The Signs of Fluid in the Lungs of a Cat

Your cat's lungs may fill with fluid for a number of reasons, but learning the signs can help you get your pet help before more serious health consequences set in. Cat lungs oxygenate blood and remove carbon dioxide the same way that human lungs do. When they become filled with fluid, the result is a serious illness called pulmonary edema. It is crucial that you get your cat to the vet as soon as possible, and learning the warning signs can save you precious time.

  1. Dry Cough

    • A dry cough in your cat can be a sign of fluid is building up in the lungs. Cat coughs are often symptom of a more serious condition than a simple cold or influenza, since coughing is also an indication of heart disease. The fluid present in a cat's lungs exerts pressure on its heart, located in the same part of the chest. A vet will use his stethoscope to listen for unusual sounds in the animal's heart, as well as lungs, to determine the cause of a cough.

    Noisy Wheezing

    • Cats with fluid in their lungs are noisy breathers. Animals with this condition, referred to as rales, make bubbling and crackling sounds as they inhale and exhale. These noises are caused by air moving through fluids in the alveoli, small clusters of grape-like tissues in the lungs that exchange carbon dioxide and oxygen. If pneumonia is the cause of this wheezing, vets will prescribe antibiotics to clear the infection.

    Dyspnea

    • Dyspnea, or shortness of breath, is often a sign that your cat's lungs have fluid inhibiting their normal respiration functions. Lungs fluids building up prevent sufficient oxygen entering the bloodstream in afflicted cats. Shortness of breath is only something to be concerned about when it happens while the cat is at rest, as shortness of breath from strenuous exertions is usually considered normal.

    Breathing Through The Mouth

    • Repeated and insistent attempts to get air through the mouth are signs there may be fluid in your cat's lungs. Isolated mouth-breathing incidents are not symptoms of disease, but repeated, strained breaths are a cause for concern. In cats with colds or influenza, this symptom is caused by blocked nasal passageways. Take your cat to a vet if this symptom is accompanied by fever, or if your cat's vaccinations for feline leukemia virus are not up to date.