Diagnosis of bacterial bronchopneumonia in your cat will begin with a complete physical exam in your veterinarian’s office. During this initial visit, it will be important to provide a complete physical and medical history of your cat to your vet care provider. Your vet should be alerted to any pre-existing conditions. In addition, you should provide a detailed timeline for progression of symptoms in your cat such as when they first began coughing or wheezing and how quickly these symptoms have progressed. This will allow your vet to determine how aggressive the infection is and to tailor the type of treatment.
During the exam, your vet will listen to your cat’s breath sounds for classic indications of pneumonia. While normal breathing in your cat will sound like faint whooshes, in a cat affected with pneumonia the lungs produce crackling or wheezing sounds, which is a result of air passing around and through mucus-filled areas. This is accomplished with the use of a stethoscope in a procedure called auscultation. The procedure is quick and painless and does not require any sedation and only moderate immobilization of your cat.
Since different types of bacteria are sensitive to different antibiotics, your vet may wish to acquire a sample of the fluid from your cat’s respiratory system. This may be done using a procedure called a tracheal wash, in which a small amount of fluid is flushed and then emptied out of your cat’s throat. The sample is then sent to a laboratory where it is cultured over a period of several days so that the particular strain of bacteria may be identified. X-rays of your cat’s chest may also identify the presence of fluid buildup indicative of pneumonia.
Finally, your veterinarian may also order a full blood panel which will provide additional confirmation of infection and ensure there are no underlying conditions which may complicate treatment.