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Radiography (x-rays) may be taken: a characteristic patter of changes in the lungs is usually seen, with increased opacities, and specific patterns suggesting infiltration of the air sacs with fluid and inflammatory debris. Your veterinarian may recommend specific blood tests for some viral infections such as FeLV and FIV, since there are significant implications if your cat is positive for either of these. Typically, but not always, a raised white blood cell count (leucocytosis) may be seen. It’s very likely that your veterinarian may carry out other blood work, including the usual panel of diagnostic tests, such as hematology (blood count) and biochemistry profiles. Other complications (such as any skin lesions) will also be assessed carefully. Your vet will also assess your cat’s heart rate and sounds. In some cases, the normal sounds of breathing may be reduced due to consolidation of the lung tissue caused by the accumulation of inflammatory debris and fluid. Your vet will also carry out auscultation of your cat’s chest (listening with a stethoscope) checking for increased lung sounds, such as wheezes, crackles and hisses. Your veterinarian will check your cat over carefully, checking for the signs of pneumonia listed above. There are other causes of the same types of signs as pneumonia, and this history will help to differentiate the various possible causes. Your vet will discuss every aspect of your cat’s condition and overall health care. If your DVM veterinarian suspects that your cat may have pneumonia, the following steps may be taken. cats with feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infections are more likely to develop pneumonia.īacterial complications can be caused by many microorganisms, including bordetella, mycoplasma, and pasteurella. liquid medications), can also lead to pneumonia.Ĭommon respiratory infections include feline calicivirus (FCV), feline herpesvirus (FHV), as well as feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). Inhalation of smoke, or aspiration of food or fluid (e.g. The most common causes are viral infections, bacterial infections (such as bordetella), fungal infections (mycotic pneumonia), protozoa, and parasites. Rarely there may be other signs of systemic bacterial infection, such as lameness and skin problems. Some cats with feline pneumonia may have difficulty swallowing, due to the changes inside the chest. You may noticed reduced drinking from your cat’s water bowl and less use of the litter box.
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Other common signs include coughing, dyspnea (difficulty breathing), tachypnea (rapid breathing), a yellowish nasal discharge and cyanosis (a bluish-purple color of the gums caused by poor oxygenation of the tissues).ĭehydration is a common feature, due to lack of fluid ingestion (reduced eating and drinking) as well as higher loss of water vapor from the body due to increased rate of breathing. Typical signs of pneumonia include fever, dullness, inappetence, weight loss and unwillingness to move around. While this is often the case, 20 – 60% of cats do not show signs of their breathing being affected, simply presenting as “sick cats”. Instead, they present as simply “sick cats”.Īs a lung disease, it might be expected that breathing difficulties would be the main feature of pneumonia in cats. It usually occurs from a virus and can lead to chest tightness, wheezing, coughing up mucus, and difficulty breathing.Counterintuitively, a good number of cats with pneumonia don’t have breathing difficulties at all. It involves inflammation in the air sacs of the lungs and can cause difficulty breathing and coughing up mucus.īronchitis is an inflammation of the lining of the bronchial tubes, which carry air to and from the lungs. Pneumonia is an infection in one or both lungs caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites. The most common causes are lung infections, such as pneumonia and bronchitis.
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What causes atypical bronchial breath sounds?Ītypical bronchial breath sounds can indicate various underlying conditions. Amphoric sounds indicate damage to the alveoli, the air sacs within the lungs. Conditions that can trigger cavernous or hollow sounds include:Īmphoric sounds involve atypical bronchial breathing, which leads to loud echoing sounds with high pitched overtones. These are low pitched bronchial breath sounds. Mediastinal tumor : This refers to a tumor in the chest between the two lungs.Atelectasis : This involves someone having a collapsed lung.Pulmonary fibrosis : This presents as damage and scarring of the lung tissue, which typically occurs in lung diseases.
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