Asthma, how long might I have her?

[fidget]

Hi.
My Sierra is on prednisone for asthma. I used to give it to her for a few days when she had a flare-up every month or so.
then it became a few a month, then once a week, then 2 times a week.

I took her back to the vet,and she is to have the prednisone every 3 days for life.

My question - Even with this course, she has periodic minute-long coughing spells where you can hear the congestion. Then she is fine for a while. She does it maybe 4 times a day.

Honestly, can anyone give me any idea what I can expect? How are things going to go as they deteriorate? Will she get worse & worse, or just keel over one day? How long do you think we have left.
Any opinion or experience would be appreciated. I want honesty.

She is 10 years, 5 months. I truly had envisioned putting her to sleep one day because she got arthritis (she hasn't, but this is what I expected) and it became difficult for her to move around because she has 3 legs. That's what I was trying to be prepared for, this - I don't know.
Thankyou....
Even knowing someone is listening & caring helps.

 

[lorie d.]

I once owned a cat who was diagnosed with asthma. Unfortunately, a couple of years later, my cat had to be put down due to another completely unrelated problem that had developed so I can't give you a lot of help. However, I do have a question.

When Sierra was first diagnosed with asthma, did the vet start out with a higher dose of prednisone (for example, two tablets twice a day) for a couple of weeks and then have you decrease the medication and determine the maintance dose? (The maintance dose is the lowest amount of medication possible that will control the symptoms.)

 

[sandie]

It's possible for them to live long lives with asthma. I know alot of vets now are using Aminophylline and an inhaler as backup with more sucess than the steroids.

 

[fidget]

In the beginning, when she had only periodic flare-ups, I would just give her one for 2 or 3 days and then stop. That was all she needed at the time.
When she was needing it more often I went back to the vet and now she is just on 1 pill every 3 days.