Laryngeal Paralysis in Cats

After 3 weeks of severe breathing problems (inspiratory), seeing 5 different Veterinarians at a specialty clinic, going through many procedures and being prescribed all sorts of medications, my 13 year old Manx cat (Kitty) was diagnosed with Laryngeal Paralysis. She went through unilateral arytenoid lateralization (tie back) surgery on Wednesday and is currently in the recovery phase. I brought her home Thursday night and Saturday morning, she woke up having major breathing problems and started to suffocate. Luckily, I was able to calm her down so she could catch her breath, and I took her right back to the vet. The vet onsite put her on oxygen and ended up taking xrays to look for aspiration pneumonia. He said there was a little something he could see on the right side of the lungs but nothing significant. I requested that he call the surgeon who did Kitty's procedure to get her input. She recommended light sedation to take a look at the surgery site. Sure enough, there was significant swelling, causing very limit room to get air through. After hours on oxygen and 2 steroid injections, I was able to take her home again, with antibiotics. I'm currently monitoring her and praying for a full recovery.

This condition is apparently very rare in cats, so there is little to no information available online. It's been a very difficult 3 weeks, mainly for her, but for me as well. She is my baby and I don't want to see her suffer. I am up all night and day monitoring her and feeling helpless. I'm hoping to find some information from other pet owners out there who have been through this and what your experience has been.

Thank you so much.

Sending prayers and good wishes for a complete recovery for your kitty!

gardenandcats said:

 
Sending prayers and good wishes for a complete recovery for your kitty!

Click to expand...

Ditto that

I don't recall ever reading about anyone's cat here on TCS having this procedure, however, I did google "laryngeal paralysis in cats" and got quite a few hits.  Are you in the U.S.? (I know depending on where you are and which search engine you use will make a difference in what you find when you do searches)

Thank you both for your prayers. I've spent days searching online and read through everything I could find. What I am struggling with is her condition after surgery and trying to understand what symptoms are normal and what is life threatening. It's been near impossible to find forums with people who have experienced this with their cats because it is so rare. My poor little angel has episodes where it sounds like she is regurgitating and then breathing it in to her lungs, which then turns into a minute of what seems to be suffocating (mouth wide open, panicking, not able to suck any air in). I have to hold her down, rub her sides, and talk softly to calm her down. I have taken her back to the vet almost every day since her surgery because I don't want her to die suffocating. Finally, when I took her back yesterday, the doctor who originally figured out her condition was there and met with me (she is absolutely amazing). She asked many questions about the attacks and reminded me about Kitty's feline asthma. I had not been treating her asthma since the surgery, because it was not on the discharge paperwork and I trusted that the regimen of other medications they gave me was what I had to follow. So, now we are treating the asthma along with the recovery of the surgery. She had another attack last night, but since has been fine (crossing my fingers). This recovery period is so hard, almost as hard as before the surgery.

I know there are other cases out there of cats struggling with this condition, so I will post as much information as I can when she is sleeping peacefully. I will also try to post videos, so others can see what this condition looks like before and after.

The one significant sign that helped the doctor determine this was laryngeal paralysis is the difficulty she had breathing IN (Inspiratory). To the average person, it appears that there is a blockage of some sort - I thought she had polyps or a foreign object obstructing her airway. Almost all the vets she had before did not pay attention to that and kept thinking it was asthma, which is typically difficulty breathing out (expiratory) or a bacterial infection.

Here are videos of her breathing before she was diagnosed (pre-surgery)

[VIDEO]][/VIDEO]

[VIDEO]][/VIDEO]

I've uploaded additional videos days after Kitty's recovery. She is doing SO much better. She is eating regularly, although I am still holding the plate for her to eat off of - it's easier for her to eat off a plate that is elevated. The coughing and gagging after eating is expected, from what I have read, but the sound of it still worries me! The other issue is she keeps trying to scratch at the incision - already had to rush her to the vet once when she scratched it open. The incision is on the neck, so she can't wear an ecollar and she kicks off the booties I bought. Luckily, I've been able to monitor her pretty much 24/7, which I highly recommend, as so many things have come up in just 9 days after surgery!

You can buy (or even make) things to permanently raise their bowls so you don't have to keep holding it .  When I wanted to temporarily see what happened when I raised a bowl for one of my seniors, I just took a sturdy box about 6 inches high and cut a hole in the top just big enough for the bowl to fit into.  Voila...instant riser.  Once I knew it worked and would be used, I went out and bought one that looked better .  I actually bought a double one (one side for food, the other side for water).

