Holistic Remedies for Asthma

[TheHans]

Does anyone on here successfully use holistic remedies for their cat's asthma or is that unrealistic?

 

[IzzysfureverMom]

That is a risk not worth taking.I have an asthmatic cat that is stable now because of her medical treatment. Before her diagnosis she was struggling. Her lungs looked terrible on x rays and that happened quickly. Any holistic or OTC remedy would not work quickly enough. They need a maintenance medication and a rescue medication on hand for flare ups. I also have a oral steroid on hand for emergency. They may also need a course of oral steroids at the beginning of treatment or more. While they can be kept on oral steroids , inhalers with a spacer are currently preferred.Asthma in cats or humans should be taken very seriously.Not taken seriously they will be a antibiotics, in the hospital, or worse. Please do not try to treat this yourself, it is your cats life on the line.

 

[silent meowlook]

Does anyone on here successfully use holistic remedies for their cat's asthma or is that unrealistic?

Sorry, unrealistic.

if you are able to, discuss with your vet about using the cat inhaler with inhaled steroids and asthma medication. It works very well and the steroids go directly to the lungs instead of systematically to the entire body.

 

[IzzysfureverMom]

If your cat is currently on steroids for asthma you could probably transition to an inhaler, especially if their condition is stable.If your vet has not mentioned it ask about the AeroKat. This is a spacer that you put a inhaler in. Device has a mask that goes over their nose and mouth. A very nice feature is a window with a flapper so that you can see they are taking the required number of breaths ( sometimes they might try to hold their breath in the beginning)

My cat that does not like anything being done to her readily accepted the inhaler.
She will come over and look at me when it is time for treatment.
Mostly importantly to us: less long term side effects and works very well with medication going directly into the lungs.
We are beyond happy we went with this option and that it has worked so well for her.

 

[stephanietx]

I have an asthmatic kitty and while I wish holistic remedies helped or worked, it's unrealistic. I do give my girl a daily dose of an oral antihistamine which helps somewhat, but she still gets nebulizer treatments and steroids as needed.

 

[IzzysfureverMom]

Hi,
Do you use fluticasone propionate in a nebulizer or Albuterol? My girl gets fluticasone propionate 1 puff 2 x daily via a inhaler with AeroKat spacer.The fluticasone propionate is her maintenance medication while Albuterol is her rescue inhaler.
Currently with cats and people it is preferred to use maintenance medication like fluticasone propionate over medication like Albuterol as they now believe it can cause heart issues .Years ago we used Albuterol a lot, at that time that is all there was.
Have you looked into the inhaler method? It definitely takes less time then a nebulizer treatment and is still going directly to the lungs.
I have Albuterol inhaler but she rarely needs it. I have oral steroids in case of emergency but have not used those since she was tapered down to being fully on her maintenance inhaler.
What antihistamine do you used? The one they tried my cat on right before her asthma diagnosis smelled awful, and she wanted no part of it. She doesn't need one but if she ever did I would prefer to try something else.

 

[iPappy]

So, I've used holistic "remedies" before with good results. But with asthma (among other things), I wouldn't mess with it as a sole treatment option because a cat can't tell you if they're feeling tightness in their chest or if they're finding it slightly more difficult to get oxygen. If they have a crisis situation, you really need that emergency inhaler. I would do everything you can to keep their airways open and if that involves an inhaler, I'd do it.
That said, there are things you can do to help hopefully add in as supportive measures, such as fish oils (a natural anti-inflammatory) in their food, as well as keeping their living space clean and free of things like perfumes, air fresheners, etc. If you can find out what triggers your cat to have problems, such as those scents, stress, their litter, etc., eliminate those things as much as possible.

 

[IzzysfureverMom]

Yep! Best to used as many unscented products as possible..No harsh smells like bleach around them. It can be hard to tell what their triggers are. But I think being observate you will become fairly sure of some. Safe to say that keeping dust free as possible, washing and drying their blankets and beds frequently and even temperature and humidity control help control the condition.
While my girl has problems with fish cat food she does fine with fish oil; however, I use Nordic Naturals.It is made from smaller fish , has less smell, no fish burps and less chance of contamination.
They are best off with a maintenance inhaler to lessen to possibility of them having symptoms at all.
You still need a rescue inhaler on hand.

