Rapid breathing in a cat: symptoms and causes. What to do if a cat or a cat is breathing heavily with its stomach and lies with its mouth open

Signs of respiratory distress:

• unusual sounds (wheezing)
• unusual posture, restlessness, inability to lie down
• pale or bluish coloration of the gums and lips
• very rapid breathing or labored breathing, with a visible effort to inhale or exhale.
• for cats: open mouth breathing

You can even say that if a cat breathes with its mouth open, it has serious problems..

The exception is fat cats, who can afford to breathe through their mouths after long games. Although, an overly fat cat, of course, cannot be called completely healthy.

The body of land animals is not able to create oxygen reserves, so if some serious breathing disorder occurs, the lack of oxygen can become life-threatening very quickly. Therefore, if the animal has any breathing problems, a visit to the doctor should not be postponed. If the condition of the animal worsens, shortness of breath increases, lips and gums become bluish or purple - emergency assistance is required, the bill can go on for minutes.

How to help at home?
The cat needs to be calm, not to create additional stress on the respiratory system (it is vital not to disturb the cat, this can be very dangerous!). In no case should you try to lay the cat down, give it water to drink - this can be dangerous. There is no need to use any drugs that stimulate breathing - in most cases this is not only pointless, but can be harmful. It is necessary to deliver the animal to the doctor as soon as possible and carefully.

What will the doctor do?
When providing first aid to a patient with difficulty breathing, the main task is to provide the body with oxygen. Sometimes it is enough to place the animal in an oxygen chamber or let it breathe oxygen using a mask, sometimes urgent surgical intervention or mechanical ventilation is required. Simultaneously with the provision of first aid, the doctor will carry out diagnostics, and his further actions will depend on what cause of respiratory failure he will find.

If the airway is obstructed- air does not enter the lungs or does not enter enough.
An obstacle to the passage of air can be a foreign object in the upper respiratory tract (a piece of food or a plant), an injury to the upper respiratory tract (for example, with a bite), swelling of the tissues of the neck. In order to help a patient with impaired patency of the upper respiratory tract, it is necessary to quickly ensure their patency - remove a foreign body, remove swelling with anti-inflammatory drugs. In an emergency, it may be necessary to intubate the trachea (the doctor will pass a tube into the trachea through the mouth), or install a tracheostomy (in this case, the tube will be passed into the trachea from the surface of the neck, below the "blocked" area). These procedures are performed under anesthesia.

If the lungs are affected, gas exchange is disturbed, and the blood is not saturated with oxygen.
The causes of problems with the lungs can be bruised during injury, pneumonia (pneumonia), pulmonary edema. In cats, shortness of breath can develop against the background of chronic untreated feline asthma. These patients tend to have rapid breathing requiring great effort.

It must be remembered that cats can also suffer. heart disease. These diseases are typical for British cats and sphinxes. In this case, the initial problem is not in the lungs, but in the fact that the heart is not able to adequately pump blood through the vessels, because of this, blood stasis develops in the vessels of the lungs, and fluid seeps into the lung tissue.
All patients with lung pathology, as a rule, require hospitalization, intensive treatment, sometimes for several days, and in severe cases, mechanical ventilation.

Difficulty breathing may be due to chest disorders eg severe rib fractures, accumulation of fluid or air in the chest cavity. To help such a patient, you need to quickly eliminate the cause of the disease. For example, in a cat that has fallen from a great height, free air is often found in the chest cavity. It enters the chest cavity from the injured lungs and compresses them, making it difficult to breathe. In such a situation, the doctor must remove air from the chest cavity through a puncture of the chest wall. Sometimes it is necessary to install a drainage - a special tube through which accumulated air can be removed. As a rule, such patients also need to be in the hospital under observation.

Of course, what we have described is only a small part of the large number of causes that cause respiratory failure in our pets. It is important to remember that cats are animals with a very vulnerable respiratory system. It can be rightly said that the lungs of cats are their weak point, the margin of safety of the respiratory system of cats is very small. That's why Any breathing problems in cats should be taken very seriously..
There is not a single disease that causes shortness of breath that can be cured at home.
Be careful!

Some of the owners of cats notice shortness of breath in their pets - a condition in which the animal breathes very quickly and shallowly, opening its mouth and sticking out its tongue. Shortness of breath is not a common condition in cats, although some cats experience this condition after brisk play or during times of stress, such as a car trip. Should you be concerned if your cat is panting intermittently?

Although shortness of breath may be typical for your cat, it can also be a sign of a very dangerous disease, so it should not be ignored.

