What is Fluid In The Chest?
Fluid in the chest is also known as pleural effusion. This occurs when fluid is present outside the lungs, in the space between the lungs and the chest wall. Normally, this area only has a small amount of fluid simply to keep the lungs from adhering to the chest wall. When excessive amounts of fluid accumulate, serious complications can arise because the cat’s lungs cannot expand properly. This is a potentially life-threatening situation for your cat and emergency treatment is necessary.
While most cats are generally healthy, some can develop conditions that can compromise their health and well-being. Cats can develop fluid in the chest as a result of various conditions. Regardless of the cause, fluid in the chest in cats can be very serious.
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Symptoms of Fluid In The Chest in Cats
If your cat has fluid in his chest, he will exhibit certain symptoms. Here are some of the most common symptoms seen in cats with this condition:
- Lethargy
- Breathing with his mouth open
- Lack of appetite
- Difficulty breathing
- Bluish tint around mucous membranes
- Intolerance to exercise
- High respiratory rate
- Coughing
- Problems breathing when in an upright position
Types
There are certain types of conditions that can cause fluid to accumulate in your cat’s lungs. Here are some that your veterinarian may look for when making a diagnosis:
Chylothorax
Chylothorax is a rare condition that occurs when lymphatic fluid known as chyle builds up in the chest cavity. When this fluid reaches a certain level, the cat cannot breathe well because his lungs cannot expand fully.
Hemothorax
Cats that have blood in the pleural space in the chest are diagnosed with hemothorax. Blood in the chest hinders lung expansion, similar to chylothorax and causes breathing problems.
Causes of Fluid In The Chest in Cats
Certain conditions can cause pleural effusion in cats. Below are some of the most common causes of fluid build-up in cat’s lungs:
- Bacterial infection of the lungs
- Low levels of protein in the blood
- Twisting of the lung
- Cancer
- Pancreatitis
- Abnormal functioning of the lymphatic system
- Viral infection of the lungs
- Diaphragmatic hernia
- Fungal infection of the lungs
- Blood clot in the lungs
- Leaky blood vessels
- Tumors in the chest
- Heartworms (although rare in cats)
- Traumatic injury
- Kidney disease
- Liver disorders
- Congestive heart failure
- Being over hydrated
- Higher than normal hydrostatic pressure
- Blockage of the major vein to the heart, the vena cava
Diagnosis of Fluid In The Chest in Cats
Your doctor will need some important information from you to assist him in obtaining a diagnosis. He will begin by taking a detailed history from you regarding your cat’s health. Include any information about your cat’s birth history, previous medical conditions, medications and the date symptoms began. Your doctor will take your cat’s vital signs including temperature, weight, heart rate and respiration. He will also examine your cat and listen to his chest. A blood sample will be taken to search for signs of infection. A urinalysis will also be performed after your doctor obtains a sample of urine. If fluid is suspected, your doctor may take an X-ray or an ultrasound of his chest. Taking a fluid sample will also be key in determining the cause of pleural effusion.
Treatment of Fluid In The Chest in Cats
Fluid in the chest is an emergency and life-threatening for your cat. This condition should be treated as soon as you notice symptoms. Many cats that develop fluid in the chest have trouble breathing and deteriorate rapidly. The most important thing in treating this condition is removing the fluid quickly to restore free breathing. This is done by draining the fluid from the cat’s chest with a needle. Once the fluid is gone, the lungs can expand normally and breathing returns to normal. If fluid continues to build-up after it is initially removed, veterinarians may perform surgery to install a shunt. This device removes the fluid from the chest automatically.
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Recovery of Fluid In The Chest in Cats
The overall prognosis for cats that have fluid in the chest ranges from poor to fair. Recovery depends largely upon the cause of the condition. Many cats do not live long enough for the fluid to be removed from the pleural space. If your cat withstands the diagnostic process and fluid is successfully removed, his outlook is guarded but fair. Your cat also has a better chance of recovery and long-term management if your doctor is able to diagnose the cause of the condition. Cats with chylothorax have a favorable outlook if fluid production is resolved and is controlled. Many conditions will not return once the fluid is removed.