 

[Mighty Orange]

Recent vet study shows a Boswellia with AKBA removes the inflammation in the lungs.
https://www.researchgate.net/public...y_the_Natural_Standard_Research_Collaboration

 

[IzzysfureverMom]

Recent vet study shows a Boswellia with AKBA removes the inflammation in the lungs.
https://www.researchgate.net/public...y_the_Natural_Standard_Research_Collaboration

This is based on one study and article says more research is needed. They mainly address issues like IBD, RA etc for Boswellia with AKBA being effective. They stated it MAY be effective with lung inflammation but more research needed. So I think for asthma it is a wait and see more than try it now. This was also a human trial so more information is needed to know safety and effectiveness in cats.

 

[Meowmee]

To be honest in my experience most homeopathic remedies don’t work well or at all, and some can cause harm. I am not against them or trying them in some instances provided they are proven safe, which most aren’t because they aren't regulated. The same can be said for regulated meds on occasion.

For asthma it would be a big no for me. Having had an asthmatic cat and having it myself, I know how serious it can be. And now Zena after having pneumonia also needs an inhaler and may have asthma. The inhalers are generally much safer and the aerokat allows you to dose it much the way you would for yourself.

Fortunately I have milder asthma but my father had severe childhood asthma which he also had as an adult and he was not incapacitated but he had times when it became an emergency and he still had some bad attacks although rare. Idiots in hospitals frequently gave him beta blockers even after they were told not to which caused attacks.

For mine I use albuterol mostly as needed and sometimes have needed inhaler and oral steroids. Unfortunately the steroid inhaler irritates my throat etc. but I used it again for a long while when I had covid pneumonia.

I have coughing asthma mostly and rarely wheeze. It was not diagnosed for a long time because no one acknowledged coughing asthma for many years.

 

[IzzysfureverMom]

To be honest in my experience most homeopathic remedies don’t work well or at all, and some can cause harm. I am not against them or trying them in some instances provided they are proven safe, which most aren’t because they aren't regulated. The same can be said for regulated meds on occasion.

For asthma it would be a big no for me. Having had an asthmatic cat and having it myself, I know how serious it can be. And now Zena after having pneumonia also needs an inhaler and may have asthma. The inhalers are generally much safer and the aerokat allows you to dose it much the way you would for yourself.

Fortunately I have milder asthma but my father had severe childhood asthma which he also had as an adult and he was not incapacitated but he had times when it became emergency and had he still bad attacks. For mine I use albuterol mostly as needed and sometimes have needed inhaler and oral steroids. Unfortunately the steroid inhaler irritates my throat etc. but I used it again for a long while when I had covid pneumonia.

I have had asthma since early childhood.... no real treatment then .Sitting in the bathroom with the shower running full blast hot. Missed a lot of school, went to the doctor and er a lot and was always sick. SO maintenance inhalers were a game changer and life saver for me..... and for my cat. Maybe you can't fully appreciate breathing UNTIL you can't.I had to have my maintenance inhaler changed to a different med last fall since then I have not needed Albuterol more then a couple times before that I was needing it way to much.It is terrifying and heartbreaking to see your cat struggling to breathe but that inhaler and AeroKat was and is wonderful for Izzy. She is so stable and no one thought my little imp would allow me to do inhaler with her but she sits here a stares at me when it is time for her med.

 

[Meowmee]

I have had asthma since early childhood.... no real treatment then .Sitting in the bathroom with the shower running full blast hot. Missed a lot of school, went to the doctor and er a lot and was always sick. SO maintenance inhalers were a game changer and life saver for me..... and for my cat. Maybe you can't fully appreciate breathing UNTIL you can't.I had to have my maintenance inhaler changed to a different med last fall since then I have not needed Albuterol more then a couple times before that I was needing it way to much.It is terrifying and heartbreaking to see your cat struggling to breathe but that inhaler and AeroKat was and is wonderful for Izzy. She is so stable and no one thought my little imp would allow me to do inhaler with her but she sits here a stares at me when it is time for her med.

