kitten w/ feline asthma

[neters]

i posted this in alt.cats before i saw this group which is probably more
appropriate. sorry in advance for the cross post...

we are in the process of adopting a kitten that was picked up as a stray
with his three other brothers. we were told that they were in pretty bad
shape when the shelter got them. among being pumped full of antibiotics
all four had serious eye infections to the point that the one kitten lost an
eye (he has been adopted by his foster parent).

we are a tad bit concerned because the kitten we want to adopt has a slight
wheezing sound when he breathes & purrs. according to the adoption counselor
he has always sounded like that. the kittens are to be neutered tomorrow at
which point they are going to find out if he has a cold or has some other
respriratory "thing" such as asthma (which the adoption counselor
mentioned). i've looked on the internet at what would make a cat
continuously wheeze and i doubt it is something infectious since his
brothers are fine. if it it asthma could anyone tell me what sort of costs
im looking at down the road? anyone he seems healthy otherwise and i
actually didn't notice the wheezing, my partner did. he does have an
extremely small & pointed face (sort of reminds me of an alien head!) thanks
for your time!

[meow]

On Sun, 6 Jul 2003 19:31:40 -0400, "neters"
> wrote:

>i posted this in alt.cats before i saw this group which is probably more
>appropriate. sorry in advance for the cross post...
>
>we are in the process of adopting a kitten that was picked up as a stray
>with his three other brothers. we were told that they were in pretty bad
>shape when the shelter got them. among being pumped full of antibiotics
>all four had serious eye infections to the point that the one kitten lost an
>eye (he has been adopted by his foster parent).
>
>we are a tad bit concerned because the kitten we want to adopt has a slight
>wheezing sound when he breathes & purrs. according to the adoption counselor
>he has always sounded like that. the kittens are to be neutered tomorrow at
>which point they are going to find out if he has a cold or has some other
>respriratory "thing" such as asthma (which the adoption counselor
>mentioned). i've looked on the internet at what would make a cat
>continuously wheeze and i doubt it is something infectious since his
>brothers are fine. if it it asthma could anyone tell me what sort of costs
>im looking at down the road? anyone he seems healthy otherwise and i
>actually didn't notice the wheezing, my partner did. he does have an
>extremely small & pointed face (sort of reminds me of an alien head!) thanks
>for your time!
>
>

Well one of mine has asthma. Her symptoms were more of a nagging
frequent cough rather than wheezing. I never really heard her wheeze.
Dr. gave me a 2 week taper of prednisone and she has never had a
problem since and that was over a year ago. She told me after the 2
week taper monitor her closely and if her coughing started again she
would probably need prednisone as a maintenance thing. Luckily it was
just what she needed and hopefully it will not recur

[meow]

On Sun, 6 Jul 2003 19:31:40 -0400, "neters"
> wrote:

>i posted this in alt.cats before i saw this group which is probably more
>appropriate. sorry in advance for the cross post...
>
>we are in the process of adopting a kitten that was picked up as a stray
>with his three other brothers. we were told that they were in pretty bad
>shape when the shelter got them. among being pumped full of antibiotics
>all four had serious eye infections to the point that the one kitten lost an
>eye (he has been adopted by his foster parent).
>
>we are a tad bit concerned because the kitten we want to adopt has a slight
>wheezing sound when he breathes & purrs. according to the adoption counselor
>he has always sounded like that. the kittens are to be neutered tomorrow at
>which point they are going to find out if he has a cold or has some other
>respriratory "thing" such as asthma (which the adoption counselor
>mentioned). i've looked on the internet at what would make a cat
>continuously wheeze and i doubt it is something infectious since his
>brothers are fine. if it it asthma could anyone tell me what sort of costs
>im looking at down the road? anyone he seems healthy otherwise and i
>actually didn't notice the wheezing, my partner did. he does have an
>extremely small & pointed face (sort of reminds me of an alien head!) thanks
>for your time!
>
>

