Feline respiratory emergencies: The panting cat

This lecture will consist of the rapid triage and management of feline respiratory emergencies. Anatomy and pathophysiology of the most common emergency presentations will be discussed in detail, as well as the emergent therapeutic and diagnostic options recommended. This lecture will be aimed for a general practice hospital, as well as an emergency facility.

This session originally was presented at AVMA Convention 2024.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the respiratory emergency.
• Quickly assess breathing patterns and effort to direct therapy
• Common respiratory emergencies

Dr. Steven Berkowitz attended St. Georges University and did his clinical year at the University of Illinois. Berkowitz joined NorthStar VETS after serving as the Chief of Emergency and Critical Care at another specialty hospital. Prior to that, he completed a three-year residency in Emergency and Critical Care medicine at the Oradell Animal Hospital in Paramus, NJ. His residency was completed at one of only a few recognized veterinary trauma centers in the United States. Prior to his residency, he was a staff Emergency Veterinarian at Animal Specialty Center in Yonkers, NY as well as serving as an emergency doctor at Animal Emergency and Referral Associates in Fairfield, NJ for 3 years. Dr. Berkowitz can be seen on seasons 5 and 6 of “Animal Precinct” on Animal Planet, which was filmed during his internship at The Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital of the ASPCA in New York City. Dr. Berkowitz has special interest in the management of metabolic and endocrine derangements, trauma, as well as management of the septic patient.