That is terrible, I’m glad they helped you have a normal life Yes breathing is terrifying when it is restricted.
Back when my father was a child I can’t remember what they did now. But some of the treatments in children killed them in early inhalers, too much epinephrine I think in England.

If I ever need the steroid inhalers, I only use the one that has only a steroid. I never use the ones that have a combination of medication because those are less safe, long acting albuterol is dangerous. Those also caused deaths in children. My father warned me about them.

Another dangerous drug is theophylline, it landed my father in the er once, I don’t think it’s used very much anymore at all. That was when his afib was discovered also, and other heart conditions.

My uncle was a pulmonologist in Canada and advised us on lots of meds. The thing that helped my father in attacks other than albuterol was oral prednisone which also worked rapidly for me too. Prednisilone helped Sybil too and got her stabilized as well, then we switched to aerokat. She was never on albuterol until years later. A lot of docs disagree with this but it works.

I prefer albuterol because it works well for me, and is less symptomatic.

Zena is getting more resistant to the inhaler now, and will push it away with his paws but he knows he is going to get a treat after and he loves that

 

[IzzysfureverMom]

That is terrible, I’m glad they helped you have a normal life Yes breathing is terrifying when it is restricted.
Back when my father was a child I can’t remember what they did now. But some of the treatments in children killed them in early inhalers, too much epinephrine I think in England.

If I ever need the steroid inhalers, I only use the one that has only a steroid. I never use the ones that have a combination of medication because those are less safe, long acting albuterol is dangerous. Those also caused deaths in children. My father warned me about them.

Another dangerous drug is theophylline, it landed my father in the er once, I don’t think it’s used very much anymore at all. That was when his afib was discovered also, and other heart conditions.

My uncle was a pulmonologist in Canada and advised us on lots of meds. The thing that helped my father in attacks other than albuterol was oral prednisone which also worked rapidly for me too. Prednisilone helped Sybil too and got her stabilized as well, then we switched to aerokat. She was never on albuterol until years later. A lot of docs disagree with this but it works.

I prefer albuterol because it works well for me, and is less symptomatic.

Zena is getting more resistant to the inhaler now, and will push it away with his paws but he knows he is going to get a treat after and he loves that

I am glad Albuterol works for you. I never had a problem with it, but they are now concerned that it causes heart issues in some people. So she did not want me using it more then twice a month.My mother in law can't use Albuterol at all it affected her heart. My husband's aunt died from to much epinephrine she had pretty severe asthma and it was before inhalers. She was in her twenties with two kids and a husband.
Izzy also started with prednisolone until it was well controlled before beginning AeroKat.

 

[fionasmom]

My husband's aunt died from to much epinephrine she had pretty severe asthma and it was before inhalers.

That is very sad. Epinephrine has its own set of side effects which many are not aware of.

 

[Meowmee]

I am glad Albuterol works for you. I never had a problem with it, but they are now concerned that it causes heart issues in some people. So she did not want me using it more then twice a month.My mother in law can't use Albuterol at all it affected her heart. My husband's aunt died from to much epinephrine she had pretty severe asthma and it was before inhalers. She was in her twenties with two kids and a husband.
Izzy also started with prednisolone until it was well controlled before beginning AeroKat.

That’s so sad about your husband's aunt, tragic it was the first inhalers in England that caused deaths that my father told me about that had epinephrine in them, and the dose was too high. I know also Primatene Mist which is otc has epinephrin in it and it was taken out of use for a while, but I just read that it’s been brought back again. There was a model I think who died from using that because she used it too many times I think, and other deaths were reported as well.

I don’t know if my father ever took epinephrine or not. I can’t remember, but he has used to have to go to the hospital sometimes when he was a child. But when he got older, his asthma got a lot better and it was very rare that he had bad attacks…he had all sorts of different inhalers that he used over the years and oral meds/ prednisone too.

He never had any heart problems with albuterol fortunately, all his heart problems were not related, and they never told him that he couldn’t use it. I know it can cause that reaction of your heart beating fast etc. when you use it, but it doesn’t in me.