Purring/ Breathing troubles (streaming video link included)

Here's the video: http://media.putfile.com/Cat-with-health-problem
Note: You might have to put it into "Full screen" mode once the video starts
(right click on screen - go to "Zoom" then "Full Screen") if you want to get
a better view and to get the volume controls etc - to appear (for some reason
they don't show up for me in the default screen size view ?)

Full screen view may also be helpful anyway since the video is quite dark
and not of very good quality, as it was taken with a basic Sony Cybershot
digital camera.

Anyway, here's some background info that should help with diagnosing what the
problem(s) may be:

He's almost 20 years old now - In September of 2006 we started to notice he
was having a lot more trouble breathing than ever before (which we soon
noticed would really only happen when he was purring / starting to try to
purr - which happens to be most of the time anyone is around him.)

We took him to the emergency clinic around the end of September/ beginning of
October, as he showed no signs of getting better since we first noticed his
problem (which at the time - we thought might just be a cold of some kind).
The vets at the emergency clinic took x-rays (no echocardiogram yet) and
checked for fluid in the lungs etc - they could not find any fluid in the
lungs and were not able to determine anything of urgent concern while we were
there.

When we went to our regular vet with the x-rays etc the next day- they
checked him over and also couldn't come up with any concrete diagnosis on the
spot, and were only able to offer up a variety of general possibilities (most
of which I had brought up to them before hand, the things I had read about on
this site and others the night before.
Including possibilities such as: Respiratory disease, Hypertrophic
cardiomyopathy (hcm), mitral regurgitation, pulmonary edema, athsma, aortic
thromboembolism, pleural effusions, atrial fibrillation, thoracocentesis,
tricuspid valve dysplasia, lymphoma, vestibular syndrome, idiopathic
chylothorax, Chylo, fibrosing pleuritis, FeLV etc )

The problem of course is the fact that he won’t purr when at the vet clinic
(since he has little to purr about) - so they can never get first hand proof
of what I am trying to convey to them about his specific "purring and
breathing� problems etc.

The vet also took a blood sample, and later when the results came back - said
his white blood cell count was low, but that his test for Feline Leukemia
Virus (FLV) came back negative.

About the only thing I can think of that I did not discuss with the vet at
the time (and still haven’t up to this point as I hadn't read about it before
the last visit) was the possibility of FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis).


He can sleep fine for the most part - but when he starts purring in any way
at all - that's when he cannot breath right. If you pet him or give him any
sort of attention - he will soon have to walk away to try to isolate himself
from any contact or distraction (if possible) then he stops and assumes a
stiff pose, showing a very uncomfortable look of concentration in his
eyes/face - while he extends his head straight out, with his chin/ neck
pushed out as much as possible as though attempting to create the best
possible position/ passageway to allow air to get in and to clear/ unblock
his airways to regain his breath.

This usually produces a lot of rapid spluttering echo-like wheezing and
guttural sounds, and random squeaks/ pops coming from his throat and or
stomach area as he struggles to regain his breath/energy?

The whole matter tends to end up leading to him having to slouch, and then
finally almost collapse, down to the floor because he can't get enough oxygen
in to stay on all fours or even sit in an upright position.

The dry cough sort of attack (as shown in the beginning of the video) has
just recently surfaced (perhaps within the last 3 weeks or so) and now has
become a more regular occurrence. Before that, it was more just him
experiencing the purring / breathing problems as described above.

The purring heard in the video after the initial dry cough episode - is not
nearly as bad as what typically happens before he gets into a laying position
- it's still noticeably more distorted/ obstructed to me compared to how he
used to purr – but it is not what I'm describing when I refer to the severity
of the purring/ breathing problems he's been showing since September, and
this particular video was more to show this recent turn for the worst with
the rapid gasping dry coughing issue.

So, I can't tell if any of this is most closely related to FIP (possibly the
Dry form - which I understand is much less severe but still incurable none
the less) or if it's related to some other kind of heart disease, bacterial
infection, asthma, some other respiratory issue or any of the other specific
terms I listed above?

