30/04/2024
𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗢𝗙 𝗙𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘 𝗟𝗢𝗪𝗘𝗥 𝗔𝗜𝗥𝗪𝗔𝗬 𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘
😿Lower airway disease (LAD) is remarkably common in cats, and it is clas-sified into 2 predominant phenotypic categories: asthma and chronic bronchitis.
😿The term asthma suggests reversible bronchoconstriction and predomi-nantly eosinophilic airway inflammation.
😿In contrast, chronic bronchitis is associated with neutrophilic inflammation.
😿These 2 syndromes represent opposite ends of the spectrum of feline LAD; however, some cats have both eosinophilic and neutrophilic inflammation, a condition termed chronic asthmatic bronchitis.
Treatment goals for cats with LAD are to:
🔸Reduce airway inflammation
🔸Reduce airway hyperreactivity and bronchoconstriction, which relieves airflow limitation
🔸Ameliorate airway remodeling
🔸Remove the underlying cause, if known.
ACUTE MANAGEMENT
Treatment of acute dyspnea associated with LAD in cats involves:
💥Oxygen supplementation (usually in an oxygen cage)
💥Minimal handling/stress reduction
💥Dose of a beta2-receptor agonist bronchodilator
💥An anti-inflammatory dose of dexamethasone SP (equivalent to 3 mg/mL dexamethasone) should be administered, if asthma or chronic bronchitis is highly suspected.
💥Response to treatment is supportive of a presumptive diagnosis of LAD.
CHRONIC MANAGEMENT
Long-term treatment of cats with allergic asthma and chronic bronchitis involves:
✨Administration of glucocorticoids to reduce airway inflammation
✨Symptomatic control with bronchodilators.
✨If lung worm infection is highly suspected (eg, especially in young, outdoor cats), treatment with fenbendazole is also indicated.
✨Oral, inhaled, and injectable forms of glucocorticoids and bronchodilators exist; the choice of specific products and route of delivery tends to reflect both owner and clinician’s preferences as well as patient compliance.