As far as her scratching open the incision, why not have some "soft paws" put on her claws for the time being.  They're little caps that go on each claw.  Just google "soft paws" or even "soft claws" and you can see what I'm talking about, if you don't already know.

SO glad she is doing better

Unfortunately, she passed away on NEw Years Eve, a few weeks later. I found a couple hard lumps growing rapidly on the opposite side of her neck (non surgery side) on the same day of my last post, put her through another surgery to remove the lumps and they were cancerous. She revoveres okay from the surgery, but her appetite was poor and I was getting her fluids a couple times a week. I saw an oncologist about a week before NYE, he said she was looking good, and I was taking some time to review chemo options. Radiation was out of the question, as it would have required sedation 4-5 times a week and with her open airway, there was just way too much risk for aspiration causing pneumonia. She had already been through too much. On NYE, I decided To get her more fluids amd bring her with me to my boyfriend's house for he night. Well, the vet who I viewed as her angel for identifying her condition originally was there and saw her. At checkout, she told me I should feed Kitty dry food again, if that's what she preferred, since she was not eating much. However, she had just told me that Kitty ate over 3/4 a can of wet food that they gave her. I immediately reminded her that she said NOT to feed dry food ever again because of her open airway. I was extremely reluctant, but she kept insisting. And after a while, I gave in, thinking this is Kitty's angel vet so she knows best. So, I swing by my hose to pick up some dry food before we headed over to my boyfriend's house. Just before leaving, I figured I would give her a couple kibbles and watch her enjoy being avle to eat dry food again. She went right for it and srarted choking on the first piece she ate. She couldn't breath and I was jumping around he car with her smacking her back trying to get the food out. That worked two times. I rushed back to the vet, told them she was choking on the food and all they did was put her in an oxygen tank. About 20-30 minutes later, she went into respiratory arrest, then cardiac arrest. They did CPR and brought her back, but she was gone, brain dead. After spending a few moments with her, I had to let her go.This was the most devastating moment in my life. I had spent months trying to protect my baby from not being able to breath and she suffered and died from that very thing. Then they tell me they found the kibble lodged in her throat during the CPR.

I raised hell for them not checking her throat and just throwing her in an oxygen tank when I told them she was choking. It took about a month, but I got all the money back that I had given to the vet clinic the last few months of her life - 10K. It didn't bring my baby back, but It was all I could fight for in honor of her life. I prayed for a sign my baby was okay and she answered. I felt it the moment they called me and said we are so sorry.

It's been over a year now since I lost her and I still struggle because of the way she went. Nothing will ever be more devastating or painful. I know she wasn't doing well and was on her way out, but to die from choking? And in that moment, I wasn't there to protect her.


Kitty, My Baby Girl

We found each other in a special place 14 years ago
I opened my car door and there you were, talking up a storm

You jumped into my lap so trustingly, putting a huge smile on my face
The brightest light to shine in my life, the light I soon called Kitty

From day one what you loved the most was kneading in my hair
I'd hold you till you'd fall asleep, sometimes on top of my head
I knew, for whatever reason, that this would comfort you
I want you to know, my baby girl, it comforted me too

The connection we had was so deep, beyond what anyone could understand
Your precious blinks said everything, I was there at your command
In your final days and final hours, our bond was stronger than ever
I felt your pain, and you felt mine, we tried everything to save each other

I knew the moment you had left, I was begging God to save you
A wave of silence came over me, bright light filled the room
As I looked up all I could think of was how much you've been through
For you to go suffering the way you did and there was nothing I could do

Now I stare at your empty bed and the window that you loved
Hoping soon I will wake from this dream, and hold you in my arms

Oh, baby girl... I call out while tears run down my face
Finding it hard to catch my breath, I'm so sorry it happened this way

I hope more than anything that as time passes on you will show us some signs
That you are here with us, no longer in pain, blinking those beautiful green eyes

Baby girl, the amount of love I have for you is impossible to explain
I know though that you felt it, I loved you so much
I loved you more than anything

Loving you always,

Mommy

P.S.
Your little brother is mourning too
Sleeping in your bed and searching for you around the house
I hear his cries and comfort him
Holding him now, as I once held you, when you were around

I'm so, so sorry this happened.  Absolutely inexcusable. 

Your tribute is beautiful.  You might consider sharing it in the Crossing the Bridge Forum.   My little girl passed just two weeks ago and it helped to tell her story over there, if nothing else, just to let people know who've been hearing about her for years.