Your doctor will provide you with detailed instructions regarding your cat’s care. Be sure to follow all his instructions exactly. Always report any changes in your cat’s condition or behavior as soon as it arises, especially if your cat begins to breathe with an open mouth. This is a sign he is having trouble breathing and he must be evaluated by a doctor quickly. Depending on the treatment provided, your doctor may want to re-evaluate your cat every few weeks until he is stable. If your cat has any underlying diseases or conditions that may cause fluid to build-up again, your doctor will treat him accordingly.
Fluid In The Chest Average Cost
From 565 quotes ranging from $500 - $4,000
Average Cost
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Fluid In The Chest Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
Persian kitten
4 months
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Fluid With Blood In Lungs Hard Breathing
Labored breathing until fluid was removed. Was on oxygen but not now. Fluid is not yellow 4% protein. gingiva normal Color he was fine until fluid caused breathing problems. Was eating, drinking, using the litter box, everything normal until labored breathing. No temperature,
July 23, 2020
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
Thank you for your question.
It sounds like your veterinarians are keeping up on top of what is going on with your kitten. I hope that everything goes well.
July 23, 2020
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Cat
Kisses
13 Years
24 found this helpful
24 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Vomiting
Breathing Difficulty
I had a siamese that i had for 10 years. She was probably 12. On monday she was diagnosed with crf and put on 300ml iv drip 3 days in a row. Once her levels went down i gave 100ml subq fluid at home for 2 days. The last day she didnt eat or drink and o didnt see her use the litter box. Very lethargic. She then started breathing really fast 70-120x a min. The vet recomended euthanasia and she was put to rest on 9/22/18. Do you think that i could have over hydrated her causing her heart issue the vet suspected? Do you think euthensia was a good option. She really didnt look good and the vet didnt think she would make it through any testing to confim diagnosis or treatment. I feel so horrible and guilty. I cant stand to think i did something to contribute to it? Her body temp was 97.1 and she crashed so fast.
Sept. 24, 2018
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Mixed breed cat
Rosie
16 Years
15 found this helpful
15 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Weight Loss, Respiratory, Lethargic
16 yr old kitty has been losing weight. Loss of appetite, swallowing difficulty and rapid breathing at times. Is taking meds for hyperthyroidism (1 year now). Took her to vet 1 month ago. Blood test done, results normal. 4 days later we returned to vet who put her on antibiotics for a week. No X-rays done. Today I returned with kitty today. Requested more in depth study. X-ray was done and she has a “very enlarged heart’. Gave me diuretic pills and heart med and sent me home. Didn’t mention a follow up appt. Does this sound like a normal care plan for a cat with an enlarged heart?
July 15, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
15 Recommendations
If Kitty's lungs were clear, that may be all the treatment that she needed. Some cats with enlarged hearts need oxygen therapy, but if she seems stable she may be fine with home care. It will be important to follow up with your veterinarian for a recheck to re-evaluate her breathing and appetite and make sure that things are progressing as expected. If she is otherwise doing well, 1-2 weeks would be appropriate. If her appetite doesn't improve in the next few days, a recheck at that time would be a good idea.
July 15, 2018
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Black cat
Keeb
15 Years
27 found this helpful
27 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Shallow Rapid Breathing
Hello! I brought my cat into the emergency vet, 15 years old. She has fluid in her lung cavity and many small tumors in her lungs. Vet said she might only have 24 hours. What if we pumped the fluid out? How much longer would she have? Is it worth going back in to get this done?
