The feline asthma (Bronchitis allergica) - case report and associated overview

The purpose of this article is to highlight the problem of existing asthma and the increasing number of patients, which suffer from it and to inform about factors, diagnostics, symptoms, and the importance of distinguishing it from Bronchitis, which can lead to irreversible changes in lungs. This article will show cases of two cats suffered from Feline Asthma. A European cat at the age of 6 was brought to the vet because of a constant cough. The frequency of cough with expectoration appears several times per day. During these episodes, the cat has crouched posture with an extended neck and open mouth. The owner had noticed all the changes began after bringing into home, a Christmas tree. The auscultation revealed rales. The vet decided to take a chest x-ray and then adjust treatment to this case. Another European cat at the age of 10 came into a vets office with dyspnea, which had been appearing for nearly 2 years. Previous treatment help only for a while. In this disease, all the symptoms, diagnostic results (some changes in chest X-ray, the percentages amount of characteristic cells in Balf or some response to methacholine, carbachol or AMP-agonist), auscultation even patients reaction to treatment or differentiation between diseases which give similar symptoms, should be taken into consideration to make a diagnosis of Feline Asthma. It is impossible to finally put a diagnosis - no methods can give us insurance to put Asthmas diagnosis. Whats more, combination of adequate diagnostic methods with appropriate treatment and alergenes elimination can reduce the percentage of badly diagnosed cats. Based on described cases above it is needed to pay attention to factors, which sometimes are unexpected and not obvious such as Christmas Tree. This case prove cats sensitivity to environmental changes. This information is usually overlooked medical interiew but it can play a main role in putting apropriate diagnosis and choosing treatment. The second cat i an example of bad-diagnosed patient and badly matched treatment which led to deepen asthmas symptoms.