This thread looks a few year old, but just in case the owner with the laryngeal kitty is still around I have a long haired orange kitty with the same issue.  Got his surgery done in 2011, tieback.  He is doing great.  Some incontinence but very happy.  Took months for the shelter he came from and many vet visits to get the diagnosis.  No help from regular vets on dealing with him. 

Hi S susiebirtles this is a three year old thread so the original poster may not see your post to reply. From the sounds of it, this is a very rare condition in cats and it must make it frustrating trying to find information and other people who have gone through this. I hope you are able to find some help here, even if it's just a sympathetic ear. We do all care about cats and try to help each other in the tough times when they're ill.

Hello! I've been lurking on this thread for months, because my sweet girl was diagnosed with laryngeal paralysis (and mild collapse from it) in May. There is really not a lot of info about this in cats. We finally had to cave and get her surgery this past Wednesday. She has not had any complications yet, but I have been stalking her because I'm paranoid. She lost her meow (she sounds like a duck) but her stridor and breathing difficulty are gone! She coughs some after eating and she snores now.

S susiebirtles Was there any initial benefit from the surgery? How long did the inflammation happen afterward... did it exist at all before surgery? I am so sorry you're go going through this. I would also assume there's an underlying issue. He's so young (my kitty is 4.) Where do you live? Can you get a second opinion? The vet surgeon who did the surgery had done it once before on a cat (only on dogs), but aside from him- I could not find anyone within 100s of miles.

Hi,

I know this is an old thread. But I also have a cat diagnosed with larygneal paralysis and asthma. I went through something similar as the original poster getting the diagnosis since it was known she had asthma, they just keep thinking it must be that. Ended up at a specialty clinic with an internist who did ct scans, x rays, laryngeal exam, and cultured fluid from lungs to confirm the diagnoses of asthma and laryngeal paralysis. That was 6 months ago. The paralysis is only on one side. They did not recommend the surgery yet, unless it progresses to both sides. Right now she is managed with inhaled steroids for the asthma. She has good days and bad days, but even the bad days, though they seem horrible to me, apparently are not truly a respiratory crisis. She is not open mouth struggling to breath or have a blue tongue or anything like that - which is what we've been told to look for. We have albuterol on hand for the inhaler to try if we ever see that, but I'm a bit leery to try it, and am just dreading the day something like this might happen. I'm worried because she was given terbutylene pills during the course of trying to get her diagnosed before they figured it out - it is another bronchodilator - she had a bad reaction to it. It was horrible to see. So I'm worried if we ever had to try the albuterol something similar might happen. Hoping the steroids will continue to manage it. I'm unclear whether the steroids help the larynx issue at all - as has already been said, not much is written or known about this in cats. Presumably if inflammation is contributing to the problem in the larynx, the steroids may be helping it too. It could be that inflammation is happening on the bad days so we increase steroids on bad days and it does seem to help some.

I'm writing all this for anybody else out there who might also have a cat with this looking for insights or community, since there is not much out there about this. Here are some observations:

* Breathing after eating is harder - unable to purr and clicking/squeaky noises on irregular breaths
* Sometimes she can purr and sometimes not. If she can purr, it seems to help her breathing be more regular. On bad days when breathing is harder and when she can't purr, breathing is not regular. I know this from watching the valve on the inhaler move when trying to do the inhaler with her on a bad day. She gets air in in inconsistent spurts in between seconds of no breathing where it seems like her larynx is just stuck. sometimes after a swallow, she can get in a big breath in, but often they are halting and inconsistent and small breaths in. If we can get her to purr before doing the inhaler, things go much better. But sometimes she just can't.
* Weather affects her breathing - low pressure, high humidity, and cold all make breathing harder - we increase steroids on these days, and that seems to help some
* the hours between 2am and 5am are typically bad for her - she pokes me with her paw in bed if she is having trouble breathing and wants to be petted which sometimes helps her purr and breath better.
* Swallowing large chunks or different textures is hard for her - she needs smaller kibble or soft pate
* on days when her breathing is worse, getting her to eat is also hard - I think because she has to choose between eating or breathing
* with any sort of exertion she makes a groany sound when breathing out - almost like a snore
* she often makes a high pitched squeaky or clicky noise when breathing in

Other info: Sadie is 18 years old and is also hyperthyroid and overweight. I know that doesn't typically happen together but she is just odd. She is on diet food and losing weight slowly. but honestly I think she is losing more from the way her breathing is affecting her eating than from the diet food.

On good days, when the asthma is managed, she can purr easily and seems fairly comfortable and eats well. I know she is quite elderly. I'm just hoping I can maximize the good days she has left and that she can go peacefully and comfortably when the time comes.

Thanks for listening,
Shannon and Sadie