Cat Asthma - My Codi

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Pheasy
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Cat Asthma - My Codi

Post by Pheasy »

Up until 2:30 this afternoon I had never heard of cat asthma, or knew that it existed.

I was doing some paperwork, when Codi, my 18 month old cat, started to struggle to breath, he then collapsed at my feet, foaming at the mouth and yelling. I scooped him up, ran to the car, and started the 10 minute journey to our vets. I was on the phone to the vets through-out the journey, giving constant updates on his condition. The vets were excellent, talking me through the whole journeyy . They met me in the car park, took him and ran with him to the back.

They updated me about 15 minutes later - he was on a drip, steroids and in a oxygen chamber. He was too unstable to carry out any further tests at that time. His tongue and gums were blue - they were not sure if he would survive.

Eventually he stablised and they were able to assess him, and carry out the tests.

He had had a massive and life threatening asthma attack.

He is a lot stronger now, but has to stay in the oxygen chamber, and be monitored through the night. We will call the vets again tonight to see how he is going. :-4

I never realised there was such thing as cat asthma.

Codi (with his sister, Pichu, in the tree).... :-4
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CARLA
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Cat Asthma - My Codi

Post by CARLA »

Phezzie I sure hope Codi is going to be OK. Yes Cat can get just about everything we do. Hopefully they can tell you what triggerd the attack so you can avoid this in the future. I'm saying a prayer for Codi's quick recovery. :yh_hugs:yh_pray
ALOHA!!

MOTTO TO LIVE BY:

"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, champagne in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming.

WOO HOO!!, what a ride!!!"

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valerie
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Cat Asthma - My Codi

Post by valerie »

You were a very good mom to act so quickly.



Please post updates when you can.



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Pheasy
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Cat Asthma - My Codi

Post by Pheasy »

We left Codi at the emergency animal hospital at around 7:30 last night. We were able to briefly see him before we left -he was still having trouble breathing, but was a lot better. I wanted to give him a cuddle but the oxygen chamber prevented that - it was great to see him looking better.

At 10pm last night his respiratory signs were back to normal, and he was having some food. At 6:30 this morning they were preparing to return him to a regular cage. Through the night they had gradually reduced the oxygen in the chamber to ensure that he was able to cope. I will be returning to the vets in about an hour to discuss his continued care and to hopefully BRING HIM HOME :-4 It will be great to cuddle him - his last memories of me (if he was aware) was me crying and throwing him into some strange womens arms. (I did hold off the tears until that point :-5).

Well it just goes to show, that something that was diagnosed as a fur ball in December, could have cost him his life.

It was very strange when he collapsed - I am sure his sister Pichu and my GSD just knew. She was fussing and going crazy, and Bradley (my GSD) was frantically nudging him and trying to make him get up. Bonny, my brittany, well what can I say about her :D, she just had this 'urrr' whats going on look about her :D

I will post the continued care details, just in case anyone else ever experiences this. Thanks Carla and Valerie for your support :-4
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Pheasy
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Cat Asthma - My Codi

Post by Pheasy »

Now he is just one very grumpy cat! :wah:

I sat with him in the treatment room whilst waiting for the vet. He was enjoy the fuss I was giving him, but every so often gave me a very grumpy look, and shook his leg at me (which still has the catheter in it, with a heavy blue bandage holding it in place).

Sadly I did not get to bring him home yet. They decided due to the severity of his attack that they would like to keep him today for observation, and get him started on his oral medication.

Hopefully he will be home by tonight :-4
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Peg
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Cat Asthma - My Codi

Post by Peg »

Wow that would freak me out! I hope the steroids will keep his asthma under control. :-4
moonpie
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Cat Asthma - My Codi

Post by moonpie »

Good on you for acting so quick. Poor Codi for having that happen. I am sure that he will be running around really soon. Take care.
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Pheasy
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Cat Asthma - My Codi

Post by Pheasy »

Still looking a little frail, but home at last :-4
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chrisb84uk
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Cat Asthma - My Codi

Post by chrisb84uk »

I'm glad to hear that he is feeling a little better Pheasy! :) Oh and I love Pichu what an adorable name! :-4
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CARLA
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Cat Asthma - My Codi

Post by CARLA »

:D He is home that is wonderful. He will probably be on asthma medication the rest of his life. Do they have any idea what triggerd such a severe attack, poor thing it will take a day or 2 before he get his strength back.

So happy he is home.. :yh_hugs:yh_hugs
ALOHA!!

MOTTO TO LIVE BY:

"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, champagne in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming.

WOO HOO!!, what a ride!!!"

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Pheasy
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Joined: Sun Apr 08, 2007 9:56 am

Cat Asthma - My Codi

Post by Pheasy »

CARLA;802928 wrote: :D He is home that is wonderful. He will probably be on asthma medication the rest of his life. Do they have any idea what triggerd such a severe attack, poor thing it will take a day or 2 before he get his strength back.

So happy he is home.. :yh_hugs:yh_hugs


The vet says there is no tests to what triggered his attack. She said it was probably the same triggers that would cause a human asthma attack - smoke, aerosols, dust etc. I think it may have been a combination of 2 things. Codi started coughing in December - the vet we saw at the time said 'fur ball' (a fur ball is very similar to a mild asthma attack - coughing etc) - we treated him for that, with 5 days of steroids as a precaution. He did cough occasionally since then but we just thought 'another fur ball' and he got over it. We recently put a wood burner in our basement, and also have been dry walling/spackling the basement. I think these two may have been his trigger. We will also will not be using 'high dust' cat litter either.

He is on medication now. We may have to look at a cat asthma pump and a oxygen chamber at home if the medication is not 100% effective.

I have begun to think about our vacations :-5
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