It's so difficult to trace a root cause with something like this - especially
with geriatric cats, since- just as with any living being- the mechanisms
start to break down, and one or two things may give out long before the rest
of the system starts to show signs of significant degradation. It's just the
way that he seems to be in relatively good health (when not being burdened by
these purring/ breathing troubles), and I can't help but feel like there must
be a simple fix available (even if all the veterinary knowledge goes against
this assumption/ hopeful outlook)


More Symptoms/ Possible symptoms:
- Very frequent licking of nose/ lips as though trying to provide moisture to
his air entry points - or to in attempt to unblock something that isn’t
really there to unblock (not quite as bad as when he is about to vomit though
- at which point it is constant rapid tongue lapping just before the heaves)

- Much more frequent and lengthy water drinking sessions (as though having
trouble retaining his liquids- or moisture in his airways? Eating habits
remain consistent however)

- Possibly more frequent urinating (and seemingly of greater volume as well)
- Feces seems much more dry and indicative of constipation (although, as of
the last few weeks or so - he has been having diarrhea like bowel movements?)

- Vomiting of clear (sometimes brownish yellow tinted) liquid every few days
or so (although he has been doing this for the last few years or so - long
before this breathing issue came to light ) always 2 -3 separate heaves per
vomit period.

Thanks for your time, and sorry about the post length.

--
Message posted via http://www.catkb.com

Has the vet ruled out heartworm and lung worm? What do they say about heart
problems?

It doesn't really sound like FIP. Usually the breathing problems with FIP
are as a result of fluid and you said none of that showed up on X-Ray. Any
cat I've seen with FIP who had breathing problems didn't wheeze or cough but
just fought for each breath.

W

"catkin" u31064@uwe wrote in message news:6c82454656aab@uwe...
Here's the video: http://media.putfile.com/Cat-with-health-problem
Note: You might have to put it into "Full screen" mode once the video
starts
(right click on screen - go to "Zoom" then "Full Screen") if you want to
get
a better view and to get the volume controls etc - to appear (for some
reason
they don't show up for me in the default screen size view ?)

Full screen view may also be helpful anyway since the video is quite dark
and not of very good quality, as it was taken with a basic Sony Cybershot
digital camera.

Anyway, here's some background info that should help with diagnosing what
the
problem(s) may be:

He's almost 20 years old now - In September of 2006 we started to notice
he
was having a lot more trouble breathing than ever before (which we soon
noticed would really only happen when he was purring / starting to try to
purr - which happens to be most of the time anyone is around him.)

We took him to the emergency clinic around the end of September/ beginning
of
October, as he showed no signs of getting better since we first noticed
his
problem (which at the time - we thought might just be a cold of some
kind).
The vets at the emergency clinic took x-rays (no echocardiogram yet) and
checked for fluid in the lungs etc - they could not find any fluid in the
lungs and were not able to determine anything of urgent concern while we
were
there.

When we went to our regular vet with the x-rays etc the next day- they
checked him over and also couldn't come up with any concrete diagnosis on
the
spot, and were only able to offer up a variety of general possibilities
(most
of which I had brought up to them before hand, the things I had read about
on
this site and others the night before.
Including possibilities such as: Respiratory disease, Hypertrophic
cardiomyopathy (hcm), mitral regurgitation, pulmonary edema, athsma,
aortic
thromboembolism, pleural effusions, atrial fibrillation, thoracocentesis,
tricuspid valve dysplasia, lymphoma, vestibular syndrome, idiopathic
chylothorax, Chylo, fibrosing pleuritis, FeLV etc )

The problem of course is the fact that he won't purr when at the vet
clinic
(since he has little to purr about) - so they can never get first hand
proof
of what I am trying to convey to them about his specific "purring and
breathing" problems etc.

The vet also took a blood sample, and later when the results came back -
said
his white blood cell count was low, but that his test for Feline Leukemia
Virus (FLV) came back negative.

About the only thing I can think of that I did not discuss with the vet at
the time (and still haven't up to this point as I hadn't read about it
before
the last visit) was the possibility of FIP (Feline Infectious
Peritonitis).


