Hi, When I first posted in September my cat had had symptoms of wheezing and croupiness for at least a month. The vet would give Dexamethasone/antibiotic shots if the symptoms became severe but never offered a longterm solution. I suggested that the symptoms were of asthma so Dexamethasone was giving, which worked for awhile, then Prednisolone, then a combination of the two. After a severe asthma attack a month ago, 2 oz of fluid was drained from around the lungs, it was clean with pink tinges he said were tiny blood clots.He said that fluid around the lungs could only mean two things- FIP or leukemia. In every other respect my cat was healthy. No other symptoms except the wheezing and croupiness. The vet said that because of the fluid it was pressing on the lungs making them rub together. The irritation produced mucus and phlegm and trouble breathing.

My cat was, at my insistance put on Flovent, 220 mcg- 2 puffs a day, as well as Albuterol inhaler when needed. He continued on a course of Dexamethasone and Prednisone but it takes two weeks for Flovent to become fully effective in the system and time to wean off steroids so he was on both. After two weeks, I weaned him off the Prednisolone, and then a week ago, started to give the Dexamethasone every other day. Everything was fine.No croupiness, no wheezing. No trouble breathing.

Then a little over a week ago my cat caught a cold. I dont' know how because he's an indoor cat, but steroids can depress the immune system so maybe that was the cause. He was put on
antibiotics. The cold wasn't severe, just a bit of a runny nose and some loud sneezes. No croupiness, no wheezing.

Then two days ago, I noticed that my cat began to breathe more deeply. Appetite still good. Still active. Then he began to sleep more, not as active, and wanted to go where it was cold. I brought him to the vet this morning and he drained off 4 oz of fluid he was was clear with just a tinge of pink while he was there. When the vet phoned to say that he had drained fluid, I asked about sending it for analysis. He replied that
he had thrown it away because by the time he phoned it was too late to send by courier to the lab- it would get there the next day and that was too late for analysis. He also said that doing that test really didn't show anything anyway. I replied that there are at least 15 causes for fluid around the lungs - kidney/liver disease, acute pancreatitis, tumors, heart failure, as well as pneumonia and drug reactions - it's not just from FIP and leukemia. Once the fluid was drained my cat was as active as ever.

The first time my cat had fluid drained it was after a cold from being chilled, and the second time, the same thing.The first time, at 2 oz of fluid around the lungs, he could hardly breathe at the least exertion, yet this time, with 4 oz of fluid around the lungs, he was running and jumping and breathing easily.Just a bit croupy. Is there a link between him getting a cold and this fluid build-up?An infection that started the first time and it just never cleared up? The vet says if it isn't bacterial why bother giving antibiotics. He thinks it's viral if anything and again, pointed to FIP and leukemia.

I read where infections can cause fluid build-up around the lungs. The vet said my cat didn't have a fever so if it was an infection it wasn't bacterial. Could he be having a drug reaction to one of the meds? When he sneezes now it's like an allergic sneeze, just in the nose, as though he smelled pepper,
and although sneezing and coughing are symptomatic of asthma, he didn't ever sneeze or cough. Just this time, after a cold. I thought it was the tail-end of the cold. When I was reading up on asthma, several times it said that respiratory infections can lead to asthma.

I don't know how to try and narrow this down. The vet, without benefit of any tests, and without any additional symptoms thinks he knows the cause, saying that, in cats, only two things can cause fluid build-up around the lungs. But there are other reasons too. At this point, I'm trying to go with that there was a common denominator the two times that my cat had fluid build=up. There was a respiratory infection. Maybe, the first time, he should have been on a longer course of antibiotics. Maybe it's the infection that is causing the fluid build-up, the croupiness, wheezing,etc. And I'm using Flovent and Dexamethasone/Pred to control it but really the infection has to be dealt with. I need something to get the vet off the view that it's FIP or leukemia, when, after four months, it's still the same symptoms,no additional symptoms, and, in many respects, my cat is alot better since he's been on Flovent. It's just that fluid-build up that needs to be dealt with.

I would really appreciate your thoughts on this. Thank you.

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