Warning: Undefined variable $href_target in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/phpGiggle/phpgiggle-config.inc.php on line 44 Cat with asthma - Can he have prednisone twice a day? | Ask A Vet
My cat sam is 9 yrs old. he weighs about 16 pounds. He has coughing spells about 3 times a year. He sneezes too. I would take him to the vet and he would get a steroid injection and prednisone 5mg once a day by mouth. He would not cough for months. Now he is terrified to go to the vet. I have prednisone to give him because he is coughing, but the 5mg wears off at night. Can I give him more? I also have a albuterol Inhaler that was mine. Can I use that on him? I don't want to keep him on the prednisone long term just when he is symptomatic. A vet I called said he could have heart trouble. Do you think so? The prednisone works and he breathes better and doesn't cough, so I don't think it's his heart. Please help!
Warning: Undefined variable $related_questions in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/related1.php on line 75
Deprecated: strlen(): Passing null to parameter #1 ($string) of type string is deprecated in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/related1.php on line 75
Warning: Undefined variable $related_articles in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/related1.php on line 75
Deprecated: strlen(): Passing null to parameter #1 ($string) of type string is deprecated in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/related1.php on line 75
Dr. Marie replied:
I'm sorry to hear that Sam is having problems.
Unfortunately I can't give you specific information on whether or not you can give these medications as I can't legally do so without Sam being an actual patient of mine.
I do have cats that I put on Prednisone long term. Usually 5mg a day is plenty. In fact, I have many cats on 2.5mg every other day for asthma. I generally would not use 5 mg twice daily long term unless the benefits really outweighed the risks.
You may want to talk to your vet about possibly getting him a long acting steroid injection such as depo-medrol. There are pros and cons to this. There is a rare side effect where a cat can develop diabetes after having repeated steroid injections but this is very uncommon. These injections often work well and last about 6 weeks or longer. This could be an option.
I have used inhalers in cats but you would need to get one that has a dosage that is specific to your cat (which would have to be prescribed by your vet).
In my experience, cats don't often cough with heart trouble. The one exception is heartworm. If you live in an area where there is a lot of heartworm (such as the Southern US) then you may want to ask your vet to test for heartworm. But, given that he responds to steroids, asthma is much more likely.
I can understand that Sam doesn't enjoy going to the vet. You may want to see if the vet or another vet in your area has a housecall option. It really does sound like he needs some long term veterinary care.
I wish I could offer more to you. Please let me know if you have questions.
Dr. Marie.
Warning: Undefined variable $displayed in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/answer_np.php on line 253
Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?
Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.
Customer reply:
Thank you so much. Your information really has helped me. I found a vet that makes house calls and I'm going to get him an appt. Thanks again!
Search for similar questions:
Popular questions...
Cat not eating. Hello, Dr. Haynes -
My cat Simon doesn't seem to be eating or drinking very much... (54866 views)
Albendazole for dogs. Can I use Albendazole to deworm my puppy? I have something called Valbazen. Thank... (48827 views)
Does my cat have feline leukemia? have a 6 year old female cat with up to date FeLV and FIV vaccinations. She has the... (7506 views)
Should I spay my dog? Hello,
I have an 8-year old Maltese which is not spayed. It was something we... (16021 views)
Itchy spot on thigh. my dog has started scratching his inner hind leg on one side and he licked and... (7641 views)
Did air freshener kill my dog? hi. my dog, simon, a jack russell/poodle, died of kidney failure which was caused... (14645 views)
Possible brain tumor. We would like your opinion on whether we were right in putting Barney to... (23007 views)
Bump on dog's ear. Hi Dr. Marie
My dog Syrous is 22 months old and is a Dogue de Bordeaux. 2... (71658 views)
Trouble breathing and died. my beloved cat mr whippy died recently and i am breaking my heart thinking i could... (12437 views)
Cat vomited 5 times. I came home this morning and i found about 5 vomit spots in my living room. when i... (48922 views)
Veterinarian, Dr. Marie created this site to be able to provide quick, accurate veterinary advice online. She would love to help with your pet's problem!
Dr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.
Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.