How to build a DIY oxygen box for my cat: oxygen flow & ventilation?

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Yes, you can give him oxygen supplementation from an oxygen inhaler. It is a very good idea. If your Fuji has been on treatment for bronchitis for 10 days, and he is still struggling to breathe, he should really have his chest x-rayed. Please, talk to your vet about taking chest x-ray of Fuji to make sure there is nothing more serious going on. Typical bronchitis in a kitten should have got better by now.

I would stop feeding Blue for now, as he will likely need to be sedated for x-rays and should be fasted. I'd keep him in a cage so you don't need to catch him again. Make sure he has enough room in it for water and a litter box. I hope this helps!

Pets that are anemic have a decreased ability to oxygenate their body, since red blood cells carry oxygen. While some increased respiratory rate is expected, it has me very concerned. Oxygen therapy will help to make sure that every red blood cell is filled with as much oxygen as possible. I would recommend discussing this with the vet and inquire about oxygen therapy and continued hospitalization.

It sounds like she is relatively stable for the time being. As far as labored breathing, it is always best to have this type of patient in a controlled monitored environment so as much supervision as possible will be beneficial. However, don't be TOO hands on as that will stress Luna out and may be counterproductive. If you have supplemental oxygen at home you can use this in an emergency situation.

It sounds like you have exhausted many of the options available to you already. While the medications are great particularly at reducing inflammation in the airways, they don't actually deliver any additiional oxygen to Clark's body or blood stream. For some of my cardiac patients and to a lesser extent the respiratory patients, I recommend keeping an at home oxygen set up available not that different from how a human with emphysema keeps oxygen on hand. This often helps reduce the number of attacks as well as the need for a stressful visit to the vet everytime an attack occurs or appears like it is going to occur. I am not saying it is a subsitute for a vet, but I would speak with your primary vet about potentially getting you a prescription for the tank. You will have to build the vessel yourself but can be done so out of a large tupperware and some tubing essentially with relative ease. In terms of life expectancy, it will all come down to your ability to get the attacks under control. In theory the disease can be be managed long term, but in worst cases potentially like Clarks, can ultimatley result in respiratory distress and failure. Hope this make sense.

I am concerned about this breathing in your cats. Cats can have asthma that could be worsened by the smoke in the air. Other potential causes are stress caused by the smell, or heart or lung disease. If this continues, I recommend that you leave the house to take Princess to the vet. She may need prescription anti-inflammatories or even oxygen supplementation depending on what the actual cause of the rapid breathing is. The best thing you can do for her at home is keep the house cool and keep her calm. Sometimes a fan blowing on her can be comforting.

I'm sorry to hear that Mittens has not been doing well. I agree that Mittens' chest x-rays appear to be progressing over the past 2 weeks. At this point, either pneumonia is less likely or the bacteria causing a possible pneumonia are resistant to her current antibiotic therapy. Cancer is absolutely a suspicion due to the x-ray progression. Consider asking your vets if they have considered performing either endotracheal or transtracheal washes on Mittens, which would be able to obtain a sample of fluid or cells in the lungs. These samples could be analyzed for cytology (which may be able to diagnose cancer) or culture (to determine if bacteria is present and an appropriate antibiotic). There is a chance that Mittens may not be stable enough to undergo sedation for this procedure, but your vets will be able to examine her to determine if the risks are worth the benefits. I hope that all goes well!