Feline Lower Airway Disease: More than Just ‘Asthma’

Lower airway disease in cats includes the conditions asthma and chronic bronchitis, both of which cause significant morbidity in cats. Presentations can vary from a chronic cough to acute respiratory distress.

The diagnosis is ideally based on bronchoalveolar lavage results and treatment is aimed at reducing airway infl ammation. Inhaled therapy may reduce the adverse effects of long-term oral glucocorticoid treatment, and is well tolerated by the majority of cats.