My cat's asthma is worse, inhaler not working. What's his outlook?

Question

My cat has asthma. he has multiple attacks everyday and we have an inhaler for him. Recently his asthma attacks have gotten worse and it seems like the inhaler isn’t working like it was before. We even got a new prescription. He’s 8 and seems to be getting more distant. I’m not sure what to do to help him. I have an air purifier in the living room and I comfort him and give him his meds during attacks. It seems like nothing’s really helping. What should I do and what is his life expectancy? Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Shorthair | Male | neutered | 8 years and 5 months old | 11 lbs

Jeffrey Milner · Accepted Answer

It sounds like you have exhausted many of the options available to you already. While the medications are great particularly at reducing inflammation in the airways, they don't actually deliver any additiional oxygen to Clark's body or blood stream. For some of my cardiac patients and to a lesser extent the respiratory patients, I recommend keeping an at home oxygen set up available not that different from how a human with emphysema keeps oxygen on hand. This often helps reduce the number of attacks as well as the need for a stressful visit to the vet everytime an attack occurs or appears like it is going to occur. I am not saying it is a subsitute for a vet, but I would speak with your primary vet about potentially getting you a prescription for the tank. You will have to build the vessel yourself but can be done so out of a large tupperware and some tubing essentially with relative ease. In terms of life expectancy, it will all come down to your ability to get the attacks under control. In theory the disease can be be managed long term, but in worst cases potentially like Clarks, can ultimatley result in respiratory distress and failure. Hope this make sense.

My cat's asthma is worse, inhaler not working. What's his outlook?

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