Hi, Just got back from the same vet who thought my cat had asthma due to the wheezing and croupiness. No cough. My cat was
vomiting canary yellow(yes, really that bright) mucus, a couple of tablespoons then respiratory distress from the exertion(trying to get air with the mouth open) as though there was no
oxygen. It was now determined that there was fluid build-up around the lungs and the vet drained 2 oz. Nothing in the lung. the fluid looked pink with little bits like blood clots in it.
I asked if it could be analyzed and he said it wouldn't show
anything but I see there is a test for cancer of the lung that can be done.

He said that the fluid was pressing on the lungs and causing them to rub together and that irritation was leading to all the yellow mucus and phlegm. He concluded, based on the fluid build-up alone that my cat could have FIP, leukemia, feline aides. When I asked if there was anything else that could cause fluid build-up around the lungs he said yes. When I asked about tests he said that leukemia could be tested for and aides but what did it matter when that left FIP, it would still be undetermined what the cause was because, according to him, there's no test for FIP. He gave my cat an injection of Dexamethasone and Duplicillin saying that one would fight any infection and the Dexamethasone would calm the
irritation response. This is the same thing my cat got when when vet thought he had asthma.

My question is, are there less serious reasons for fluid build-up around the lungs. He said he didn't think there was fluid in the lungs but, according to him lungs are like a sponge and how can one really tell if there's fluid or not. I would think it would be pretty easy. Doesn't pneumonia have fluid-build up
around the lungs? There's heart diseasea but that has a cough
doesn't it, and my cat doesn't cough.

So after a substantial bill my cat is still wheezing. According to the vet it's a wait and see if the fluid returns and wait and see if the meds work. If they don't all he can suggest is to change to another corticosteriod.

A bit of a background. My cat was always a bit croupy in the chest all his life, about 5 percent. Same sounds, kind of a
burbling rattle. But fine all this time. A couple of weeks ago he sat in a window seat on a pillow. I didn't realize the pillow was wet from rain that had leaked in and he was on that
pillow when the temp dropped in the evening to about 50 degrees. I didn't notice any ill effect until about a week later then croupiness, phlegm, etc. Doesn't the yellow phlegm mean something? Infection? The vet thinks it's just from the irritation in the lungs from the fluid around the lungs pressing on the lungs so that the lungs rubbed on each other. Could bronchitis or any other respiratory problem, flu, cat
cold cause fluid around the lungs? Could him sitting on a cold wet pillow chill him and cause fluid build-up? I think there are less serious reaons for fluid around the lungs and would like to know what they are. I tried to look it up myself but got somewhat confused on the "transudates" and "exudates".

I would appreciate your thoughts on this. Thank you.

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