Hairballs

So I am frustrated. My cat seems to have a serious hairball problem. First, I think it is hairballs because a few weeks ago he threw up a massive hairball.  However, he has an "attack" every day and doesn't throw anything up.  He used to have relief with a laxitone type product but he suddenly has decided he doesn't like it and pretty much won't eat it.

I talked to my vet and since he just had a check up.. she is all.. *cats get hairballs* what do you want me to do about it.

I have tried

- egg yolk lichen (I give him a capsule daily and so far - probably made it worse);

- grass -- basically I am not sure he eats it.

- combing him daily to keep him from ingesting hair

- pumpkin (which just gives him the runs )

- coconut oil.

He does have SOME hair in his stools but not a ton.

Also, and I can't tell if this is related.. he seems to have a slight bit of respiratory symptoms.  When he sleeps... on occasion he has runny eyes or nose.  But I can't say it is anything to really be worried about because he often seems ok once he gets up. Also the pollen is quite bad here now.

Here is my question

1. if your cat has a hairball problem can he or she have an attack almost daily?

2. What has worked for you?

I am working on the same problem, there are several hairball threads, including mine about Obi, if you search.  What I have found helpful is to use  slippery elm bark syrup, (recent), and also to feed three small meals instead of 2.  I feed him a high quality canned cat food.  Pumpkin did not help him either.  What goes on for Obi, is that he probably has an allergy of some sort, and he is overgrooming himself, hence the increase in hairballs since last February.  You might want to observe how much your kitty is grooming.  But slippery elm seems very soothing, it goes into his food, and there is really no down side to trying it.  I too give EYL, and also a probiotic.  Its a hairy problem!             

So I came home last night determined to end the problem. I got the kittymalt and gave my cat mass doses. I combed him dry. He has no hair left. I was feeling good.. 48 hours... no attack... 

My cat goes into his litter box... uses it... runs around (as he will do after a good poop_ and crunches over in an attack. My heart sunk. That seems like Asthma.

Damn it.

On the one hand, I don't get it. He just went to the vet and literally fought against 4 humans they held him down... he didn't get an asthma attack. He runs up stairs and down and doesn't get an attack.  His blood results were utter perfection and I moved FROM a house with rug, to a house with hardwood.  So I decided the only hope was possibly the cat litter. For the last few months I have gone with the cheap litter. It was HELL a dusty. But, recently I went back to what he always has had *tidy cat*. 

ENOUGH... I went and bought dust free litter... a liner that was unscented... a new litter scoop and I washed the litter box. The box is in a bathroom which may have smells that disturb him... so if this doesn't work I will move the box to the upstairs that is all brand new and cleaned.

I have a vet appointment on Friday but I don't want to go because I know they can't always find it...

I really really hope it is the litter!

Hi,

I had a cat with asthma for ten years.  I got him when he was a kitten, a little bear of boy kitty.  At about age 2, he started coughing.  At first, like you, I thought it was hairballs or dust from the litter.  When it did not end, I spoke to a vet contact I had and she said I should take him in for an exam.

He had asthma.  It is diagnosed, as far as I still know, with radiographs - they see "doughnut" shapes o n the xrays - and blood work with high eosinphils.

I can also tell you this:  I do NOT vaccinate my cats any more.  They get their initial rabies and distemper and that is it.  I am convinced that loading up cats with 3 in one or 4 in one vaccines, year after year, confuses the immune system and causes asthma.  I have my reasons for believing this and I think it makes sense.

http://www.ehow.com/list_5864629_feline-asthma-types.html  That is one source.

I could never figure out what caused Kiku's attacks.  I used green cleaing products, did not wear street shoes in the house; and had two air cleaners.

  In cats, asthma is not like exercise indused asthma in humans; Kiku would have asthma attacks in the middle of the night when he was resting.  Asthma is treated better now, I believe, than when I had Kiku.  For one, we now now that there is a difference between prednisolone and prednisone for cats; evidently they can metabolize the predinsolone better.  Also, there are not these little inhaler/masks that get the brochodilator into the lungs so it is not always necessary to treat systemically.

