Holistic Asthma Treatment for Cats

Many people are turning to holistic medicine as a complement to traditional treatments or even as their exclusive approach to gaining and maintaining health. There are holistic veterinarians who apply the same technique to pets. If you have a cat with asthma, it may benefit from holistic treatment.

Feline bronchial asthma is a respiratory disease that can affect cats and impair their breathing. Attacks usually come on suddenly, causing the cat to be distressed as it struggles to take in air. Bronchial asthma in cats is a chronic condition, meaning that it is ongoing. The cat may seem normal between attacks, but then it will have a spell where it is struggling to breathe. Weeks, or even months, can go by between the cat's asthma attacks.

There are several common symptoms exhibited by cats suffering from asthma. They will have trouble breathing in, but as they breathe out, the breath will be prolonged. According to Everglo-Natural Veterinary Services, more than half of asthmatic cats will cough throughout the attack. In a very severe attack, the cat's gums and tongue might take on a bluish tinge due to a lack of adequate oxygen. The cat will seem alert, but it won't want to exert itself. The cat's temperature might go up slightly due to anxiety and it will struggle to breathe.

From a holistic viewpoint, Everglo-Natural Veterinary Services says that asthma in cats is caused by a disturbance in its energy flow due to exposure to toxins. The liver is the body's filter, but when it is overwhelmed, the cat's body can retain toxins that cause a destructive energy flow. Many body systems can be affected, including the immune and digestive systems. Respiratory problems can also develop, including allergies and asthma. Toxins can come from the environment, and Everglo-Natural Veterinary Services also says that certain vaccines can have a negative effect on cats.

Treating a cat's asthma holistically starts with protecting it from toxins. The cat should be slowly switched over from a commercial diet to one made up of fresh foods. Drug vaccines can be replaced with homeopathic options. Clay cat litter should be replaced with shredded newspapers or another non-toxic substitute, since holistic practitioners say that clay litter products can lead to aluminum poisoning. The cat should be put on a regime of dietary supplements recommended by a holistic veterinarian. These supplements typically include vitamins and antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin B complex, cod liver oil, cranberry and evening primrose oil. The vet can also recommend a holistic medication to combat the cat's asthma attacks when they occur. Holistic veterinarians can be found through the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association.

Holistic treatment of asthma in cats has several benefits over traditional treatment. In traditional veterinary medicine, the treatments are aimed at short-term relief. While they are usually effective at stopping the cat's asthma attack, they have a toxic effect over time. Veterinarians usually treat feline asthma with antibiotics and steroids, which take a toll on the animal and cause it to build up resistance. This means that more medication must be used for subsequent attacks, increasing the cumulative toxic effects.