coughing

My cat had developed a dry cough after getting neutered.

Simple at first, then it got harder.

I looked up the synonyms in my Vet book.

They don't think that is kennel cough anymore?.

That's good.

Just a upper respiratory problem. They suggested a cough suppressant like Robitussin

I plugged in my Vicks pad warmer instead.

Nothing will 'cure' it.  Suggestions? What is better?

My Vicks warmer is working, the cough did lessen. Just checking with you guys.

Jill.

Just an upper respiratory problem?  What does that mean?  Asthma???  What do you mean "nothing will cure it"?  Does this mean there has been a definitive diagnosis? 

If the Vet recommended Robitussin (DM is what is usually given, at least that's what I glean from my internet search), why don't you want to give it?  Or, if your Vicks pad warmer is working, is is not suppressing it enough?

Is is showing any other symptoms of a cold...stuffed up or anything? 

I am using a vet book. Like I always do.

I first looked up, destemper. Dreading my find.

With nothing there. Looked up, cough. There I found all it was, was a respiratory problem.

Once I had a great vet(who retired) He said seek out the simplest of remedies first. Then you can go harder.

The simple is the Vicks plug in thingy.

The Robitussin or RobitussinDM is the more advanced.

I was just wondering if anyone had any other ideas.

Guess not.

Thank you for replying.

Go to the drugstore and get some L-Lysine tablets.  I buy the 500 mg and break it into 4.  I give them one piece in the morning, and one at night, and that's 250 mg a day.  It helps combat infections which are viral.  He could indeed have kennel cough.  It's very common in veterinary offices, in fact, our own dog caught it when he got neutered.

Please, however, take the cat to a vet.  The reason is that a cough could be a sign of things such as parasites, asthma, heart damage, and any number of upper respiratory infections.

IMHO not a good thing to diagnose with a vet book.
Please take your cat to the vet.... a cough can be a number of things, some of them very serious, and one that doesn't resolve is a red flag.
I thought my Gracie's cough was a hairball..... it was congested heart failure - and quite advanced. I would not wait, and would not be medicating a cat with human medications either.

Well from personal experience with one of my cats, it sounds to me like your cat might be having asthma.....PLEASE go see a vet, as in many cases simple puffers like albuterol or low doses prednisone can keep everything under control....if you have access to a natural vet, there are many chinese preparations available that are alternatives to puffers like flovent or other inhaled cortico-steroids!

The sooner you have it checked the better for your kitty!

pia

I am into getting meds that I can get a hold of... Fish or human. Dosage is the only trick. Of course all cats are different. I don't have any cats with too much wrong. No allergies or ailments.

Just a reoccurring respiratory problem.

I know how to sooth that without a vet.

MeuzettesMom said:

I know how to sooth that without a vet.

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Until you have a cat die on your arms with a heart attack in front of you in the middle of the night. Yep, it happens. Yep, cough is a symptom of heart disease, and you will NOT know unless you take your cat to the vet. I am not saying that this is what your cat has, but it happened to me, and I would not wish this on my worst enemy. I will NEVER take a cough lightly again. I hope you reconsider your decision of self medicating your cats.
A persistent cough in a cat is not good.

I respect your view.

MeuzettesMom, I do hope you won't mind if I ask a couple of questions regarding your issue.

First and foremost, I would really like to know how long ago it was that your baby was neutered. Also, have you ever talked to your vet about the kind of anesthesia that was used for the procedure? (If not, please do that now.)

The book I have, has this to say about coughing in cats

http://pets.webmd.com/cats/coughing-cats-causes-feline-coughing

I really want to believe your baby doesn't have a serious, life-threatening cause for the coughing.......But, on the other hand, like Carolina, I also had a baby that died of heart disease and whose only symptom was a cough......not significant enough to warrant further testing.

I'm not trying to suggest your baby has heart disease, but I do want to urge you to get in touch with your vet and don't let this go on without looking into it and finding the cause. What's going on with your baby just doesn't sound right.

I can understand why you and Carolina are so cautious, I would be too. Going through what you had.

Believe it or not his couching subsided with the Vicks smell around here. I sleep better too.

I should say, I guess you would expect me to say, I'm glad. So, if you think about available info regarding the possible causes of coughing in cats and what you believe might have caused it, what do you think was the real cause? (When I researched the issue I couldn't find anything that would fit this situation. Temporary problems causing coughing without any other symptoms, that is. That's why I suggested that you should ask your vet certain specific questions.)

I took a few kitties to a vet that uses inhalant anesthetic, and the post-op instruction sheet said that they may have some coughing due to irritation caused by the tube down their throat. So if the clinic that neutered him intubates the cats, that could have been the cause. I don't know how long that might last, but a quick call to the vet/clinic could clear that up.

Glad to hear he's feeling better anyway!

Here's another perspective - it may just be a simple upper respiratory problem. I'm with the person who says get a second opinion, especially about the heart.

My cat had asthma, ever since he was sick as a kitten. He'd get those odd trills, broken purrs before he started wheezing. It's not a problem if you're vigilant, keep the air in your home clean, and your cat active.

I also am glad that the coughing seems better. But it is always dangerous to treat cats with human or dog medicines - we have even had producers of veterinary products say as much.Dosage is not necessarily the key - meds for different species are provided in different concentrations, so you could easiily be under or over dosing without knowing. I agree with everyone who has said you should consult the vet - if it is connected to the recent surgery then he needs to know, and if it is not then it could be something serious. Members who have replied so far have been surprisingly restrained in their comments and advice, and I am sure really want to help.

I must remind you of the rules of the Forum:

1. If you suspect that your cat may be ill, please contact your vet immediately. No online advice can replace direct veterinary intervention.You are welcome to look for advice in the health forum while waiting for that appointment, but never delay proper veterinary care waiting for Internet advice.

2. Do not provide medical advice. Discussing various options is encouraged and you may share your experience including details about what kind of medication was administered and dosage. However, do not suggest to another member that they should change anything in the course of treatment prescribed by their vet without first consulting with a qualified veterinarian.

I can only add that I hope you will contact your vet at the slightest sign of any re-occurrence of the cough.

Violet said:

I should say, I guess you would expect me to say, I'm glad. So, if you think about available info regarding the possible causes of coughing in cats and what you believe might have caused it, what do you think was the real cause? (When I researched the issue I couldn't find anything that would fit this situation. Temporary problems causing coughing without any other symptoms, that is. That's why I suggested that you should ask your vet certain specific questions.)

Click to expand...

I was mostly just hashing out ideas.

Vet with knowledge would be ideal, of course.

Thank you everyone. This helped so much.