Well unfortunately... moments after replacing his litter he had another attack from just sharpening up his nails on my sneakers.  Of course, this has to happen over a long weekend when I cancelled my appointment for today.   On the shots I also do everything to avoid giving him vaccines. But they force me to give the rabies. Everything else I say no.

Well I am pretty overwhelmed. I am never home. How can I care for a cat with Asthma?
 

It does seem exercise of some sort sets him off.

first you have to get the diagnosis confirmed.  may I ask you...does your cat look like he or she is having difficulty breathing after coughing?  does s/he go into a crouch and stay there for a while?  Does S/he look like the breath is coming from further back in the body?

Asthma is typically treated with bronchodilators and/or predisolone.  Some cats have seasonal asthma - in which case IF kitty has asthma, you may be able to taper drugs, and off, just like any inflammatory process.  However, I will say that before you do this, and IF you get a confimation of asthma, I would search this site to see what others are doing to treat it.

I can't tell. Right after the attack, yes. But probably is gone within 25 seconds.  The crouch almost never lasts for more than 30 seconds though, he may have the crouch spell and then do it again a minute later.  If I were to guess, it seems like it is coming from further back in the body. It almost looks like it is a GI process...  He has even throughout his life had involuntary spazaming.. so it looked like he was having the hiccups.  But it was mild.

On the case for hairballs. From a young kitty he had tons of hairballs. I once took him to the vet for throwing up and the vet told me his colon was just packed with hair. Though there was no obstruction she told me to give him the lax atone.

On the case against the hairballs... I have thought his gums seemed purplish for a while now... though the vet didn't notice anything when she checked his teeth. He is a black cat and sometimes their mouths look more dark than other kids of kittys.  He also hasn't thrown up in weeks... and has a full and healthy poop life that doesn't seem to have great amounts of hair in there.. but does have some.

I guess I will just have to find out on Friday.

A cat who is having an asthma attack will frequently extend its neck also, in an effort to allow the airways to open.       

myrnafaye said:

 
A cat who is having an asthma attack will frequently extend its neck also, in an effort to allow the airways to open.       

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There can be no doubt now.. I looked it up on You tube and that is exactly what he is doing. Also, just for my benefit. he is having them more frequently now. This morning he had one that went on for a bit, then, OMG, I tried to get him into the cat carrier to take him to the emergency vet and he was NOT going. I knew this day would come where I had an emergency and couldn't get him help because he wouldn't get into the carrier.  I have a box out now and I am hopeful that once he falls asleep I can get him into a cardboard box.

I used to have a stash of catnip but .. of course, now I can't find it and no stores are open until 12 noon.

I am sorry to hear this; that is what happened with Kiku too, he started having them more often. It could be allergy related, as everything is blooming.  But, as I said, I was never able to get to the bottom of it.  Some cats have mild, seasonal asthma.  Very few cats, I think, have it as bad as Kiku did, but of course, now we know there is a difference between predisolone and prednisone, and there are also additional ways to treat it.    Is there an emergency clinic for animals near you that could get him some radiographs, a diagnosis and some medication started, to calm his airways?

I took him to the emergency vet and he is now diagnosed. They took x-rays. They gave him oral medication to give him - I think I will start that tomorrow. It is possible he has had this since I got him and I just didn't notice. I thought it was hairballs and never questioned that he never actually got up a hairball and or... he might have gotten up a hairball and I just thought that was what it was.

They gave him something to make him loopy so I have to watch him. 

How old is your kitty?  BTW, I have asked for a separate, consiolidated thread on ASTHMA, so that it will be easier to gather and share information.

I suspect your medication there is Predisolone, probably 2.5 mg or 5 mg.  Do you know what they gave him there?

