of his heart? Normal, small or large?

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Heart is normal. The Vet didn't say there was anything abnormal in the blood analysis. He has had this condition for over a year. The vet either didn't know or didn't tell me what the xray showed the presence of. I wanted the Vet to prescribe an antibiotic but she wouldn't. Just a steroid and medication to open up the lungs. Fungal infection is out. It would have done him in over a year ago. (According to what she says). The vets are stumped and so am I. I have two other cats and they are in good health. Seems like no body can figure this one out.

Phoodieman

Originally Posted by Phoodieman

Heart is normal. The Vet didn't say there was anything abnormal in the blood analysis. He has had this condition for over a year. The vet either didn't know or didn't tell me what the xray showed the presence of. I wanted the Vet to prescribe an antibiotic but she wouldn't. Just a steroid and medication to open up the lungs. Fungal infection is out. It would have done him in over a year ago. (According to what she says). The vets are stumped and so am I. I have two other cats and they are in good health. Seems like no body can figure this one out.

Phoodieman

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What are the medications he is on? Is one of them lasix (furosemide)?

Sounds like maybe he needs to be referred to a cardiac specialist. If the cloudy stuff is fluid, then maybe doing a thoracentesis is needed. So neither vet kbows what the cloudy stuff is?

Originally Posted by SweetPea24

What are the medications he is on? Is one of them lasix (furosemide)?

Sounds like maybe he needs to be referred to a cardiac specialist. If the cloudy stuff is fluid, then maybe doing a thoracentesis is needed. So neither vet kbows what the cloudy stuff is?

Click to expand...

I will suggest that next time I take him in.