Often the children become daily mouth-breathers because their noses "don't work." So, what is wrong and how can we treat it?įirst, when we talk about "stuffy nose" or "blocked nose," what is really going on is that the mucous membrane or lining inside our nasal passages, specifically those covering the turbinates, get engorged and so there is decreased room for air to flow through the nasal passages.Īs a Pediatric Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialist, my differential diagnosis (conditions which I believe are causing these signs and symptoms) are different depending on the age of the child as well as what other associated symptoms parents reports.
Most parents tell me that the child sounds like they have a cold, but this is daily and lasts for months! For school aged children, even if they asked the child to "blow" their nose, nothing seems to come out. The post Sneezy, Wheezy, and Snorey: Feline Asthma and Other Cat Breathing Noises appeared first on West Park Animal Hospital Blog.Every day in clinic, I meet children whose parents tell me that they have chronic "stuffy nose" or "blocked nose," most of them have already been on months of nasal steroid spray (like Flonase) and antihistamines (like Zyrtec or Claritin and generic equivalents) but still not better. The sooner we diagnose the problem, the sooner we can get your cat back to normal. So when your cat sniffles, sneezes, or coughs, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. With an accurate diagnosis, even more serious problems such as feline asthma are manageable. This can be an important tool when deciding if your pet needs immediate attention or not, and can help us to hone in on a diagnosis.īreathing noises in cats can sometimes be normal, but it is always best to err on the side of safety. You can also monitor your pet’s resting respiratory rate at home. The gums and/or tongue appear blue or gray.The symptoms are accompanied by abnormal behaviors like hiding, not eating, or decreased activity.They are accompanied by ocular or nasal discharge.The abnormal noise(s) persist more than a few hours.While the occasional hack or snore can be normal, please call us if: When you notice a little wheeze or sneeze in your cat, it can sometimes be hard to decide whether or not it warrants a trip in to see us. Upper respiratory infection - Perhaps the most common reason we see cats, many bacterial and viral infections can cause upper respiratory symptoms such as sneezing, congestion, and watery eyes in the feline species.
Parasites - Unwelcome parasite infections like feline heartworms and lungworms can wreak havoc on the lungs, resulting in breathing abnormalities. In cats most commonly these are benign nasopharyngeal polyps. Nasopharyngeal polyps - Any tumor growing in the back of the throat can lead to increased respiratory noise. Obesity - Increases in weight can lead to increased respiratory noise and even apnea, especially in animals that may already have narrowed airways, such as brachycephalic breeds like Persians. Lung disease - A problem in the actual lungs such as pneumonia can certainly lead to heavy, noisy breathing. Laryngitis - Infectious processes, trauma, and even tumors can cause inflammation in the back of the throat, resulting in breathing changes.
This can result in noisy or labored breathing and sometimes coughing or retching.įeline asthma - Just like in people, some cats’ lower airways can become inflamed when triggered by allergens, resulting in wheezing and difficulty breathing. Some of the more common causes of changes in breathing we see in cats include:Ĭardiac problems - A congenital heart condition or one that develops over time such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy can lead to fluid build up in the lungs. Some problems are more common than others, and many can look similar without further investigation. There are many possibilities when it comes to reasons why your cat’s breathing may sound a little different than normal. This is where your friends at West Park Animal Hospital come in.įeline Asthma and Other Breathing Problems So how is a pet owner to know whether a cat-sized wheeze is just a one-off or something more serious like feline asthma? Thankfully, you aren’t expected to have all the answers. While the occasional kitty sneeze or sniffle can be adorable, many times changes in breathing noises can indicate a problem. If your cat is suddenly making noise while breathing that you aren’t used to hearing, you may be understandably concerned.
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