CIRCLES SOUNDS ON THE LUNGS FREE

In some cases, therapy for a chronic condition can be initiated and, if maintained indefinitely, can extend a cat's life for several years. In a long-lasting condition, the signs are likely to worsen and become perceptible to an owner over an extended period - years, perhaps - and tend to be marked by multiple attacks, progressive loss of appetite, lethargy, and weight loss before eventually causing an animal's death.Ī chronic lung disease may often be identified during the course of a routine veterinary examination, says Dr. The signs of a chronic lung disease are similar, but their manifestations are less dramatic. A severe acute attack is likely to result in a cat's death if veterinary treatment is not immediately available. Signs of an acute respiratory illness include labored breathing, periodic blackouts or fainting pale or bluish lips, gums and nose tissue irregular heartbeat and gastrointestinal upset. The most common causes of these respiratory conditions include allergies, parasitic infections, benign or cancerous growths, pus-filled abscesses, adverse reactions to inhaled fungi, and the malfunction of other vital organs, especially the heart.

Unfortunately - and in some cases tragically - a wide variety of disease conditions, either chronic or acute, can interfere with proper ventilation and perfusion. 'The earlier these signs are picked up, the better.' 'And all cat owners should be aware of the signs of respiratory distress,' he adds.

CIRCLES SOUNDS ON THE LUNGS FREE

In addition, he suggests that owners keep the air in their homes as clean as possible, free of such potential allergens as dust, mold and smoke. Fecal examinations should also be done periodically, and cats should be dewormed as needed. Goldstein urges cat owners to have their animals undergo a medical checkup at least once yearly that includes a thorough exam of its entire respiratory system. After that, chronic therapy must be initiated to lessen the chances that another attack will occur in the future.'ĭr. A typical stay at the veterinary clinic will last between 24 and 48 hours. 'Both of these lung conditions generally respond well to therapy,' he says, 'depending on the underlying cause for the pleural effusion. Richard Goldstein points out that most cases of respiratory distress are caused by either asthma or pleural effusion, and the success rate of emergency treatment for those two ailments is 'pretty good.' The prognosis for many feline lung diseases depends on the nature of the specific condition, the extent of its progression and the treatments that are available for it. Goldstein, 'the blood will contain an appropriate level of oxygen.' 'As long as ventilation and perfusion are happening,' says Dr. This purification occurs in microscopic, sack-like tissue structures called alveolae, which are packed with tiny blood vessels (capillaries) that facilitate the efficient passage of gases into and out of the blood stream. The carbon dioxide is then released via exhaled air. In this process, the oxygen is exchanged for carbon dioxide, which is produced in the animal's cells. Perfusion is the process by which the lung removes life-supporting oxygen from the inhaled air and delivers it into the cat's circulating blood. This steady, involuntary activity is effected primarily by the muscular activity of the diaphragm, a membrane separating the animal's chest area and its abdominal cavity.

Ventilation, he explains, is the act of breathing - the rhythmic inhalation and exhalation of air from the environment. Problems with these life-sustaining organs are 'very, very common,' he observes, noting that 'a busy veterinary emergency clinic may see one or more cases of pulmonary distress or disease every day.' Goldstein, an assistant professor of clinical sciences at Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine. 'Any anatomical differences between a cat's lungs and your lungs are not significant,' says Dr. Like any mammalian lungs, says Richard Goldstein, DVM, feline lungs have two main functions - ventilation and perfusion - both of which are essential to a cat's vital processes. As in humans, these two bag-shaped, elastic organs are located opposite each other - one on each side of the animal's heart - and occupy most of the space in its chest cavity.

Feline Asthma: A Risky Business for Many CatsĪ broad array of life-threatening pulmonary disorders are common among cats.ĭespite some minor anatomical differences, feline lungs are structured just like human lungs, operate in the same way, and serve the same purpose.

Circles sounds on the lungs