Fat Cat Will Breathe Easier on Different Meds
By Tim Anderson
QMy 6 year-old cat was diagnosed six months ago with asthma after having an exam and X-rays. She is basically an inside cat, but does go outside with me and is always supervised. She is also a big cat, weighing 17 pounds. Since her diagnosis, my veterinarian has given her a shot of Depo-Medrol about every four weeks. I am concerned about the long-term effects of a steroid and wonder if there is another treatment that would be better for her. Also, she does not like to be handled by others and doesn’t like trips in the car.
A It looks like we have a couple of issues to deal with here. Obviously, the asthma is the most critical, but her weight is a big problem as well. She really needs to lose 4-5 pounds over the next 8- 10 months. Talk with your veterinarian about some of the diet foods that are available and stick to it. No extra food and no treats from now on. The decrease is weight will allow her to breathe more freely and easily, as well as improve her overall health.
Second, the Depo-Medrol injections every four weeks are too often. Depo is a long-acting steroid that can stay in a cat’s body for six weeks or more. Because of this, it is not advisable to give it more often than once every three months or so. With your cat being overweight, having this level of steroids in her system all the time also greatly increases her risk of diabetes.
Since feline asthma involves excessive inflammation in the airways, some type of steroid is a mainstay of treatment. Luckily, most cats respond very well to short-term steroids, as opposed to the long-term variety.
A better option would be to use a daily oral steroid, as this would be much less likely to cause side effects. An even better option is to use a medication such as Flovent that can be administered by an inhaler delivery system designed for cats. This is definitely more expensive, but also is more effective. This same type of system can also be used to give other medications in case of a severe asthma attack, in which case you need to start treatment as quickly as possible before you take her to your veterinarian or an emergency clinic.
Q I was given a 3-month-old Yorkie for Mother’s Day by my daughter and I am enjoying her a great deal. However, I am concerned that I will not be able to deal with the cost of any serious illness that she may have as I am 78 years old and may not be able to afford it. What can I do to ensure that she receives all the care she needs?
A: First, before even thinking about finances, you should make sure that someone (possibly your daughter?) would be able to care for her if you fell ill or passed away. Even though you are in good health, a Yorkie can live for 15 to 16 years, which would put you into your mid-90s. Don’t let this issue deter you from keeping her, though. Many seniors benefit emotionally and physically from having a pet.
As far as finances, there are probably two ways to approach problems that may come up as a dog ages. One would be to start a savings program by putting away a small amount of money each month, say $10 to $20. Within several years you can have over $1,000 built up to pay for any emergency accidents or diseases. In doing so, you still take the risk that something happens sooner, at a young age, but the odds are against that. Your other option would be to purchase pet insurance for her. Doing this would probably cost you $20 to $30 dollars per month for a normal policy and you would then be covered for any serious problems. There are several pet insurance companies that are relatively easy to find via their Web sites.
Got a pet-related question? Send it to Dr. Anderson, a veterinarian at Hawthorne Park Animal Care Center in Bloomington, via e-mail at features@pantagraph.com.
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