July 5, 2018
27 Recommendations
A thoracocentesis may be carried out to remove fluid from the pleural cavity, however if the underlying cause of the pleural effusion isn’t treated or effectively managed it may return with a matter of hours and becomes an unrewarding process. Also, there may be other factors involved which may make your Veterinarian hesitant to perform the procedure. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
July 6, 2018
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Domestic short hair-Grey
Meow meow
7 Years
24 found this helpful
24 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Weight Loss
My husband brought our barncat to the vet because she wasn’t eating, they did blood work and X-ray. She has fluid around the lungs. They are trying to tap it now to see what kind of fluid it is. From that I read, it doesn’t sound good for her. I’m curious what would cause this? And if there are any cats that live normal lives after fluid draining? I guess it just depends if they drain it successfully and if it comes back or if that solves the problem. I’m sure that also depends what caused it to begin with...
May 31, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
24 Recommendations
Whether Meow Meow has a chance at survival depends mostly on the cause of the fluid. It may be infectious, heart or liver related, or related to cancer. Once they know more what type of cells are present in the fluid, they'll be able to give you a better idea as to outcome and treatment. I hope that all goes well for her.
May 31, 2018
Thank you, we are just waiting for the results to come back to see what kind of fluid it is, then figure out a plan from there. I can’t believe it takes a few days, I really hope she can last that long.
May 31, 2018
Meow meow's Owner
I called to get the results since I never heard back from the vet, apparently they have been too busy to call me and let me know that my cat probably has cancer and we should put her down. Very disappointed with the lack of empathy and service, like we weren’t important enough to follow up on and sad at the outcome. I was never told there was a mass in her abdomen, if I had been told that, I would have assumed cancer along with the other symptoms and not made her suffer any longer but since they didn’t tell me til 10mins before they closed I have no option but to wait and make her continue to suffer till I can find somewhere else to euthanize her and end her suffering. Very sad about the whole thing.
June 3, 2018
Meow meow's Owner
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Siamese
Snowbee
11 Years
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Breathing Difficulty
Flared Nostrils
The page has given me so much comfort. My little guy, Snowbee, had become kind of lethargic in the past month or so. One day my toddler startled him and he jumped up and ran away. When we caught back up to him, Snowbee was “panting” and it freaked me out. I immediately called the vet and they had me bring him in. The vet couldn’t find anything wrong with him without an x-ray. The vet said his lungs sounded clear and most likely it was a hair ball and we could consider putting him on some heartburn medication. We took him home and then last week I noticed that not only had his breathing seemed still labored, it had gotten worse. I couldn’t hold him with his head raised up because he would pant. He was mostly laying with his head hanging off the side of the bed. I called to get him in and the soonest they could see him was within the next week. The next day, I noticed it was still bad, so I called again and had him seen as an emergency. The x-ray showed fluid in his lungs. The doctor recommended a tap to identify the fluid and after the tap she drained 120mL of Chyle. At this point we were at a junction, he was still breathing super hard (it hadn’t really improved his condition at all), and the next steps included further testing to determine the source or to put him down.
I never wanted to spend $5000 on him, so I went the avenue of putting him down. The vet said, “It’s what I’d do if it was my cat too”. When we went in to say goodbye (thanks a lot social distancing), he was breathing harder than ever. I think a lot had to do with stress too, but his stomach/abdomen was distending, he could only breathe with his mouth open, and his nostrils were flaring. We said goodbye that afternoon, with basically no prep.
I have now become an armchair expert on Chylothrox in cats, and have spent quite a bit of time hoping I made the right decision. I read certain places that Rustin can help, but our doctor had noted that she never saw great improvement with the use of the drug and had worked in a cat hospital before.
Ultimately, I never wanted my cat to suffer and I never wanted to wake up and find him dead in our closet. He was too good to us to be selfish and keep him around. Reading these experiences on this forum help me feel like I probably made the humane choice for Snowbee, no matter how much it breaks my heart.
Fluid In The Chest Average Cost
From 565 quotes ranging from $500 - $4,000
Average Cost
$1,000
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