We’ve all heard of people being allergic to cats, but it’s not common knowledge that cats can also be allergic to people.  Our perfumes, candles, cleaners, cigarette smoke, and other common household products can trigger feline asthma, a common allergic respiratory disease. Cats can also be allergic to dust, trees and pollens, mold and mildew, or even human dandruff. 

About one in one hundred cats worldwide suffer from asthma. Young cats under the age of five are more likely to develop asthma, as are oriental breeds like the Siamese. Like asthmatic humans, cats with the disease wheeze, cough, and struggle to breathe. They may lose their appetite and become lethargic and withdrawn. The symptoms are often mistaken for hairballs, or on occasion for heartworm-related respiratory disease, pneumonia or congestive heart failure.

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Every year from late fall to early summer, I get this “cold” that wont go away. It starts off as a runny nose, sneezing, cough, and then it stays. All fall, winter, and spring long. I have this productive cough that produces this thick green mucus. The same stuff comes out of my nose. I have a fever on and off, but nothing that warrants extreme measures. This year I actually had a productive, gross cough for about 2 weeks before any other symptoms appeared. My chest is tight when I breath but I’m not sure if this is from my lungs or from my sore chest muscles from coughing so much. I also have these coughing fits when my lungs are exposed to cold air. I just cough and cough until I warm up. This is what I’ve done over the past few years that had NOT worked:

YES!, I have been to the doctor. Too many times to count. I’ve taken these meds:

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My pom/border collie mix, age 12, 23lbs., began sneezing and bouts of wheezing (sounds like a good old-fashioned asthma attack!) when we moved from Texas to Nevada 3 years ago. I took her to the vet’s when the wheezing episodes came too often to rule out CHF, collapsed trachea, etc. She had tests, x-rays, etc., nothing found but a UTI, resolved. Still sneezes and has wheezing attacks not so often. (I say she has allergies!). Otherwise, fit, trim, active and happy. The bad part (other than wiping her nose from time to time!) is the top of her little black nose is dry and cracked, but she licks off anything I put on it to ease the dryness. I don’t want to give her benedryl for the sneezing because I’m worried it will make her nose worse. What can I put on it that won’t get licked off right away but will still give her some relief? Thanks!

I’m an extreme animal lover, but I have allergies to horses, dogs and cats – my three favorite animals! I’ve used fenugreek and thyme capsules from the healthfood store with some success but the affect seems to be wearing off. I can’t ride very long, sit in the back seat with my dog, or have a long haired cat in the house, without having asthma trouble. Are there any herbs that bring LOTS of relief, fast?? Thanks beforehand for answers and suggestions!!

I don’t think I have asthma, but I do have bad allergies. And when the weather changes constantly ((lives in cali)) the exposure to hot and cold, makes it hard for me to breath and I get a lot of chest congestion. It makes me cough a lot, and it feels like I can’t get relief. Meaning, I’m still coughing up a little mucus, but it feels like I can’t get up what’s causing the congestion. It goes away after a day, but it’s very uncomfortable. Would it be okay to borrow my moms inhaler to help it go away faster? Will there be any negative side effects to that medicine if I don’t have asthma? Do you think my symptoms ARE asthma? Or just bad allergies and sensitivity?

Recent Harvard Medical School research supports the idea that vitamin D deficiency contributes to both an increased risk of asthma attacks in children and to the severity of asthma attacks.

The study, which monitored more than 600 children diagnosed with asthma, assessed the participants for lung function, presence of allergies, and blood levels of vitamin D. The results showed that the levels of the vitamin were closely tied to both the frequency and severity of attacks, as well as the frequency of hospitalization.

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We went to the doctor the first time and she gave him an albuterol inhaler, codeine cough syrup and zithromax because she thought he had a broncheal infection. 2 weeks later we go back and she gives him benzonatate 200mg/3/day and an inhaler of symbicort 2/day, because maybe it’s asthma. Still no relief. I call in and talk to the doctor and she suggests a course of Prilosec OTC because it could be acid reflux. That didn’t work. Now, we are trying singulair and allegra because it may be allergies. He has been taking singulair for 1 week now and hasn’t shown any improvement. I am going crazy, trying to figure this out. His cough does NOT produce anything and its almost like he is clearing his throat. When asked about it, my son describes a tickle in his chest and when it goes away, thats when he coughs. He also says sometimes he doesn’t know why he coughs. Any suggestions on what may be causing it?

every year starting in may until september i am MISERABLE! my allergies are so bad i just cant stand it anymore!! i have asthma and cant breath very well, my nose is entirely stuffed. stuffed as in no air flow at all. it itchess inside and is running like a facett all day and night. im weasing all the time. my eyes are red, itchy, watery, and so irritated they look like they are blistered inside. no joke. i cant blow my nose to get any relief because it is plugged and when i try, i blow out my ears and cant hear well till they pop again. i probably sneeze 1000 times a day and even wake up sneezing. and because of all this, my head achs all day too…lol. i have tryed taking allergy meds, but most give me no relief at all. or very little. little as in, my eyes wont water AS MUCH and my nose will dry out, but wont unplug. i have been breathing through my mouth so much that my lips are always dry and cracking too. (guess its not bad enough, ) oh god what can i do or take to get some relief from this because this is truley ridiculas!!!

HELP!!!!!!!!

These asthma remedies can control and prevent the recurrence of asthma symptoms. The different symptoms of asthma in both adults and children are chest tightness or pain, coughing, wheezing, and breathing difficulty.What Is An Asthma Attack Since asthma is a reaction to different asthma triggers, it is best to establish these triggers and to prevent contact with them. This will enable the person with asthma to better prevent any symptom from happening.

The said disease is characterized by inflammation of the air passages. Once a person is exposed to its triggers that affect him or her, the air passages will become inflamed and constricted. Different triggers can affect every person. These triggers can be dust, pollen, exercise, tobacco smoke, and others.

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for several years now i have had trouble breathing. i have been told allergies, anemia, and asthma. i have complied with all medications w/ little to no relief. i constantly feel that i cannot get a satisfying breath w/out yawning or laying on my left side. i have researched quite a bit and cannot get any answers from the mds or my own research. if anyone has any info or suggestions i what might be causing this i would greatly appreciate the info.