"Karen Chuplis" wrote in message
...
in article , Paula Sims at
wrote on 10/3/04 9:21 PM:

Hello all,
Thank you all for the help you've given in the past and I am turing to
you again.

Our cat, Gypsy, is a 9 year old female Bombay cat that all of a sudden
started sneezing and doing a wretching/gagging thing that the vet
calls reverse sneezing. The vet did blood work (including heartworm)
and all was OK, and an X-ray showed some hazy areas around her lungs.
The vet put her on an antibiotic and a transdurmal antibiotic and
sterioid. Nothing has helped. She's also sleeping more. We're going
for a second opinion, but until then, I'm turning to you.

Any ideas as to what could be going on? We didn't change anything
environmentally and this stuff came on all of a sudden. The vet did
mention the possibility of feline asthma, but we're still going for
another opinion. The cat doesn't seem to be bothered by the sneezing
(more of a "here we go again, OK, it's over") but it's worrying me.

Thanks for all your help

Paula


Asthma is kind of what pops into my mind but an xray (I believe) can help
you diagnose that.


The vet had an xray done, and it showed congestion. What I don't get is why
he didn't just diagnose asthma. With Cheeks, I took her in, he ruled out
heart worms, did an xray, it showed congestion, he said asthma. One shot of
Depo and she showed improvement in a week or so.

To the original poster: how long ago did she have her steroid shot? It takes
a bit of time to work. This "reverse sneezing": does your cat hunch over and
gasp for breath with her little tongue, just the tip, poking out? If so, it
is asthma. But you have to give the medicine time to work.

Another thing: I got rid of down comforters, vacuumed more, and switched to
a low-scent litter and my cat's symtoms disappeared to the point that she
gets a shot of Depo Medrol (steroid) twice a year and is fine. This "reverse
sneezing" (and what kind of stupid term is that?) is just plain asthmatic
wheezing. It is great that you have gotten treatment, and I expect that if
you give the medicine time to work you will see improvement, i.e. no
wheezing, no scary asthma attacks. If not, you should look into inhalers for
your cat.

I am not sure if you need a new vet or to just give the meds some time. It
might help if you do a simple web search on asthma and cats. Good luck.