I am happy to hear you took action.  I did not want to frighten you, but an asthma attack can progress and become very serious.  As I said, many kitties just have a seasonal asthma, they get a small amount of medication, and for a brief period and are fine.  Kiku was not so lucky.  I think that when you brought your kitty in initially, thev vet should have done radiographs.  That was a no brainer.  And, if he did not do a CBC, that was another no brainer.  These things are basic in the diagnosis of asthma; when a cat coughs persistantly, and does not bring up hairballs, then it is either asthma or a cardiac problem, I believe.  Once in a while a cat will cough, non asthma related, but  a persistant cough is worrisome.  Good job in getting him in.  You did the right thing.

I was in touch throughout Kiku's life with a respiratory specialist at t he Animal Medical Center in NY.  If you are near a vet school, you might want to see if there is a respiratory specialist there.

Kiku was on pred and also a bronchodilater called terbutaline.  I dont know if that is standard treatment now.

Sorry to hear about this latest development .. Well, at least now you know. Asthma is not a life-sentence, but can be managed. It sounds like he may a mild case which will be easier to deal with I think once you can pin down the triggers.

myrnafaye said:

 
How old is your kitty?  BTW, I have asked for a separate, consiolidated thread on ASTHMA, so that it will be easier to gather and share information.

I suspect your medication there is Predisolone, probably 2.5 mg or 5 mg.  Do you know what they gave him there?

I am happy to hear you took action.  I did not want to frighten you, but an asthma attack can progress and become very serious.  As I said, many kitties just have a seasonal asthma, they get a small amount of medication, and for a brief period and are fine.  Kiku was not so lucky.  I think that when you brought your kitty in initially, thev vet should have done radiographs.  That was a no brainer.  And, if he did not do a CBC, that was another no brainer.  These things are basic in the diagnosis of asthma; when a cat coughs persistantly, and does not bring up hairballs, then it is either asthma or a cardiac problem, I believe.  Once in a while a cat will cough, non asthma related, but  a persistant cough is worrisome.  Good job in getting him in.  You did the right thing.

I was in touch throughout Kiku's life with a respiratory specialist at t he Animal Medical Center in NY.  If you are near a vet school, you might want to see if there is a respiratory specialist there.

Kiku was on pred and also a bronchodilater called terbutaline.  I dont know if that is standard treatment now.

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Bucky is 8 years old. And I am near Tufts medical School so...  so why did you say that about the CBC? Because he did have blood tests (I think a CBC) and they were normal. But I agree - I am very frustrated with the vets. My last cat I never went to the vet and he died at 10. This cat I went every year and they convinced me that he had all kinds of things he didn't... and caused undue stress ... and now when he has a problem they are not paying attention.  This place seemed great. I suppose an emergency clinic would be. He was diagnosed as "mild" asthma.

They gave me Predisolone 5 mg and Turbut 2.5 mg. (I believe that is the bronchodilater).

I am not going to give him the meds until tomorrow in case there is some side effect

Kind of a terribly sad story-- as I said this place was an emergency clinic. I was the only person there and I saw this lady coming in with the most adorable yorkie. I thought, wow that dog is well behaved or maybe he is sedated...  he was just hanging from her arms and I saw the lady behind her look like she had cried a long time and the woman carrying the dog said to the woman... "he's dead". The family didn't know what happened.. I just could not stop from crying...

I asked about a CBC because that blood test, I believe, shows red/white cell counts and should have showed an elevation in eosinophils, associated with an inflammatory process.  My cat Obi has some kind of allergy and his eosinophil count was slightly elevated when I last had his blood work done.  But, perhaps if it is mild asthma, the eosiniphils were NOT elevated?  I would go back and review that blood work.

Still, a coughing cat should indicate a set of radiographs.

I hope the emergency clinic explained to you about pred.  It is not a drug you can stop and start.  It has to be tapered.  I am not sure why you are waiting til tomorrow to give the medication - but if they told you to give him a dose later today, I would go with that rec.  So, too, I guess they are still giving terbutaline for bronchodilation.

