Inhalers for Cats with Asthma: What Are Your Options and Where to Buy Them
pet medications
Administering an inhaler for cats can seem like a daunting task.
Unfortunately, finding and paying for that cat inhaler can be even more overwhelming.
In America, inhalers for humans are notoriously expensive. It’s not uncommon to pay $200.00 - $300.00 for just one inhaler (or one month of treatment).
You might hope that treating cat asthma is a little less costly.
Whether you’re looking for a fluticasone inhaler for cats or albuterol for cats, you’ll buy the same inhaler as you might for a human patient. The costs aren’t lower – and tracking down cat inhalers can be tricky, as many pet shops or regular pharmacies won’t have them in stock.
At NorthWestPharmacy.com, we provide the most popular options for cat inhalers for reliably low prices. After getting a prescription from your vet, you can place an order through our online pharmacy to ship steroids for cats to your home with just a few clicks.
What are My Options for Inhalers for Cats?
Three of the most popular inhalers for cats include the Flovent HFA Inhaler, the Ventolin HFA Inhaler, and the Advair HFA Inhaler. Each inhaler contains medication in a pressurized environment, ready to be administered in pre-measured puffs.
The HFA in each medication’s name refers to hydrofluoroalkane, the propellant used to deliver each dose. It’s an excellent system for administering medication to humans who know how to breathe sharply at a specific time, but these inhalers weren’t exactly made to be used by cats.
In this article, we’ll discuss exactly how to use inhalers for cats to help you manage your pet’s asthma.
Where to Buy Flovent for Cats (or Other Cat Inhalers)?
Because Flovent for cats is a prescription drug, you probably won’t be able to simply stop by your local pet store to pick it up for your feline friend.
Instead, you’ll need to go through your veterinarian to get the medication prescribed before proceeding. You may be able to order your cat’s inhaler through your vet’s office after obtaining the prescription, or your vet could refer you to a local pharmacy that stocks prescription meds for pets.
Both of these solutions will cost you an arm and a leg. Of course, taking an extra few minutes to shop around takes a little more time and effort, but doing so can help you save (a lot!).
In fact, Americans who buy Flovent for cats online from NorthWestPharmacy.com can save as much as 83%!
What Are Cat Inhaler Side Effects?
Typical short-term cat inhaler side effects include:
- Increased frequency of urination
- Panting
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Weight gain
In addition, some cats experience long-term side effects, including lethargy, a suppressed immune system, increased frequency of infections, or even a change in behavior.
This can be alarming. If you’re concerned about any side effects your cat is experiencing, be sure to mention your concerns to your vet.
Often, inhaled steroids (e.g., those administered via an inhaler) are associated with fewer side effects than oral, systemic steroids. This is because inhaled medications go directly to the lungs instead of needing to circulate through the bloodstream first.
As a result, though cat inhalers have side effects, they’re probably less concerning than side effects associated with pills. (And they’re certainly less dangerous than delaying treatment for feline asthma!)
What Are the Most Popular Inhalers for Cats?
Flovent for Cats
Flovent (fluticasone propionate) is an asthma medication often used to provide relief for humans. The same active ingredient can help cats, too.
Fluticasone propionate is a steroid that treats lung tissue inflammation. Inflammation often causes airways to swell and close, affecting a patient’s ability to breathe. If your cat is wheezing or clearly having a hard time inhaling or exhaling, Flovent for cats can help.
Flovent typically comes in an HFA inhaler containing 60 or 120 actuations (or doses). Your vet will consider your pet and its condition before recommending a dosing schedule (e.g., two daily doses).
Now, you may be wondering exactly how a cat can take Flovent. That’s a valid concern. Using an inhaler requires timed inhalation. Teaching a pet how to do that would be nearly impossible.
To administer Flovent for cats (and the other medications we’ll discuss in this guide), you’ll need an AeroKat. An AeroKat is an inhaler extension that helps cats inhale the medication without requiring timed breaths.
In a later section of this guide, we’ll discuss exactly how to use inhalers for cats.
Flovent for Cats: Typical Costs
In America, one 60-dose Flovent HFA inhaler retails for about $250.00. Through NorthWestPharmacy.com, you can buy the brand-name Flovent inhaler for around $41.00 – up to 83% savings.
Advair for Cats
Advair (fluticasone propionate/salmeterol xinafoate) is a medication that doesn’t treat in-progress asthma attacks. Instead, it helps reduce the overall occurrence of dangerous attacks.
Fluticasone propionate is an anti-inflammatory corticosteroid – in fact, it’s the same corticosteroid used in Flovent. In Advair, this ingredient is paired with salmeterol xinafoate, a medication that relaxes the smooth muscle cells that line human and feline airways.
Typically, Advair comes in an HFA inhaler (or in a disc-shaped device). To administer Advair to your cat, you will need an AeroKat or another device specifically designed to deliver inhaled medication to your pet.
Advair for Cats: Typical Costs
In America, one 120-dose Advair HFA inhaler costs approximately $390.00. Americans who buy their pet meds through an international or online Canadian drugstore could save up to 67%; here, we sell Advair inhalers for around $127.00.
Ventolin for Cats
Ventolin (albuterol sulfate) is a bronchodilator. Ventolin helps improve breathing by relaxing the muscles surrounding a patient’s airway when inhaled. Ventolin is often prescribed for cats with asthma or asthma-related coughs.
