This page describes some of the steps veterinarians use
to diagnose feline asthma, alternately
called chronic bronchitis. Other
pages in this section describe feline asthma
and identify
common symptoms.
What Proves It's Asthma?
There is no single test for feline asthma. To achieve this diagnosis, the veterinarian must first
rule out other diseases which cause similar symptoms to asthma,
then look for multiple pieces of evidence that form a clinical diagnosis.
If the cat is in distress, the vet will have
to do what diagnostic tests they can at the same time as treatment
to relieve the symptoms.
It is important to make an accurate diagnosis.
Some of the diseases which mimic asthma's symptoms are:
Heart disease
Heartworm
Lungworm
Respiratory infection
Leukemia
The Mar Vista Vet hospital site has an excellent
description of some of the steps
used to diagnose feline asthma. Again, it is elimination of other
diseases and collection of enough evidence to suggest asthma,
that provides the diagnosis:
Overview