He can sleep fine for the most part - but when he starts purring in any
way
at all - that's when he cannot breath right. If you pet him or give him
any
sort of attention - he will soon have to walk away to try to isolate
himself
from any contact or distraction (if possible) then he stops and assumes a
stiff pose, showing a very uncomfortable look of concentration in his
eyes/face - while he extends his head straight out, with his chin/ neck
pushed out as much as possible as though attempting to create the best
possible position/ passageway to allow air to get in and to clear/ unblock
his airways to regain his breath.

This usually produces a lot of rapid spluttering echo-like wheezing and
guttural sounds, and random squeaks/ pops coming from his throat and or
stomach area as he struggles to regain his breath/energy?

The whole matter tends to end up leading to him having to slouch, and then
finally almost collapse, down to the floor because he can't get enough
oxygen
in to stay on all fours or even sit in an upright position.

The dry cough sort of attack (as shown in the beginning of the video) has
just recently surfaced (perhaps within the last 3 weeks or so) and now has
become a more regular occurrence. Before that, it was more just him
experiencing the purring / breathing problems as described above.

The purring heard in the video after the initial dry cough episode - is
not
nearly as bad as what typically happens before he gets into a laying
position
- it's still noticeably more distorted/ obstructed to me compared to how
he
used to purr - but it is not what I'm describing when I refer to the
severity
of the purring/ breathing problems he's been showing since September,
and
this particular video was more to show this recent turn for the worst with
the rapid gasping dry coughing issue.

So, I can't tell if any of this is most closely related to FIP (possibly
the
Dry form - which I understand is much less severe but still incurable none
the less) or if it's related to some other kind of heart disease,
bacterial
infection, asthma, some other respiratory issue or any of the other
specific
terms I listed above?

It's so difficult to trace a root cause with something like this -
especially
with geriatric cats, since- just as with any living being- the mechanisms
start to break down, and one or two things may give out long before the
rest
of the system starts to show signs of significant degradation. It's just
the
way that he seems to be in relatively good health (when not being burdened
by
these purring/ breathing troubles), and I can't help but feel like there
must
be a simple fix available (even if all the veterinary knowledge goes
against
this assumption/ hopeful outlook)


More Symptoms/ Possible symptoms:
- Very frequent licking of nose/ lips as though trying to provide moisture
to
his air entry points - or to in attempt to unblock something that isn't
really there to unblock (not quite as bad as when he is about to vomit
though
- at which point it is constant rapid tongue lapping just before the
heaves)

- Much more frequent and lengthy water drinking sessions (as though having
trouble retaining his liquids- or moisture in his airways? Eating habits
remain consistent however)

- Possibly more frequent urinating (and seemingly of greater volume as
well)
- Feces seems much more dry and indicative of constipation (although, as
of
the last few weeks or so - he has been having diarrhea like bowel
movements?)

- Vomiting of clear (sometimes brownish yellow tinted) liquid every few
days
or so (although he has been doing this for the last few years or so - long
before this breathing issue came to light ) always 2 -3 separate heaves
per
vomit period.

Thanks for your time, and sorry about the post length.

--
Message posted via http://www.catkb.com

Sounds like he is hyperthyroid. Did they do a blood test on the
thyroid specifically?

catkin wrote:
Here's the video: http://media.putfile.com/Cat-with-health-problem
Note: You might have to put it into "Full screen" mode once the video starts
(right click on screen - go to "Zoom" then "Full Screen") if you want to get
a better view and to get the volume controls etc - to appear (for some reason
they don't show up for me in the default screen size view ?)

Full screen view may also be helpful anyway since the video is quite dark
and not of very good quality, as it was taken with a basic Sony Cybershot
digital camera.

Anyway, here's some background info that should help with diagnosing what the
problem(s) may be:

He's almost 20 years old now - In September of 2006 we started to notice he
was having a lot more trouble breathing than ever before (which we soon
noticed would really only happen when he was purring / starting to try to
purr - which happens to be most of the time anyone is around him.)

We took him to the emergency clinic around the end of September/ beginning of
October, as he showed no signs of getting better since we first noticed his
problem (which at the time - we thought might just be a cold of some kind).
The vets at the emergency clinic took x-rays (no echocardiogram yet) and
checked for fluid in the lungs etc - they could not find any fluid in the
lungs and were not able to determine anything of urgent concern while we were
there.

