Introduction

Feline bronchitis refers to inflammation of the trachea and large upper airways. It can be caused by a number of things, especially bacterial and viral infections. Diagnosis often involves several tests to determine the underlying cause of the condition. The cat’s symptoms and history are important considerations for bronchitis diagnosis.

Diagnosing Bronchitis in Cats

The veterinary physical examination and history are essential in establishing a presumptive diagnosis of bronchial disease in cats. The remaining diagnostic procedures will be focused on finding the primary underlying cause of the upper airway irritation. A complete blood test, serum chemistry panel, urinalysis and fecal screening for parasites are common baseline tests in the diagnosis of causes of feline bronchitis. Blood tests can help identify underlying medical conditions such as feline leukemia or feline immunodeficiency virus which could adversely affect the cat’s immune system and predispose it to bronchial infection. Heartworm tests also are normally performed in endemic areas when chest radiographs suggest pulmonary vascular disease or if the cat is both coughing and vomiting. While feline lungworms are rare in the United States, some veterinarians may want to test for this parasite as well.

Airway sampling can be done under sedation or general anesthesia through transtracheal wash or bronchoalveolar lavage. Thoracic radiographs are helpful to assess the health of lung tissue as well. Arterial blood gas measurements can be taken if severe respiratory distress is present, although this is uncommon.