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Coughing in cat

adria

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My daughter’s cat has been coughing for over a month. This is a rescued female cat approx. 3—4 years old. She is fed a commercially prepared raw diet she’s been on since rescued as a kitten. She lives with a rescued male cat adopted at the same time and on the same diet. He is not coughing. Her BEAM is great, no change in appetite, energy level, behavior or mood -no change in weight. She was brought to her vet who diagnosed bronchitis and after a physical exam, with no issues found (and no x-ray), prescribed antibiotics (amox/clavamox). She was put on the antibiotics for 10 days with no change.

 
 

Dr. Jeff

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Hi Adria-

I'm so glad to hear that her BEAM is great and that she did not "respond" to the anti-biotics!

This means that her Vitality is strong enough to resist the potential palliation or suppression from the Clavamox.

During last night's modality webinar you mentioned a commercial carpet cleaning.

Did the cough start before or after?

Are there any other environmental changes (like any other work around the house)?

Also, can you describe the cough (look in your repertory for clues how to do that)?

How about its frequency and severity?

Thanks!
 

Dr. Jeff

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Hi again Adria-

How's your daughter's kitty?

Do you have any further info?
 
C

Christie

Dr Jeff,
My 11 yo kitty is coughing just like this for two weeks now. For a month, she had been on new litter (corn and a switchgrass box). This litter change (from clay) I think triggered her to react, and the xrays show a little inflammation that vet called feline airway disease or bronchitis that could lead to asthma.
I meticulously changed the litter to coconut and cleaned the house. I’m even serving her a teeny bit of wild blueberries and Esther C sprinkled in her dehydrated chicken.
Vet wants to give flucotozone (sp?) administered with a mask called aerokat.
I’d like a second opinion by a holistic vet. Might see one on Friday but she has less experience than I hoped.
I also ordered Respiratory Relief from Hawaii Pharm. She also has gingivitis and I have been dropping Dental Care drops from the same company in her food, for a while now.
I feel it’s all viral.
Am I doing the right things? What else can be done? Is it all overkill if I add the steroids, vit c, respiratory relief?
I am fearful to give her steroids.
Thank you so much.
 
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Dr. Jeff

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Hi Patton-

I'm sorry to hear about your kitty's cough.

How's her BEAM?

How Persistent, Prominent or Problematic is the cough?

Are there any useful modalities to the coughing?

I agree about the steroids, and the other supportive supplements are fine to use.

Is she getting fresh food (in addition to the blueberries), in each meal?

I'd also consider a 2-3 week trial of SmartZYME to help her internally re-balance.
 
C

Christie

She isn’t sleeping with me as much since the cough started. But she still is playing. It’s breaking my heart that I tried something new (the litters) that made her this way. :(

I guess we will pick up the mask today. I don’t know what else to do. Should I not? The website for SmartZYME doesn’t say much of what that is. Are people finding it helpful?

Food- No, she doesn’t get that much fresh, usually once a week with the dehydrated and the rest canned. I will change this. I did order canned that the HA site suggested for when I’m in a pinch. I don’t think she will respond to raw? I don’t know how to do that really. I’ll give more dehydrated for now, I just want to make sure she’s not malnourished.
 

Dr. Jeff

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Ah, I'm sorry to hear that you feel badly about a decision you made Patton.?

It might be helpful to know that if the new litter didn't trigger her cough, something else would have.

Sure, pick up the mask. That way you have it if you feel you need it.

Yes, the SmartZYME info is sparse.

Probably because it's a new product for which anecdotal cases are just now being collected.

Yes, a few local clients and other HA! Academy members have found it useful.

The only ingredient in it is a special, white micro-algae organically grown in ME.

Regarding eating and malnourishment, try mixing <1 tsp. of raw ,or lightly cooked, in with the canned food.

Any increase in the Vitality of her food will help the cough.☀??
 
C

Christie

The holistic vet prescribed Standard Process for her. I am going with the Respiratory Relief I brought there. Does anyone know about these products for asthma?

CF53A155-87CB-4C52-B385-05B841F56820.jpeg
 

Dr. Jeff

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The Standard Process products are great support for pets with asthma and cough symptoms.
 
C

Christie

So it turns out I should NOT have tried to treat this holistically as my cat is currently on night two in the vets oxygen tank due to heavy breathing. Her xrays show asthma now. I took her to two vets prior that didn’t give us necessarily the sense of urgency that this “beginning of feline airway disease” was something not to mess with. I’m torn apart. I feel like I failed trying stupid things on her and risking her life with something I had no clue about and her life.... is very much up in the air right now. ?
 

Dr. Jeff

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Oh no, I'm so sorry to hear this, but thanks so much for sharing this info here!:( ?

This is very, very important info to discuss and understand.:unsure:

Have you spoken with the holistic vet about your kitty's dis-ease progression and what recently happened??

Absolutely don't beat yourself up about any decision you made while trying to work with her body with the subtle supplements that you shared with us above.

Please post here, email or call if I can help in any way.?
 
C

Christie

Thank you. I also believe the CA fires could be having an affect on her. It is hazy here.
I won’t use that vet again, but it was my idea to be anti steroids. No one told me how bad this could be! But it happened so quick.
 

Dr. Jeff

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Oh no, I'm so sorry about this.?

Yes, the fires and air quality can definitely play an important role in inflammatory respiratory dis-eases.
 

Dr. Christina

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As Dr. Jeff said, please do not beat yourself up about any decisions you carefully make. There are no "correct" decisions.

In my 40 years of homeopathic practice, speaking and teaching, I frequently find that many people feel very guilty if the holistic treatments they try do not work - "Oh I should have done the surgery, used the drugs, etc". When the conventional treatments do not work they are less likely to feel guilty.

One of my patients was Isis, a 5 year old cat who developed severe asthma (needed oxygen) after getting her annual vaccines (too many of them for her). She was on drugs for 2 years with poor quality of life. One month of homeopathic treatment and she was off drugs, feeling full of energy, no coughing and lived another 13 years with only 2 minor skin health challenges.

Another cat with asthma did not respond to my homeopathic treatment, yet did very well for 10 years with Acupuncture and Chinese herbs.

As Dr. Jeff suggested, check back with the holistic vet (what is her name?) and let her know what is happening.

You were so right to be working with a veterinarian for a potentially severe condition like asthma. You will continue to make decisions about the care your cat gets - the current conventional vet whose goal is to stop the symptoms (needed when life threatening), the holistic vet who may or may not have enough training, a homeopathic vet (by phone), a chinese medicine trained vet...etc.

Again, there is no one correct answer.

Dr. Christina
 
C

Christie

Thank you so much. I needed to hear this. I will continue on the search. ???
 
C

Christie

Marina Vet in Marina Del Rey had the one holistic veterinarian working there but I’m not sure how qualified she is. She offered the Standard Process but Tiki just progressed too quickly.
 

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