My cat is breathing hard after hernia surgery. What's happening?

If he is breathing heavy then he should be examined by a vet for a work-up. Your vet can take an x-ray to evaluate his heart and lungs to look for abnormalities that would cause him to breathe heavy. He could have an infection, heart disease, asthma, trauma from being outside, etc.

While being a little groggy and sore post-surgery is normal, what you are describing may be due to trauma from intubation (or keeping the airway open during surgery). I recommend having Winston seen by a vet as soon as possible to determine what is going on. However, if you believe that Winston is having trouble breathing (gasping for air, gums turning blue) he should be seen by a vet immediately.

Hi. The tube that go down the throat for anesthesia can cause irritation to the throat area for a few days, but not this bad. It may be something totally unrelated. She could have an upper respiratory infection, allergies, hair ball, cardiac disease, and more. If it has been 4 days, i recommend that you see your veterinarian as soon as you can. If they aren't open, I would recommend the ER

It may be unrelated to her surgery, but this sounds like her respiratory function is compromised. This could be due to feline asthma, bacterial pneumonia or something similar. Respiratory distress in cats can be dangerous so I would bring her in to a veterinarian ASAP. They will likely do some chest x-rays and possibly some blood work to look for signs of infection. Good luck!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I’m sorry to hear about Lerdi! I too am somewhat concerned but have a few ideas. Least scary is just that he is painful or developing a fever. A fractured rib that is difficult to see on X-ray is also possible- this makes deep breathing quite painful so animals tend to take shallow, frequent breaths. A more scary idea is that he could have a slow leak of air or buildup of fluid into the chest cavity which is compressing the lungs. Keep a close eye on the color of his gums (pale pink in most cats) and that respiration rate. If those guns become white, grey, blue-tinged or that respiration rate keeps climbing, you head to the emergency vet immediately. Otherwise, Call the first vet back and see what they recommend- a repeat X-ray or chest ultrasound might be indicated. Best of luck to you and Lerdi!

Asthma is the # 1 cause for these symptoms. However, it could also be pain from the lower GI tract, underlying heart disease, pleural effusion, or any other lung disorder. If this continues for more than 3-6 hrs, or if Harley seems to have labored breathing and isn't oxygenating well (blue tongue, open mouth breathing, etc), then its best to take him in to your vet for bloodwork +/- chest x-rays to help diagnose the underlying problem and get him on the proper treatment. I hope that Harley feels better soon! Best wishes and take care.

Good for you for noticing that Simba is breathing more heavily than normal! This is a fairly subtle symptom that many cat owners don't notice until the problem is severe. Increased respiratory effort like this is not normal, and definitely warrants a vet visit. Some possible causes could include heart disease, a severe respiratory infection, fluid in the chest, or even lung cancer. Your veterinarian can listen to Simba's heart and lungs, and may also take chest x-rays to help diagnose the problem. Many of these issues are treatable once a diagnosis is made, so it's definitely worth trying to determine what's wrong before things get worse.