Causes of shortness of breath in cats. There are many reasons for shortness of breath. The most common of these are reactions to various changes, such as restlessness, anxiety, fever, etc. However, if your pet is panting too much or your pet is malnourished, it is important to identify the underlying cause. Here are some of those reasons:

Respiratory diseases. In the upper airways, shortness of breath can be caused by blocked nasal passages or polyps in the nose (pharynx). In the lower respiratory tract, this is a violation of gas exchange, pulmonary edema or asthma. Among the diseases of the chest can be called the accumulation of air, fluid or pus in the lungs, a hernia of the diaphragm.

Diseases of the cardiovascular system. Shortness of breath can be caused by heartworm or heart disease. In the lungs - pulmonary embolism.

Blood diseases. Blood disorders that cause shortness of breath in cats include anemia and carbon monoxide poisoning.

Diseases of the nervous system. Shortness of breath is caused by such diseases of the nervous system as: injuries and tumors of the brain, dysfunction of the respiratory muscles.

Other diseases. Some other medical conditions can also cause shortness of breath. For example, drug poisoning, high blood pressure, fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity, etc.

What should be done? If you notice your cat is hyperventilating, look for signs of distress such as coughing, difficulty breathing, bluish discoloration of the mucous membranes in the mouth, as well as fatigue, weight loss, suppressed appetite, excessive thirst, vomiting, or diarrhea. .

If your pet is choking as a result of increased activity, excitement, fever, or fear, remove those pathogens and continue to monitor your pet. If shortness of breath continues, consult your veterinarian.

diagnostic activities. Your veterinarian may recommend testing to determine the cause of your cat's breathlessness.

Complete blood and urine test. A complete blood count, biochemical profile, and urinalysis can reveal medical conditions such as anemia, infections, or diabetes, as well as determine the acid-base status of the blood.

x-ray. Your veterinarian may order x-rays to make sure there are no foreign objects or tumors in your upper airways.

Ultrasound. Ultrasounds of the heart, chest, and abdomen may also be done to help assess the size of the organs and detect the presence or absence of fluid or other masses in them.

If, based on the results of the above diagnostic measures, the veterinarian finds it difficult to make an unambiguous diagnosis, additional studies may be prescribed.

Study of the endocrine system. Elevated levels of a hormone produced by the thyroid gland (in some cases observed in cats older than 6 years of age).

Analysis for heartworms. The presence of heartworms in an animal blocks the heart vessels, which leads to respiratory failure.

In some cases, the veterinarian performs a procedure to drain air or fluid from the chest.

Treatment. Before making a diagnosis, the veterinarian will most likely prescribe a preliminary treatment. First of all, it is rest, no stress and excitement, as well as oxygen therapy.

If your pet is dehydrated after vomiting or diarrhoea, appropriate therapy is necessary to restore fluid balance in the body.

In case of severe anemia, a blood transfusion may be prescribed.

Antibiotics or antipyretics are prescribed for infections and fever.

Once the cause of your pet's problem is determined, the veterinarian will draw up a comprehensive treatment program. You should strictly adhere to all doctor's recommendations! Provide your pet with a cool place to rest, protect him from physical exertion and overexertion.

From time to time, cats can catch colds and face quite serious respiratory (breathing) problems. If you notice your pet has breathing problems, it is very important to contact your veterinarian in a timely manner so that he finds out the exact cause of airway congestion and prescribes the appropriate treatment. This article will tell you about how you can identify problems in the respiratory system of a cat and how to make it easier for her to breathe. Also here you can get acquainted with the most common causes of respiratory problems in cats.

Steps

Identification of problems with the upper respiratory tract

Pay attention to nasal discharge. Cats often have a runny nose. If you notice nasal discharge from your pet, then it may simply be mucous or mucopurulent. These discharges are often yellow or green in color.

• Some cats with allergic rhinitis may have a clear, moist nasal discharge, but this can sometimes be hard to see because the cat regularly licks its nose.
• If you notice nasal discharge in a cat, try to find out if it affects one or both nostrils. Bilateral discharge (from both nostrils) is more likely to be due to infection or allergy, while unilateral discharge may be due to a foreign body or unilateral infection in the nose.

1. Pay attention to whether the cat is sneezing. If a person has a stuffy nose, then he can calmly take a handkerchief and blow his nose. However, cats do not know how to do this, and the only way out for them in such a situation is sneezing.

   • If you notice your pet is sneezing regularly, you should make an appointment with your veterinarian to help figure out the cause of the problem. This could be an allergy or an infection, so the veterinarian will need to take a sample of mucous secretions for an accurate diagnosis.

2. Try to find out the cause of nasal congestion. In cats, stuffy nose is quite common due to rhinitis (inflammation of the nasal passages accompanied by mucus), infection (including a viral one, such as cat flu) and due to the inhalation of foreign bodies (for example, awn particles from spikelets of grass that hit the cat in the nose when she sniffed the grass).

   Identification of problems with the lower respiratory tract

   1. Measure the cat's respiratory rate. The respiratory rate is the number of breaths a cat takes in one minute. The normal breathing rate is 20-30 breaths per minute. Both the rate of breathing and its pattern can tell you if there is a problem.

