respitory problem

Question
QUESTION: Hi,my cat toby has a respitory problem that comes off and on.He will start to drool from the nose and mouth,become tired and just lay around,and you can here his breathing inside his lungs(wheezing,and rough).He has been tested for all cat diseases and came up negative.He has been on Clavamox,and other medicines,but they dont seem to help.This comes off and on and does not effect my other cats.It does not seem to be a uri because its not spreading.So what exactly could this be and what could be done to cure or help this?THANKS.

ANSWER: Jay,
I need more information before I can help. Here are my questions:
1. How old is Toby?
2. Is he FeLV/FIV tested?
3. How long do these episodes last?
4. Does he cough?
5. Has he had chest xrays?
6.  Does he have a heart murmer? If so, has he had an echocardiogram?
7. Is he an indoor/outdoor cat?
8. Has he been tested for Heartworm disease?

I look forward to your follow-up and then I can give you some suggestions!
Dr. G.


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Toby is 7months old.I believe he was tested for FIV when i took him to the animal hospital when this 1st. began.His spells last from 4hours to 2 days.He has no cough.They took xrays at the hospital.I dont know about the heart murmer.He is an inside cat and I dont know about the heartworm test.

Answer
Jay,
Without being able to examine Toby puts me at a disadvanatge in this particular case because his signs are a bit unusual. However, I will give you some possible diagnoses and suggestions for further testing. Nasal discharge and chronic upper airway noises can be associated with a nasopharyngeal polyp. This is a common finding in young cats who may have had a chronic viral upper airway infection as kittens. The polyp can be surgically removed. To determine whether he has this he would have to be sedated so that his nasopharyngeal region can be examined. This is tricky and requires someone with a bit of experience to perform. Another possibility for these frequent episodes of respiratory difficulty are lung worms. Not a common finding but certainly seen on occasion. The best way to diagnose these is by running a special test on a fecal sample called a Baermann float. Lung worm eggs are coughed up and then swallowed. Hence, they show up in the stool. Underlying heart disease is another possibility. Talk to your vet and find out whether they listened carefully for a heart murmur and whether one was heard. If yes, then he should have an echocardiogarm to assess what the cause of the murmur might be. Lastly, Feline Asthma is a possibility. Although he is young for this disease to be so severe, I have certainly seen it in cats his age before. Chest xrays can help determine whether this is his problem. In addition, a trial course of a bronchodilator +/- a steroid may be an option. This would be done once you have ruled out the previous diagnoses mentioned.

Good Luck!
Dr. G.