Abstract

GOMEZ, N; PISANO, P; CASTILLO, V  and  FONTANALS, A. Feline asthma: pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment. InVet [online]. 2012, vol.14, n.2, pp.191-207. ISSN 1668-3498.

Feline asthma is a chronic bronchial disease of high incidence, with pathological findings similar to the allergic asthma of the people. Is characterized by a predominantly Th2 immune response to environmental allergens and irritants. The cough is the typical clinical sign and also can appear any episodes of expiratory dyspnea. Diagnosis is based on clinical signs, ruling out other possible causes of cough and dyspnea, as lungworms, bronchopneumonia, neoplasms and heart failure. Complementary methods collaborate in the differential diagnosis, mainly chest radiographs, in which the bronchial pattern is the predominant, but can also be detected other radiological abnormalities or even none. Treatment is symptomatic, based on the use of corticosteroids and bronchodilators being of choice the inhaled route, and the control of environmental predisposing factors. With early diagnosis and adequate treatment, the prognosis is good.

Keywords : Feline Asthma; Bronchial; Immune-mediated; Cough.

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