There could be many reasons why your cat is constantly sneezing and coughing. It may only be a minor problem, or it may be a serious condition.  This article outlines some possibilities for what may be wrong with your cat, but it is recommended that you take your cat to a local veterinarian if the problem continues.

Rhinotracheitis (Herpes-1)

Rhinotracheitis is most common in cats recently obtained from a shelter, but it is possible for a household cat to contract it as seemingly healthy cats can be carrying the disease.  Signs include sneezing, watery eyes, listlessness, declining appetite and occasionally coughing.  The disease is not deadly; letting your cat rest and feeding it chicken soup is an effective way to get rid of the disease.  Your veterinarian can also prescribe you some antibiotics that can prevent your cat from developing any more serious complications from the disease.  If you are worried about your cat not eating, you can feed them through a dropper, or try feed them pungent foods like sardines or tuna.  Vaporizers, steam, and nasal decongestants can be helpful for dealing with your cat’s congestion.

Migrating Hookworm and Roundworm Larva

Young kittens in unsanitary conditions may accidentally eat a hookworm or roundworm larva, an egg that burrows in their stomach or intestine, which can cause a cough once the hookworm or roundworm matures.  This can be prevented by keeping the environment sanitary.

Heartworm Disease

Heartworms are transmitted to your cat through mosquito bites.  They are more common on dogs, but they can be found on cats as well.  Heartworms damage the heart and cause inflammatory damage to the lungs.  In cats, the symptoms of heartworm disease can appear similar to asthma.  Your veterinarian can give your cat an injection or a monthly heart worm preventative to kill the heartworms.  However, the damage to the heart cannot be repaired.

Congestive Heart Disease

If your older cat is coughing frequently and their gums appear blueish-gray then they probably have heart disease.  To treat heart disease your veterinarian can place your cat on the diuretic furosemitide, and you can place your cat on a sodium restricted diet.

Lung Tumors

Older cats may develop tumors in their lungs.  Heavy coughing, possibly coughing up blood and phlegm is a sign that this the problem.  Unfortunately, there is not much that can be done for cats with tumors in their lungs.  There is some chemotherapy available for animals, but it is not very effective and will only lengthen their life span a short bit while causing them much suffering.  However, your veterinarian can provide you with cough suppressants, steroids, and bronchodilators that will improve your cats remaining life as much as possible.

Lungworms

Cats can obtain lungworms by eating birds or rodents that have eaten an infected snail or slug.  Lungworms will cause coughing and an increased white blood cell count.  Your veterinarian can treat a cat infected with lungworms with fenbendazole.

Bartonella

Bartonella is a bacteria that can cause a wide range of diseases and symptoms in cats.  If the cause of your cat’s coughing and sneezing remains unclear, your veterinarian can run a test for Bartonella.  Your vet can also treat your cat’s Bartonella will azithromycin, doxycycline, or rifampin.

These are just a few conditions that can cause coughing or sneezing in your cat.  It is highly recommended that you take your cat to your local veterinarian to get them checked out by a professional.  If you do not already have a veterinarian for you cat, you can use TalkLocal to find a high quality veterinarian in your area that is willing to help.

Worms are one of the most common ailments that affect dogs, so you should not freak out when you think your pooch may be suffering.  There are ways to tell if your dog has worms, how it got them, and how it can be treated and prevented in the future.  Your dog can’t speak, so it is entirely up to you to keep an eye out for anything that could be troubling them. Below is more information on how to treat worms in your dog.

Symptoms

– Visible worms or eggs in fur, fecal matter, vomit

– Scratching/rubbing butt on ground or against furniture

– Bloated stomach

– Weakness, weight loss, increased appetite, diarrhea

How dogs get worms

– Worm eggs can form cysts in adult dogs that remain dormant and transfer to puppies through birth/milk

– Contact with infected dirt

– Fleas

– Hunting/eating wildlife

Treatment

– All-in-one medications in flavored chewable tablet form

– Dewormers  — Find the correct cure for your dog’s type of worm

1) Ivermectin- prevents heartworm

2) Pyrantel pamoate- treats hookworms and roundworms

3) Selamectin- treats heartworms, prevents hookworms/roundworms

4) Milbemycin oxime- prevents heartworms, treats hookworms/ roundworms/whipworms

5) Paziquantel- treats tapeworms

Preventative measures

– Keep your dog on a monthly treatment of tablets

Continuing Problems

If you continue to have problems with your dog getting worms, you should speak with a veterinarian.  Use TalkLocal to be put in contact with reliable local veterinarian businesses.  You don’t have to do any work! Simply input your problem and availability and within minutes your should be connected to someone who can help you out.

If your cat will not stop meowing, it can not only be annoying, but sometimes worrisome as well.  This can be happening for a number of reasons, usually none of which are anything serious.  Read on for more information on why your cat might be meowing nonstop.

Causes

Usually, cat meow for the same reason as babies would cry.  Cat meow to tell their owner they’re hungry, thirsty, or want some attention.  Kittens, on the other hand, have some more specific reasons why they may meow.  Kittens sometimes meow when they have hypothermia, or when pushing out waste, so pay close attention to their health.  Kittens under four months old cannot urinate or defecate  unless their genitals or anal areas are stimulated.  This might cause them pain and frustration, therefore causing them to meow.  In general, different breeds of cats meow more than others.  For example, a Siamese cat usually meows more frequently than other cat breeds.

Solutions

The following tips might work to calm a constantly meowing cat:

–  Satisfy any of the cat needs or wants.  Clean the cat litter box regularly, supply their bowls with food and water regularly, and play with cat regularly.

–  Ignore the cat.  Ignoring the cat’s meow can discourage the cat from meowing because you are not showing any reaction.

–  Use a water spray bottle.  When spraying water in a cat’s face, this delivers the message, “Stop.”

–  Scold the cat when meowing, and praise them for stopping.

If none of these solutions work, the problem might be more serious.  You should take your cat to their veterinarian as soon as possible.  If you are looking for a veterinarian in your area, use TalkLocal.  Simply enter a brief description of your cat’s symptoms along with your location and availability, and TalkLocal will do the rest.  Within minutes, you will be connected to multiple highly rated veterinarians willing to help.