Well one of mine has asthma. Her symptoms were more of a nagging
frequent cough rather than wheezing. I never really heard her wheeze.
Dr. gave me a 2 week taper of prednisone and she has never had a
problem since and that was over a year ago. She told me after the 2
week taper monitor her closely and if her coughing started again she
would probably need prednisone as a maintenance thing. Luckily it was
just what she needed and hopefully it will not recur

[Ginger-lyn Summer]

On Sun, 6 Jul 2003 19:31:40 -0400, "neters"
> wrote:

>i posted this in alt.cats before i saw this group which is probably more
>appropriate. sorry in advance for the cross post...
>
>we are in the process of adopting a kitten that was picked up as a stray
>with his three other brothers. we were told that they were in pretty bad
>shape when the shelter got them. among being pumped full of antibiotics
>all four had serious eye infections to the point that the one kitten lost an
>eye (he has been adopted by his foster parent).
>
>we are a tad bit concerned because the kitten we want to adopt has a slight
>wheezing sound when he breathes & purrs. according to the adoption counselor
>he has always sounded like that. the kittens are to be neutered tomorrow at
>which point they are going to find out if he has a cold or has some other
>respriratory "thing" such as asthma (which the adoption counselor
>mentioned). i've looked on the internet at what would make a cat
>continuously wheeze and i doubt it is something infectious since his
>brothers are fine. if it it asthma could anyone tell me what sort of costs
>im looking at down the road? anyone he seems healthy otherwise and i
>actually didn't notice the wheezing, my partner did. he does have an
>extremely small & pointed face (sort of reminds me of an alien head!) thanks
>for your time!
>
I have two cats with asthma, and use both treatments mentioned in the
other posts. If it is, indeed, asthma (could also be other things),
asthma can be controlled and I would not say it is a very expensive
thing to do. The inhaler equiment and inhaler is not that expensive
(less than $25 or so), and Prednisone, especially if you have the vet
write a prescription and get it at a local pharmacy, is very
affordable. The only major expenses would come in if the cat has
severe asthma attacks and needs oxygen and injections at an emergency
hospital (and this has only happened twice with one of my cats). So I
would not let the possibility of asthma keep you from adopting this
little one.

Best of luck,

Ginger-lyn

[Ginger-lyn Summer]

On Sun, 6 Jul 2003 19:31:40 -0400, "neters"
> wrote:

>i posted this in alt.cats before i saw this group which is probably more
>appropriate. sorry in advance for the cross post...
>
>we are in the process of adopting a kitten that was picked up as a stray
>with his three other brothers. we were told that they were in pretty bad
>shape when the shelter got them. among being pumped full of antibiotics
>all four had serious eye infections to the point that the one kitten lost an
>eye (he has been adopted by his foster parent).
>
>we are a tad bit concerned because the kitten we want to adopt has a slight
>wheezing sound when he breathes & purrs. according to the adoption counselor
>he has always sounded like that. the kittens are to be neutered tomorrow at
>which point they are going to find out if he has a cold or has some other
>respriratory "thing" such as asthma (which the adoption counselor
>mentioned). i've looked on the internet at what would make a cat
>continuously wheeze and i doubt it is something infectious since his
>brothers are fine. if it it asthma could anyone tell me what sort of costs
>im looking at down the road? anyone he seems healthy otherwise and i
>actually didn't notice the wheezing, my partner did. he does have an
>extremely small & pointed face (sort of reminds me of an alien head!) thanks
>for your time!
>
I have two cats with asthma, and use both treatments mentioned in the
other posts. If it is, indeed, asthma (could also be other things),
asthma can be controlled and I would not say it is a very expensive
thing to do. The inhaler equiment and inhaler is not that expensive
(less than $25 or so), and Prednisone, especially if you have the vet
write a prescription and get it at a local pharmacy, is very
affordable. The only major expenses would come in if the cat has
severe asthma attacks and needs oxygen and injections at an emergency
hospital (and this has only happened twice with one of my cats). So I
would not let the possibility of asthma keep you from adopting this
little one.

Best of luck,

Ginger-lyn