When we went to our regular vet with the x-rays etc the next day- they
checked him over and also couldn't come up with any concrete diagnosis on the
spot, and were only able to offer up a variety of general possibilities (most
of which I had brought up to them before hand, the things I had read about on
this site and others the night before.
Including possibilities such as: Respiratory disease, Hypertrophic
cardiomyopathy (hcm), mitral regurgitation, pulmonary edema, athsma, aortic
thromboembolism, pleural effusions, atrial fibrillation, thoracocentesis,
tricuspid valve dysplasia, lymphoma, vestibular syndrome, idiopathic
chylothorax, Chylo, fibrosing pleuritis, FeLV etc )

The problem of course is the fact that he won't purr when at the vet clinic
(since he has little to purr about) - so they can never get first hand proof
of what I am trying to convey to them about his specific "purring and
breathing" problems etc.

The vet also took a blood sample, and later when the results came back - said
his white blood cell count was low, but that his test for Feline Leukemia
Virus (FLV) came back negative.

About the only thing I can think of that I did not discuss with the vet at
the time (and still haven't up to this point as I hadn't read about it before
the last visit) was the possibility of FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis).


He can sleep fine for the most part - but when he starts purring in any way
at all - that's when he cannot breath right. If you pet him or give him any
sort of attention - he will soon have to walk away to try to isolate himself
from any contact or distraction (if possible) then he stops and assumes a
stiff pose, showing a very uncomfortable look of concentration in his
eyes/face - while he extends his head straight out, with his chin/ neck
pushed out as much as possible as though attempting to create the best
possible position/ passageway to allow air to get in and to clear/ unblock
his airways to regain his breath.

This usually produces a lot of rapid spluttering echo-like wheezing and
guttural sounds, and random squeaks/ pops coming from his throat and or
stomach area as he struggles to regain his breath/energy?

The whole matter tends to end up leading to him having to slouch, and then
finally almost collapse, down to the floor because he can't get enough oxygen
in to stay on all fours or even sit in an upright position.

The dry cough sort of attack (as shown in the beginning of the video) has
just recently surfaced (perhaps within the last 3 weeks or so) and now has
become a more regular occurrence. Before that, it was more just him
experiencing the purring / breathing problems as described above.

The purring heard in the video after the initial dry cough episode - is not
nearly as bad as what typically happens before he gets into a laying position
- it's still noticeably more distorted/ obstructed to me compared to how he
used to purr - but it is not what I'm describing when I refer to the severity
of the purring/ breathing problems he's been showing since September, and
this particular video was more to show this recent turn for the worst with
the rapid gasping dry coughing issue.

So, I can't tell if any of this is most closely related to FIP (possibly the
Dry form - which I understand is much less severe but still incurable none
the less) or if it's related to some other kind of heart disease, bacterial
infection, asthma, some other respiratory issue or any of the other specific
terms I listed above?

It's so difficult to trace a root cause with something like this - especially
with geriatric cats, since- just as with any living being- the mechanisms
start to break down, and one or two things may give out long before the rest
of the system starts to show signs of significant degradation. It's just the
way that he seems to be in relatively good health (when not being burdened by
these purring/ breathing troubles), and I can't help but feel like there must
be a simple fix available (even if all the veterinary knowledge goes against
this assumption/ hopeful outlook)


More Symptoms/ Possible symptoms:
- Very frequent licking of nose/ lips as though trying to provide moisture to
his air entry points - or to in attempt to unblock something that isn't
really there to unblock (not quite as bad as when he is about to vomit though
- at which point it is constant rapid tongue lapping just before the heaves)

- Much more frequent and lengthy water drinking sessions (as though having
trouble retaining his liquids- or moisture in his airways? Eating habits
remain consistent however)

- Possibly more frequent urinating (and seemingly of greater volume as well)
- Feces seems much more dry and indicative of constipation (although, as of
the last few weeks or so - he has been having diarrhea like bowel movements?)

- Vomiting of clear (sometimes brownish yellow tinted) liquid every few days
or so (although he has been doing this for the last few years or so - long
before this breathing issue came to light ) always 2 -3 separate heaves per
vomit period.

Thanks for your time, and sorry about the post length.

--
Message posted via http://www.catkb.com