      Notice your pet's heavy breathing. The normal respiratory movements of a cat are difficult to detect, so if you see that the cat has to strain to breathe, it may have problems with the respiratory system. With heavy breathing, the cat makes pronounced respiratory movements of the chest and abdomen in order to inhale or exhale air.

      • To understand how your cat breathes, you need to fix your eyes on one place of her chest (perhaps on the curl of wool on her chest) and follow how it moves up and down.
      • The abdominal muscles should not be involved in inspiration. If a cat's stomach expands and contracts when breathing, then this is not normal. If the cat's chest is clearly heaving and you see increased respiratory movements, then this is also not normal.

   2. Pay attention to the “oxygen starvation” posture. It is not uncommon for a cat with difficulty breathing to adopt an "oxygen starvation" position. She sits or lies down so that the elbows of her front paws do not touch the chest, and the head and neck are extended in such a way as to straighten the trachea.

      • In the “oxygen starvation” position, the cat may also open its mouth and breathe with shortness of breath.

   3. Look for signs of physical pain in your pet. A cat with difficulty breathing may experience physical pain. To understand if this is so, look at the expression on her face. She may look flustered, the corners of her mouth pulled back in a kind of grimace. Other signs of pain include:

      • dilated pupils;
      • flattened ears;
      • pressed mustache;
      • showing aggression when you approach;
      • tail pressed against the body.

   4. Pay attention to shortness of breath. In cats, shortness of breath after exercise is acceptable, as it helps the animal to cool the body. Shortness of breath in any other situation is considered an abnormal symptom. If you frequently notice your cat panting at rest, contact your veterinarian as this is a bad sign of breathing problems.

      • Cats can sometimes become short of breath when they are anxious or frightened, so try to take the environment into account when assessing your pet's condition.

   Caring for a cat with a stuffy nose

   1. Discuss antibiotic use with your veterinarian. If your cat is showing signs of an infectious disease (yellow or green nasal discharge), talk to your veterinarian about whether antibiotics are appropriate for your situation.

      • If the veterinarian says that the infection is viral in nature, then antibiotics are useless in this case. Also, if your cat is given antibiotics, it may take 4-5 days for your cat to get better, during which time you will need to help her breathe in other ways.

   2. Use steam inhalation. The warm, moist steam thins the mucous secretions and makes it easier to expel when you sneeze. Obviously, you can't force a cat to keep its head over a bowl of boiling water, because if it gets nervous and knocks over the container, then you can scald yourself with it. Instead, fill an entire room with steam to make your pet's breathing easier. To do this, follow the steps below.

      • Bring the cat into the bathroom and lock the door. Turn the shower on as hot as possible. Make sure that there is a reliable barrier between the cat and the boiling water.
      • Sit in a steam-filled room for 10 minutes. If you manage to carry out 2-3 such procedures a day, then the cat will become somewhat easier to breathe.

   3. Keep your cat's nose clean. It is quite understandable that if a cat has a clogged and dirty nose, it needs to be cleaned. Wet a cotton ball with tap water and then wipe the cat's nose with it. Wipe off any dried mucous secretions that can form a crust around the sick cat's nose.

      • If your cat has a runny nose, regularly rubbing his nose will help to provide the pet with greater comfort.

   4. Ask your veterinarian to prescribe a mucolytic for your cat. Sometimes the mucous secretions are so thick and sticky that they tightly clog the sinuses and make it impossible to breathe through the nose. In such a situation, the veterinarian may prescribe a mucolytic to the animal.

   Common Causes of Breathing Problems in Cats

   Take your cat to the vet for a diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Infections, pneumonia, heart disease, lung disease, tumors, and fluid in the pleural area (pleural effusion) can cause breathing problems. These conditions require the attention of a veterinarian.

   Know that difficulty breathing can be caused by pneumonia. Pneumonia is a serious lung infection. Toxins released by bacteria and viruses cause inflammation of the lungs and lead to the accumulation of fluid in them. In such a situation, oxygen metabolism deteriorates noticeably, which makes the cat breathe more intensively.

   1. • For asthma, many cats are given corticosteroids (either intramuscular injections or tablets). Steroids have a powerful anti-inflammatory effect, so they quickly remove the inflammation that has arisen in the cat's airways. However, there are also salbutamol inhalers for cats, they are used if the animal is calm about the mask for the muzzle.
      • Bronchitis is also treated with either steroids or bronchodilators, which stimulate inelastic airways to open better.
   • Contact your veterinarian immediately if you have concerns about your pet's respiratory health.

