Dori needs to get xrays

squirtle

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Some of you might remember that I had to bring Dori to the vet a few weeks before Christmas and the vet believed she had asthma. They put her on steroids. I have noticed over the past couple of days her breathing is getting bad more often now and this afternoon I noticed it was almost constant that she was having trouble. It's hard to describe but I hear this small moan or squeeky sound inside her when she is breathing in. Anyway, I called the vets office and spoke to her doctor and she will be going in for xrays on Friday. He still believes it's asthma, but says the xrays will confirm this. I am so worried about her. I know that with the asthma she will be ok, it is just something we will have to deal with long term... But what if it is something else
She has been acting a little different the past couple of days. She has been extremely clingy to me. I woke up at 3 this morning and she was wrapped around my neck, something she pretty much hasn't done since she was a baby. Her appetite is normal and her energy level seems to be normal as well. Hopefully those are good signs that it is something that can be treated. Please keep good thoughts for her that she is ok.
 

kittykaren

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My thoughts are with Dori and you. Please keep us posted. Sending lots of
to Dori.
 

rita

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Hopefull it's nothing more then Dori's asthma
 

captiva

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Oh no! Poor Dori! Didn't you move? Is she allergic to something in the new place?
 

pat

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Poor Dori...I hope it's nothing more than her asthma kicking up and that it can soon be under control again.

Ophelia sends a headbump (my asthma girl).
 

jennyr

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Oh I do hope it is nothing serious. Persil's problems started with her breathing, but htis sounds like it is probably asthma. Good luck for Friday
 
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squirtle

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I just have a weird feeling about the asthma. I don't know that much about it, but it seems that if she had asthma she would be wheezing and it wouldn't be constant
I can hear the small squeek/moan noise everytime she breathes in, but it gets worse when she purrs or plays.
As far as getting her in before Friday, her vet is going out of town. He left an emergency number and also has a friend of his who has an office nearby who will see his patients in emergencies. We discussed her situation and he didn't think it would be a problem for her to be seen on Friday. He explained that he didn't feel it was an emergency at this point, but also made sure to let me know if she did show any signs of getting worse to take her to the other vet and to have his secretary send Dori's file over. He also made note that his vet tech could give her a cortizone shot if need be until he got back.
I just hate waiting because I am so nervous about it all.
 

emma's friend

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Originally Posted by squirtle

She has been extremely clingy to me. I woke up at 3 this morning and she was wrapped around my neck, something she pretty much hasn't done since she was a baby.
Poor Dori, she felt the need for extra love and assurance from her mom. Sounds like she really doesn't feel all that well, doesn't it? Hope everything remains calm this week until her vet returns to his office.
 
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squirtle

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Dori had her xrays on Monday. All went fairly well, she didn't fight the vet too much and he was able to get great pictures of her lungs with the 1st two shots. He is treating her with steroids, the prednisolone again. He wants to get her down to 1/2 a pill every other day, and then ultimately only give her the pills for flare ups. Thankfully, she hasn't had any severe attacks so at this point he thinks the steroids are all that she needs. If it were to get worse he said we would consider other treatment options.
I am going to try to get her to use Swheat Scoop litter to cut out the dust. She refused to use WBCL, and used our laundry basket instead
. If anyone has any ideas on how to get her used to the new litter, I could really use them. I did a gradual change over last time, adding more of the WBCL to her old Fresh Step over a months time but it didn't work.
I am also going to quit using all the smelly air fresheners, etc. and do some other things to try and cut down on the allergens.
 

snowleop

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Originally Posted by squirtle

Dori had her xrays on Monday. All went fairly well, she didn't fight the vet too much and he was able to get great pictures of her lungs with the 1st two shots. He is treating her with steroids, the prednisolone again. He wants to get her down to 1/2 a pill every other day, and then ultimately only give her the pills for flare ups. Thankfully, she hasn't had any severe attacks so at this point he thinks the steroids are all that she needs. If it were to get worse he said we would consider other treatment options.
I am going to try to get her to use Swheat Scoop litter to cut out the dust. She refused to use WBCL, and used our laundry basket instead
. If anyone has any ideas on how to get her used to the new litter, I could really use them. I did a gradual change over last time, adding more of the WBCL to her old Fresh Step over a months time but it didn't work.
I am also going to quit using all the smelly air fresheners, etc. and do some other things to try and cut down on the allergens.
Tanya,

My cat, Penelope, was diagnosed with asthma yesterday after the cytology results of a BAL (Bronchoalveolar Lavage) came back. Penelope had to have the BAL in addition to her x-rays because she has a history of pyothorax. Also, because Penelope has a history of pyothorax, the veterinarian says she feels uncomfortable putting P. on oral steroids. So, I'm administering Flovent, an aerosol medication, through a kitty nebulizer called "Aerokat:" http://www.aerokat.com/overview.htm

The aerosol medication is much more expensive than the steroid pills, but I've heard the pills can cause serious side-effects. You might want to investigate using Aerokat instead.

I'm also experimenting with ways to reduce allergens in my apartment. I just switched to Swheat Scoop, too!
 

hissy

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Tanya,

I notice that when I use swheat scoop it really doesn't mean less dust. I wonder if the litter crystals would work instead? Though that makes my cat think they are play toys and they bat them around a bit. Again the www.citypet.com is a good product to cut down dust effectively and quietly.

I hope Dori will be okay, I know how worried you are. Is she exposed to anything else airborn that you know of? Cig smoke? any factories near you?
 

pat

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Tanya,

While I think Ophelia really did better on Swheat Scoop, I also have used with good success, Arm and Hammer's clumping litter - the *unscented*. In fact, I filled a box last night, and as an experiment, poured the box from waist height...NO cloud of dust. I was amazed! I remember using (eons ago) tidy cats and fresh step and having such a cloud come up it was choking me!

Ophelia is finally stablized as well as she ever is, on 1/2 prednisolone every other day (we have tried many things over the years, this is currently the best for her...she initially was on brethine, then went to the Aeorkat mask with an inhaler, and now the prednisolone).

You may find this a bit seasonal...Ophelia has times of the year that are worse for her, and usually, dh reacts the same way..if certain allergen levels are high and bothering him, she's bothered too :/
 
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