How Much Does Cat Asthma Treatment Cost? 2024 Price Update

If your cat has experienced trouble breathing, having a diagnosis of asthma can seem like a stroke of good luck. After all, millions of people live with asthma each day. However, asthma treatment can actually be quite expensive for cats.

With that said, there are a lot of different treatments out there, with some cats needing different treatments than others. Therefore, costs can vary as well.

Below, we’ll take a look at the different treatments and costs associated with them.

The Importance of Cat Asthma Treatment

Your cat absolutely needs asthma treatment if they develop this condition. It can be potentially deadly in extreme cases, for instance.

Asthma can occur in all sorts of different situations. For instance, all sorts of allergens can lead to this sort of respiratory distress. The most common causes of asthma are inhaled allergens, like pollen.

Without fast and effective treatment, asthma can be deadly. However, it is quite easy to manage with the correct medication, so it’s vital to get treatment quickly and stick with it long-term.

How Much Does Cat Asthma Treatment Cost?

It depends largely on what treatment your cat needs to receive. If they’re having an attack when you take them to the vet, they will need different short-term care than long-term care, so the cost will be a bit different.

Let’s take a look at the different treatments and their overall costs below.

Long-Acting Cortisone Injections

These injections are typically given anytime a cat is thought to have asthma. They provide protection for 4–6 weeks. Whether or not the cat actually needs another injection depends.

Some cats only experience one episode of asthma, so they will not need more than one injection. However, other cats may start developing symptoms after the first injection starts wearing off.

One injection costs about $80. However, it lasts for quite a long time compared to other methods, so it is a bit cheaper in the long term.

These methods are also very effective because you don’t have to treat your cat at home.

Oral Cortisone

Oral cortisones are the most common option. They are administered to the cat every day starting out, but then the feline is usually weaned slowly. If they show no new signs of asthma, then they can sometimes be taken off their medication.

Otherwise, the owners and vet will know how much cortisone the cat will need to not have a reaction, and the cat will likely remain at about that level.

There is no way to predict exactly how expensive this method will be, as it depends on how much medication they need. However, one pill costs about 50 cents for a simple chewable. You can invest in some flavored chewables or liquids, but these often cost closer to $1 a dose.

Even if your cat needs to take it every day, that’s between $15 and $30 a month.

With that said, there are a few downsides to this medication. It is hard to administer since you’ll need to give it to your cat at home every day. It is also not nearly as effective as the injected medication.

Inhaled Cortisone

You can use the same inhaled medication you use for humans to treat cats. There is a small device called an Aerokat, which can be used to administer this medication. It does involve a mask you have to put on your cat’s face, which is just as hard as it sounds!

This medication does have practically no side effects since it is not absorbed in high amounts into the body. Therefore, if cats have reactions to other treatments, this one might be used.

However, there are also some significant downsides. For instance, one inhaler costs about $500, though this lasts for some months. The cost still works out to about $8 a puff, though.

Many cats also have relapses when this method is used. Often, they have to go back to another form of medication.

How Often Do Cats Need Treatment?

It really depends on the cat. Many cats will need continued treatment, while others may only need treatment once. If your cat only needs one injection, then you’re looking at about $80 for the whole treatment.

Cats with chronic asthma will need an injection every one to two months. Therefore, your lifetime treatment costs will be quite high.

Oral medication and injections usually cost about the same, depending on when your cat needs either medication.

Does Pet Insurance Cover Asthma Treatments?

Usually, pet insurance will cover asthma as long as it was not already a discovered condition BEFORE you got the insurance. Often, insurance companies will not cover conditions that your cat is already diagnosed with.

However, if you already have pet insurance and then discover that your cat has asthma, then insurance should cover all of their treatment. Of course, it does range between insurance companies.

You can always check to see what your insurance covers before you expect them to pay for asthma treatments so you won’t be surprised when you show up at the vet.

Are There Any Other Treatments for Cat Asthma?

There are a few other treatments that may support the cortisones. For instance, omega 3 fatty acids have been shown to have a positive effect on a cat’s allergies. Therefore, they may make your cat’s asthma a bit easier to control.

Some parasites and infections may cause asthma. In these cases, you should be able to treat the infection to clear out asthma. These cats often don’t need regular asthma treatment, since their asthma has a root cause.

Controlling the environment can also be helpful. In some cases, you can remove the allergen and effectively treat asthma. However, this isn’t always the case.

Conclusion

Cat asthma is completely treatable, but this treatment often includes long-term medication. While this isn’t necessary in ALL cases, most cats will need medication for the long term.

We highly recommend that you speak to your vet about the best treatment for your cat. Different cats have different needs, which will affect which mediation they need to get.

Luckily, all of these medications cost about the same. It just depends on when you pay it. The only one that is terribly more expensive is the inhaled cortisone, but that is typically not used as a first option.

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Featured Image Credit: RozochkaIvn, Shutterstock