Feline Asthma-Update on Diagnosis and Treatment Recommendations

Feline asthma (FA) is a common inflammatory airway disease with an unclear, multifactorial origin, involving inhaled aeroallergens triggering a type-1 hypersensitivity response and eosinophil activation. Clinical signs include chronic cough, wheezing, tachypnea, and respiratory distress. Diagnosis involves physical examinations, radiography, computed tomography, bronchoscopy, bronchoalveolar lavage, and allergy testing. Key features are bronchial hyperreactivity, mucus production, wall thickening, and airway remodeling. Main treatment includes inhaled corticosteroids, often combined with bronchodilators. Additional options like cyclosporine, inhaled lidocaine, masitinib, and allergen-specific immunotherapy are available but mostly supported by limited studies.