What you told me would indicate to me that it is time to find another vet.

Emergency clinics  can be very sad places to work and to be.  I am sorry you had to see t hat. poor doggie, poor woman. There is such a thing as an ideopathic cardiomyopathy - which is basically a heart attack for no known reason.  There are no symptoms.  The poor critter just dies.  Happened to my best friend's King Charles.  He just died.  So hard, and so sad.

myrnafaye said:

I hope the emergency clinic explained to you about pred.  It is not a drug you can stop and start.  It has to be tapered.  I am not sure why you are waiting til tomorrow to give the medication - but if they told you to give him a dose later today, I would go with that rec.  So, too, I guess they are still giving terbutaline for bronchodilation..

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Though I am aware about steroids ( I worked on a medical malpractice case where someone got them for poison ivy and didn't follow it correctly and incurred damage) I figured while my cat is all messed up from the sedation drugs... I wouldn't be able to see side effects etc.  I also didn't want to have some drug side effect related emergency at night.  Actually my cat just went number one and cried yowled like death but since he is so completely messed up period I am not going to fret. I believe he has done that before when on drugs. They gave him o2 there and I think abuterall (a small puff). Since coming home he has been a messed up boy. He refused to stay in a bedroom and came out. Fortunately he has just stayed down stairs, but (1) he has been ravenous; (2) he hasn't slept at all just pacing back and forth and (3) he keeps walking 5 feet and then stopping -- then 5 more feet and stopping.  But absolutely no coughing attacks.

I think I need to get the sedation out of his system before giving him the first dose. 

I understand, you explained it well, makes total sense, and you are handling it really well too.  Under these circumstances, I would need sedation drugs.  I get crazed when my cats are sick.

Keep us posted.

Well, he seems to possibly having issues breathing so I gave him his first dose. He has had his mouth open since he came home. That worries me. He never did that before. He also is lying on his back a lot. It worries me that he hasn't slept since coming home. But I guess abuteral can cause anxiety.

His respiration is 20-22 or so.

Maybe I am being hypervigillant.

Thanks so much for your support.

PS the vet said it would be ok to put the pill crushed up in his food? But after doing it I am worried that is a really spotty way of administering medication. He seemed to eat the plate dry.   I suppose if I gave it in a liquid he would probably spit it all out.

I see no problem personally in giving meds in food; either way it gets to his tummy, doesnt it?

Is he open mouth breathing as in panting?  if so, I would definitely call the vet back.

Poor baby, does he seem uncomfortable?  I used to go by what part of his body his breathing was coming from..if it was further back in his body, I knew Kiku was in distress.

myrnafaye said:

 
I see no problem personally in giving meds in food; either way it gets to his tummy, doesnt it?

Is he open mouth breathing as in panting?  if so, I would definitely call the vet back.

Poor baby, does he seem uncomfortable?  I used to go by what part of his body his breathing was coming from..if it was further back in his body, I knew Kiku was in distress.

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He is not panting. It is like he forgets to shut his mouth.  Why I thought it seemed from the sedation.

He had another attack this morning but, might have given me a clue what is causing it. I hope.  (btw it was much shorter but more congested sounding) In 2012 I got a new faucet in my home -- it was quite low and he LOVED to drink out of it.  Since at the time I thought he had kidney damage...(which he doesn't) I encouraged it.  It was around this time he started having more attacks.  But it was not frequent.  The faucet was low so he could drink sideways. Nevertheless he was clumsy.  Sometimes coming away with a wet nose. But he mostly had a much better shot at getting water into his mouth because it was low and close.

Upon moving Bucky chose a new faucet he wanted to drink out of. It is a tall faucet...with more water pressure..  he often just puts his entire mouth under the stream... tilting his nose up and sideways.  Today he did that... and it set off an attack. It made me think that he is getting water up his nose and into his lungs. Every day.   He drinks out of that tall faucet every day.

I have a drinkwell facet for him but he preferred the sink.

This could be it.. I hope...