Chronic coughing in cats

by Dr. Danièlle Gunn-Moore

Nestlé Purina Lecturer in Feline Medicine
University of Edinburgh) 

Part I: Causes

“...In cats, most coughing is caused by irritation or inflammation of the trachea or bronchial tree. This can result from the presence of foreign material, inhaled liquids or gases, be caused with infectious agents, allergic or hypersensitivity reactions or, occasionally, with neoplastic processes. Since there are no cough receptors in the peripheral lung tissue, disease affecting just the periphery of the lungs will not cause coughing, that is, until it extends into the upper airways...”

gezonde long		aangetaste long

(Bron: Dr. Danièlle Gunn-Moore, Nestlé Purina Lecturer in Feline Medicine, University of Edinburgh)

Part II: Diagnosis

“...From the history it is important to determine;
• what type of environment the cat lives in (or has previously lived in)
• whether or not it is allowed outside, and whether or not it hunts
• whether or not there is any history of previous illness, or trauma
• at what age did the clinical signs begin
• what was the pattern of onset of the clinical signs
• how have the clinical signs progressed
• have the clinical signs ever responded to previous treatments
• what other animals it lives with
• have any other animals from the same household been affected
This will help to determine what potential pathogens and/or irritants the cat may have been exposed to. It is very helpful to know whether or not the disease was acute in onset, or slowly progressive. Foreign bodies initially cause acute disease. A cough that starts seasonally may be suggestive of ‘feline asthma’ or lungworm infection. ‘Asthmatic’ cats may cough more at night when sleeping on their owner’s bed, or at the end of a bout of play, and their clinical signs may be exacerbated by their owner’s smoking...”
(Bron: Dr. Danièlle Gunn-Moore, Nestlé Purina Lecturer in Feline Medicine, University of Edinburgh)

Part III: Treatment

“...The treatment of chronic bronchopulmonary disease aims at the control clinical signs rather than to achieve a cure. Therapy should be tailored to each individual case. The aims are to:
• Alter life-style
• Reverse bronchoconstriction: (β-adrenergic agonists, theophylline)
• Reduce inflammation: (corticosteroids, antibiotics, anti-serotonergics, leukotriene receptor antagonists)...”

   
(Bron: Dr. Danièlle Gunn-Moore, Nestlé Purina Lecturer in Feline Medicine, University of Edinburgh)