Kitten struggling to breathe, vet says no hope. What are my options?

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!

She could definitely start having asthma at her age. I would recommend having a vet listen to her heart and lungs, and take a chest x-ray. They can send the x-rays to a be read by a radiologist if you'd like a second opinion. The treatment for asthma is usually steroids and inhaled broncodilators. You would need a prescription for those things. So unfortunately, there isn't much you can do totally alone, but it does sound like she needs some help.

Poor Mochko. With symptoms of decreased appetite and "hard breathe" which I assume means she is having a hard time breathing, it is possible Mochka has pneumonia or an upper respiratory infection. I would highly recommend getting her seen by your vet again or another vet for a second opinion. They need to listen to her chest (auscultation) to check the lungs for certain sounds. If certain sounds in the chest are detected and Mochko also has a fever (greater than 102.5 degrees F rectal temp), then pneumonia is suspected. Chest x-rays would then be needed to confirm. If the chest is free of any abnormal sounds on expiration, then an upper respiratory infection is suspected, which is a better prognosis for kitty. At that time a short course of antibiotics and anti-viral meds (i.e. Lysine) can be prescribed to treat her condition. At any rate Mochko needs to be re-evaluated and the underlying condition properly identified so that we know exactly what she needs to get better.

Open mouth breathing is a sign of respiratory distress in cats, and is a medical emergency. Kenway needs to see a vet now. If paying for a vet is an issue, you can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets http://lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com/when-pet-owners-cant-afford-veterinary-bills/ http://www.dogheirs.com/resources-affordable-veterinary-care/ Have your friend check out these resources, and have him take the kitten into a vet now.

I think the diagnosis is probably feline asthma. I don't know if it is available in your country but we do inhaled steroids/bronchodilators using a special cat mask called Aerokat. Seems to work better than the systemic treatment. The antibiotic treatment is probably not necessary (kesium). ( https://www.bluecross.org.uk/pet-advice/caring-cat-asthma ) ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yyIsWjvt2I ) Maybe see if there is a way your vet can get you an AeroKat inhaler.

Hello, sorry to hear about Aspen. It does indeed sound like he is in the right where he could be developing some feline asthma. This disease can be exacerbated by environmental irritants such as aerosolized sprays, candles, smoking, pollen, and dust. Diagnosis is typically confirmed with an x-rays and by sampling the lungs as well as making sure that Aspen does not have lung worms with a fecal exam. If Aspen is having a difficult time breathing, then he needs to be seen by her veterinarian immediately. Medications to treat this disease typically involve antibiotics and likely steroids. Other wise, practice avoiding any environmental allergen at home, and don't expose him to any strenuous exercise of high stress situations. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Kitty! Anemia can cause an increased respiratory rate and effort as red blood cells are the carries of oxygen through the body. But if the breathing is loud in the nose then it is likely congestion in the nasal cavity or sinuses. An upper respiratory tract infection is usually viral in nature but we use the antibiotics to prevent secondary infections. If she is otherwise her normal self and eating I would watch her. If she isn't eating and is more lethargic then she should be rechecked right away by your vet to be sure her anemia isn't worse or that she hasn't developed pneumonia. She is a young kitten and thus very fragile. Do not wait too ling before having her examined. I wish you and Kitty the very best!