Do steroids worsen heart failure in cats with asthma-like symptoms?

Hello. I am so sorry for your concerns about Coco. I will, unfortunately, say that lung problems, especially in cats, can be very serious. Your veterinarian will need to determine if this is a heart or lung problem, & if the issue is due to injury, a lung torsion, infection ( bacterial, viral, fungal ), or possibly even a congenital problem. You will need to be patient as your veterinarian conducts some testing, especially on the fluid removed from her chest. I hope Coco does well & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Unfortunately steroids is the only available treatment but in most cases low dose steroids are effective enough (as low as 1 mg per day) to control the condition and at this dosage it is not a health issue.

There are different types of steroid shots. Long term use or high doses can affect their liver or kidneys. There has been studies that some forms can bring on a form of heart failure if already underlying with it. The do make asthma inhalers for cats that may be easier to give. If she is not eating I would have her rechecked to have blood work done and see what else is going on

Steroids currently are not contraindicated for dogs with congestive heart failure; although there are claims that if used in cats it can lead to CHF, but even the data so far does not confirm this to be absolutely true for them either. The only concern here would be if it depressed your pets immune system. If the amount of steroids given was < 0.5-1mg/kg BID, then chances are it won't affect your pets immune system or cause immune suppression, but instead will mainly act as an anti-inflammatory on the body. If your pet has a bloated stomach and trouble breathing, then these could be a direct result of your pets congestive heart failure condition, especially if Sheba has both right and left sided heart failure. Right sided heart failure will lead to a congested liver which then causes ascites (fluid build-up in the abdomen that shows up as a bloated abdomen). Left sided heart failure will lead to congestion in the lungs, making it difficult to breathe. Typically congestive heart failure to this degree is managed by the following: 1) X-rays of the chest and abdomen 2) Removal of fluid in the abdomen (if present) 3) Furosemide- diuretic that helps to pull fluid off the lungs 4) Heart medication- Enalapril + Pimobendan are the standard treatments, but there are others that may be needed if your pet has a detected arrhythmia as well.

The short answer is no. The longer answer is that not all animals "read the book" so even though it SHOULDN'T be causing a problem, it could possibly. It's far more likely that it was bad timing. I'd recommend restarting the inhaled steroids if she starts coughing at all, and watching for signs of pancreatitis (change in appetite, energy, posture, vomiting, diarrhea). If it happens again, then definitely don't continue. Since she's not having symptoms now, I don't think you need to restart unless your vet recommends otherwise.

First of all this is a steroid, and i do not understand why it was given to prevent an infection (steroid do the opposite). secondly steroids are usually not recommended for cats with heart problems, as it can cause heart failure (usually only in prolonged treatment though).

It's very likely she is having a bad reaction to the steroids that affects her breathing negatively, you need to give it a little more time, within 24-48 hours you should start seeing an improvement.