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Expert: - 11/10/2011


Question
Hi there.

I have a female cat, about 2 1/2 years old. She's spayed, but her vaccines aren't up to date. She had her first vaccine about a year ago, but I didn't have the money at the time to get her booster.

I've noticed that she always sounds congested. She's acting normally, eating well, playing, affectionate.

I will admit she is a little over weight, I've put her on a food to help her lose weight (Royal Canin spayed/neutered formula and extreme beauty wet).

I have not noticed any signs of a URI, no discharge, sneezing, lethargy or loss of appetite.

I'm just wondering what kind of tests to ask for on her next vet visit? The only thing I've thought to ask for is x-rays, but I don't want to put her under if I don't have to, she tends to be lethargic for days afterwards.

Thanks so much for your time! Look forward to hearing from you :)

Answer
If she is congested and/or wheezy sounding she could possibly have feline asthma.

Helping her to lose weight will benefit her greatly but both of the foods you are feeding are still very high in calories and fat.

If you want her to lose weight safely, then get her some R/D from your vets or some Science Diet Adult Light formula for cats. It has the lowest fat ratio of almost every food you can find in a pet store/Petsmart etc.

I did some research on it years ago and found it have over 300+ calories LESS then the leading "weight loss diets" for cats.

R/d is a prescription diet that will most definitely get weight off of your cat. Having extra weight puts pressure on their lungs which makes it hard to breathe and having asthma compounds that.

You need to have your vet listen to her lungs and determine if this is the problem. They can give you medication to help her breathe better.

There is no need to giver her any anesthetic for an xray. Most cats will cooperate for a few of them.

I hope this helps!

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Jana Connell RVT, CVT

Expertise

PLEASE READ BEFORE SUBMITTING TO ME: I am NOT a vet and do NOT diagnose diseases. That is only for a licensed Veterinarian to do. I will give you suggestions and steer you toward calling your vet for help. You can call the vet's office and talk to the technician there or the vet at times. Don't be afraid to call them! If you have a serious issue with your pet please post it to one of the veterinarians in here- I will tell you the same thing in my answer. IF your pet is injured or in an emergency situation, CALL YOUR VET- Do not wait and post in here. Just call the vet's office and get them in to see the vet right away. Critical treatment time is lost if you seek answers here when you should have your precious pet at the vets!! Don't sit at home waiting for an answer when your pet is critically ill or injured!! I can answer most questions about small animal and wildlife care as well as small animal nutrition. I can also answer questions about all phases of dental care for small animals. I DO NOT answer questions about birds (unless it is wildlife or songbirds) or HAMSTERS/GERBILS/CHINS/GUINEA PIGS/REPTILES/FROGS/RABBITS/PET BIRDS OF ANY KIND so please submit these questions to the appropriate sections. I, as well as other experts in here, do NOT do homework questions- that is for YOU to do! Please respect these rules for all of us. Thanks!

Experience

I have over 35 years experience in the field of veterinary medicine. I specialized in small animals and did wildlife rehab for over 25 years, mostly raptors, squirrels and opossums. I am a Small Animal Nutritional Consultant with 6 certificates from Hills Pet Foods, CNM and Purina. I also specialized in Small Animal Dentistry which is a field I truly love.

Organizations
Audubon,World Wildlife Federation, American Society of Veterinary Dental Technicians.

Education/Credentials
Licensed with California and Oregon, RVT and CVT. Certified Veterinary Dental Technician Have over 500 logged hours of Continuing Education Credits(that means I keep up to date!).

Awards and Honors
Nominated for Expert of the Month for the last 5 years.

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