Unlike Advair, Ventolin works well to stop an in-progress asthma attack, as it is a fast-acting medication. If you have Ventolin, your cat will also need a long-acting maintenance inhaler to provide chronic treatment and rescue support.
And, of course, you will need an AeroKat or a similar administration device to help your pet take this medication.
Ventolin for Cats: Typical Costs
Americans buying Ventolin for cats in America typically pay around $80.00 per inhaler. This is more affordable than the other inhalers we’ve mentioned so far – but remember that this is a rescue inhaler, not a long-term med.
NorthWestPharmacy.com can offer even lower prices for Ventolin. Here, you can buy one Ventolin inhaler for around $26.00 – up to 67.5% savings.
Giving a Cat an Inhaler: A Quick Guide
If you’ve ever interacted with a cat, you probably have a sneaking suspicion that getting them to sit still and breathe into an inhaler could be difficult.
Let’s talk about why you might want to give a cat an inhaler. Then, we’ll provide step-by-step instructions for administering Flovent, Advair, or Ventolin to cats.
Why Give a Cat an Inhaler?
About 1% of cats have either chronic or acute asthma. It’s the most commonly-diagnosed respiratory disorder for cats, and it doesn’t have any cure.
When a cat suffers an asthma attack, it can be a scary experience for everyone involved. A cat with asthma can be doing nothing at all – resting, taking a nap, playing with a toy – and then stop, suddenly. The cat will start breathing rapidly, start trying to breathe, and start wheezing, with no warning. If you don’t have a rescue inhaler, the situation could quickly become very dangerous.
Ultimately, giving cats inhalers can help protect your cat from suffering dangerous, harmful, and even life-threatening respiratory events.
How Should I Give a Cat an Inhaler?
As mentioned above, you’ll need to buy an Aerokat or another type of spacer device to administer many types of asthma medication.
A spacer device is a small tool that fits onto an HFA inhaler. It features a small chamber for dispensation of the drug, as well as a breathing mask for your cat.
If at all possible – e.g., your cat is not experiencing an emergency – take some time before you need to administer the medication to get your cat used to the spacer device. This will help you and your cat feel more comfortable when you’re giving the cat medication.
Allow your cat to familiarize themselves with the device, play with it, smell it, or whatever else your cat needs – and give your cat treats before and after administering treatment to help them associate the experience with something pleasant.
Once you’ve gotten to a point where your cat allows you to hold the mask over their face for about thirty seconds, you can administer the drug. You’ll need to follow these basic steps:
- Shake the inhaler and insert it into the spacer device.
- Apply the mask side of the spacer device to your cat’s face. Ensure you’ve covered your cat’s mouth and nose with the mask, and that the mask seals properly.
- Depress the inhaler.
- Wait for your cat to breathe ten times. (Your spacer device may come with an indicator to help you visualize this.)
- Remove the mask from your cat’s face. If residual medication is on your cat’s fur, use a cloth to wipe it away.
If your cat is supposed to take more than one actuation at a time, wait at least 30 seconds between each actuation.
That procedure may sound simple enough but performing this procedure can be frustrating and even scary. Here are a few tips that might make administering your cat’s medication a lot easier:
- Placing some tuna fish inside the mask can help your cat be more excited about having the mask on its face. (Do this as a familiarization step – clean the mask before actually using it to administer medication.)
- If your cat enjoys physical contact, swaddling your cat in a blanket can help ease nerves during the process.
- Some cats get scared at the sound and sensation of depressing the inhaler. If your cat startles when this happens, you can press the inhaler before putting the mask on your cat’s face.
Administering medication with an inhaler for cats can take some practice, but it’ll be well worth the result of knowing your cat’s respiratory conditions are managed.
Save Big on Brand-Name Inhalers for Cats Today
If you need to purchase medication for your cat, you know that the entire process can be highly stressful.
Perhaps you’ve just gotten the diagnosis from your vet and needed time before purchasing it right at the end of your cat’s appointment.
Perhaps you’ve been nurturing your feline best friend through challenging symptoms and are in shock over the fact that your pet has a chronic disease.
Perhaps you can’t even find inhalers for your cat at a storefront pharmacy in town – making you wonder if you’ll be able to help your cat survive if they have another attack!
Fortunately, you don’t need to depend on what’s available in town – and you definitely don’t need to settle for the high prices at your area veterinary pharmacies.
Instead, by shopping for pet medication online, you can take your time, check your prices, do your research, and buy the best possible inhaler for your cat at your convenience. (You can even ship your pet’s medication to your front door – and set up helpful refill reminders, so you never find yourself without an inhaler when you need one!)
At NorthWestPharmacy.com, we proudly offer high-quality medications for both pets and human patients so that you can experience a true one-stop shop feel when managing your family’s healthcare.
Whether you need OTC flea and tick prevention or more specialized prescription pet meds, you’ll find them here (and you’ll likely pay substantially less for them than you would in the United States).
Interested in working with us to support your pet’s best health? Contact us today. Our friendly team is ready to go above and beyond to make finding and purchasing your pet’s meds as seamless as possible. You can connect with us toll-free at 1-866-539-5330 or email us for a timely response.