There is an opinion that cats feel when their owner is sick, and in some cases they can even “heal” him. For example, when the pressure is high, the pet lies down in the chest area and the owner's pressure returns to normal. Also, people should be attentive to their pet and monitor its health. Although it is not always so easy. They have diseases that are difficult to detect, but if you look closely in time, you can save the animal from serious health problems.

It is difficult to notice problems that are associated with a cat's breathing. She always breathes easily and inconspicuously. If she began to breathe with her stomach, then this is already an alarming sign for the owner. You can also count the number of breaths and exhalations per minute. If this is a kitten, then the amount reaches up to 50 times per minute, in an adult animal about 30 times. And also the cat breathes a little more often than the cat.

Causes of heavy breathing

If the cat began to breathe heavily, then for sure some kind of disease began to progress in her body. Here are examples of the most common ones:

• Hypoxia.
• Inhalation of particles of food or toys.
• Heart failure.
• Joy.
• Heat.
• Allergy.
• Injuries.
• Elevated temperature.
• Poisoning.
• Tumor.
• Hydrothorax.
• Pneumothorax.

Now let's look at each of them in more detail.

Hypoxia is lack of oxygen in organs and tissues. This disease has an acute and chronic course. Acute occurs with large blood loss. The chronic form appears as a result of diseases of the respiratory system, liver, blood.

In the case when heavy breathing is accompanied by wheezing, this may indicate that there is a foreign body in the nasopharynx.

Heart failure makes itself felt after the pet finishes its active games. At the same time, one can notice not only heavy breathing, but also the cyanosis of the tongue, which soon passes.

If the animal has experienced shock, its blood circulation is disturbed, as a result of which there is a lack of oxygen.

A pet that has damage to the ribs, chest and spine will breathe with the stomach, while the ribs are practically motionless.

When a cat experiences joy, her breathing quickens, but this is a temporary phenomenon.

The most dangerous causes of heavy breathing are hydrothorax and pneumothorax. When inhaling, the lungs should expand, but when there is an air vacuum around them, they cannot do this. This disease is called pneumothorax. With hydrothorax, the same thing happens, only there is no air vacuum around the lungs, but there is a liquid that only a specialist can extract.

Hydrothorax very rarely occurs as an independent disease. As a rule, this disease appears in parallel with heart failure, anemia, or diseases of the kidneys and liver. This disease often leads to lymph outflow, congestion in the veins, and a decrease in the functionality of the heart muscle. All this can lead to the death of the animal.

1. There are 3 types of pneumothorax: open, closed and valvular.
2. An open pneumothorax occurs during an injury when a hole forms and air enters and exits during inhalation and exhalation.
3. Closed pneumothorax also occurs as a result of injury, only air remains in place. The passage to it is closed by a blood clot.
4. And the most dangerous form is valvular pneumothorax, since air enters with each breath, but cannot exit, because it is closed by a valve.

The more complex the injury in pneumothorax, the less likely the animal is to survive. If the injury is not large, then the animal will live. In case of penetration of a large amount of air, the organs in the chest are cooled, the volume of the lungs decreases and respiratory distress occurs. In addition, through the wound, the infection can penetrate into the lungs and chest.

The animal may be frightened of such a state and begin to breathe rapidly, resulting in suffocation.

Animal treatment

Since the causes of the disease are different, the methods of treating the pet are completely different. Breathing on its own can return to normal only after experienced emotions of joy and shock. In other cases, only a veterinarian can help.

Hypoxia in a cat can be cured with the help of pharmacological drugs that reduce the consumption of oxygen by tissues.

If pieces of food or particles of a toy get into the nasopharynx of an animal, then you should not try to pull them out yourself. Only a doctor can do this.

In the case when fever and cough are added to heavy breathing, this may indicate that the animal has bronchitis or laryngeal edema.

Wheezy breathing can be characteristic not only for diseases such as hydrothorax and pneumothorax, but also for edema, pneumonia and heart disease.

Be sure to examine the body of the cat, if it shows scratches and bruises, she may be injured. An animal with severe bruising loses its appetite and is constantly thirsty. It needs to be shown to a specialist, possibly an ultrasound or x-ray.

To cure hydrothorax, you first need to establish the cause of the disease. Treatment is with a course of antibiotics and vitamins, as well as heart and diuretics. You should also limit your pet's intake of water and liquid foods. The cat is punctured and the liquid is partially removed, no more than 300 ml.

Treatment of hydrothorax is ineffective, therefore, purebred expensive animals are mainly treated.

With pneumothorax, first of all, it is urgent to administer drugs to the cat that can relax it and remove it from a state of shock. You also need an open pneumothorax, by operation, to make it closed. When the form is closed, a small amount of air enters, which is easily absorbed and the pet recovers.

In any case, no matter how difficult the condition of the animal is, there is no need to leave it to the mercy of fate. Let the specialist examine the cat and decide its fate. If there is even a small chance of salvation, it must be seized upon.