Is my cat's crackling breathing normal after neuter surgery?

It depends on how long ago the surgery was. Typically a cough just after anesthesia can be associated with irritation to the trachea from the tracheal tube. Coughing several days after could be associated with aspiration pneumonia, or an upper respiratory virus. Also other causes such as heartworm disease, parasites, and asthma can also cause cough. If it has been going on for longer than 2-3 days after surgery or if he is acting sick at all then he should be seen by a veterinarian soon. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

Oh my. THese are symptoms of a severe respiratory infection. After surgery, some pets immune system will decrease, making them more susceptible to getting bacterial infections. Also while at the hospital he may have been exposed to another sick pet, especially if Kovu is not fully vaccinated. He really needs to see a vet as soon as possible. I would recommend taking him in to your local vet as soon as they open in the morning. In the meantime you may be able to get a pediatric syringe and clear out his airway. Also you can use a humidifer or place him in the bathroom with a hot shower running for 15 minutes twice daily to help break up any mucous and help clear up his airway a bit for tonight until you can get him seen! I hope that Kovu is able to make a full and speedy recovery. Best wishes and take care.

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!

Hello, thank you for your question about Muskie. There are many different underlying conditions that you could lead to difficult breathing/breathing with more effort. Since the surgery to repair Muskie's hernia was a few months I think it is unlikely that the repair failed. Other possible causes include pneumonia or an upper respiratory infection, asthma/allergies, or possibly due to underlying pain. I would recommend having Muskie seen by your veterinarian so that they can examine him and listen to his lungs. Based on their examination they can discuss the need for additional diagnostics such as chest x-rays or possibly systemic bloodwork. Hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is unlikely to be due to the neuter surgery. This may be present due to something affecting his gastrointestinal system and/or his respiratory system for example. If this continues, I recommend you have Ace evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check what may be wrong with him so that this can be treated accordingly. Good luck!

Cornelius is a very handsome cat! It sounds like he picked up a cold which can be viral but can also have a secondary bacterial component. If it is just a virus it can take a full two weeks to get through his system. If he is lethargic, not eating, the sneezing gets worse or he has nasal/eye discharge I would recommend a veterinarian. At that point he may need antibiotics. I would try to call the spay/neuter clinic you had him neutered at to see if they have a veterinarian that would be able to look at him also. I hope Cornelius feels better soon and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Some animals can have increased respiratory noise after anesthesia from the endotracheal tube. However if the noise does not go away, she seems to have difficulty breathing, has an increased breathing rate or effort or seems lifeless/lethargic then your cat needs to be seen by veterinarian as soon as possible because this could indicate serious complications such as pneumonia.