How to use a nebulizer with a kitten
If you’re caring for a kitten who has nasal congestion, pneumonia, or other respiratory concerns, your veterinarian might recommend that you use a nebulizer. Nebulizers offer a simple, affordable, and effective way to help kittens and other animals with respiratory conditions. A nebulizer may be used on its own or in conjunction with other prescription medications, which may be necessary for kittens with certain conditions. As always, talk to a veterinarian if your kitten is sick so that you can get a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.
Watch my instructional video here:
What is a nebulizer?
A nebulizer is a piece of medical equipment that turns a liquid into a mist that can be inhaled. Nebulizers come in a few different sizes, but a small handheld nebulizer tends to be best when working with young foster kittens.
What kind of liquid goes into a nebulizer?
In mild cases, you can administer a nebulizer treatment only using sterile saline. Sterile saline is .9% sodium chloride, and can come in a bag, bottle, or even pre-filled syringes or tubes. Every foster parent should keep this on hand! You can add 4-5ml of sterile saline to your nebulizer and safely administer the treatment to your kitten 2-3 times a day.
Do not use homemade salt water, tap water, or bottled water for nebulizer treatment — only use sterile saline.
In more moderate or severe cases, a veterinarian may choose to treat the kitten using a prescription inhalant medication, which can be added in small amounts to the sterile saline solution. Drugs such as albuterol, acetylcysteine, or gentamicin may be added to the saline on their own or in some combination. It’s important to listen to your veterinarian’s advice on proper dosing and storage of these drugs, and to only administer prescription medications under the guidance of a vet.
How do you administer nebulizer treatment to a kitten?
Most nebulizers will come with a mask or a mouth piece, which is intended for use in humans. Because kittens are very small and active, these tend not to be effective for use in kittens. There are two primary methods for administering a nebulizer treatment to a kitten:
A kitten who is laying very still or sleeping may be able to take in a nebulizer treatment via a mouthpiece held close to her face. Nebulizer mouth pieces will generally have two holes on the sides, which are there to allow humans to place their mouth around the end piece and still be able to exhale and inhale. You will not be putting the mouth piece inside the mouth of the kitten, so you can close those holes off with a piece of tape so that all of the mist comes out of the end. Hold the mouthpiece near the kitten’s nose, and let her inhale the mist.
In most cases, a kitten will be too active to be able to effectively administer treatment in the manner outlined above. The best way to help these kittens is to create a nebulizer chamber using a cat carrier or a lidless plastic container. Place the nebulizer into the container and turn it on. Place the kitten inside and cover the top with a light blanket to create a misty chamber in which the kitten can breathe in the treatment. Always ensure that the kitten can breathe! Never use a heavy blanket, a lid, or anything else that will prevent the kitten from breathing.
Follow your veterinarian’s directions for how often and how long to administer nebulizer treatment.
Shop for Nebulizers:
Shop for Sterile Saline:
While you’re waiting…
If your kitten is in need of nebulization and you don’t have the proper supplies just yet, a temporary stopgap is to place them into a small bathroom & turn on a steamy shower. Do not put the kitten in the shower — simply close any windows and the door to the bathroom, and allow the kitten to inhale the mist. While this is not as effective as a nebulizer with sterile saline or medicated solution, it can serve as a great stopgap in the meantime.
Talk to a veterinarian to find out if your kitten will benefit from nebulizer treatment!
