My cat of 5 years has recently started breathing fast. i can send a video if anyone would like to see. It’s higher than 30, rapid and shallow. But not always fast. Comes and goes. Ive already seen two vets. she had blood tests done- which came out fine except her wbc is a bit lower (not sure how much i haven’t received the report yet but the vet said its no cause for concern) the vet says the xrays show congestion in her lungs? she also has a urine infection. we started her on antibiotics and steroid today but theres been no improvement regarding her breathing. how long should i wait for improvement? im especially scared cause theres no emergency vets where i live.
I would really appreciate any insight or help you could offer. Thank you in advance.
Greetings, all!
This is a sub for professional veterinary advice, and as such we follow strict rules for participating.
OP, your post has NOT been removed. Please also check the FAQ to see whether your question is answered there.
This is an automated general reminder to please follow The Sub Rules when discussing this question:
Your comment will be removed, and you may be banned.
Thank you for your cooperation!
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
If she has not seen improvement within 24 hours, you should be vigilant.
Higher than 30 isn’t super helpful here. Having a more precise number would be. Are we talking 40bpm or 60bpm?
Things to watch out for are going to be open mouth panting. Purple lips and/gums. Instability on her feet, or the inability to stand.
In the meantime, don’t let her exert herself anymore than necessary.
36 hours with no changes, or a decline (either by then or before) and she needs to be seen immediately.
thank you im already quite vigilant ive been checking her gums every so often. her bpm is 35-37 but her more faster ones are 47/50 and they’re both while resting. i know these are not good readings im just lost about all of this. i really appreciate your advice thank you.
The only answer here is this is a medical emergency and you should immediately contact a vet. Rapid breathing in cats needs to be addressed immediately.
yeah i understand that. i’ve been to the vet regarding her rapid breathing and they’ve given us antibiotics and steroids. today’s only day 1 so im hoping it works out. i just wanted to see if there’s anything else that i could be doing.
Apologies I was at work and clearly didn't read the post properly 😬 sorry for the bluntness.
Are they thinking pneumonia when you say congestion in lungs? Can take a few days for antibiotics to start working so don't panic!
If it doesn't seem to be working in a few days , or if it's worsening , you could consider doing something called a Brochoaveolar lavage which is basically a "flush" of the lungs to get some of the fluid and send it off for a culture to see what the best form of treatment would be from here!
I also want to ask if they've ruled out free fluid in the thoracic cavity?