Treatment of pneumonia will depend on the pet's state. At-home treatment can be given to pets who, though coughing, are otherwise stable and eating well. At-home care may involve the following: keeping the pet mainly indoors and avoiding prolonged exposure to extreme wet or cold weather, using a vaporizer several times a day, performing coupage several times a day, light exercise, avoiding cough suppressants as the material in the chest needs to be coughed up, and antibiotics. In addition, the pet will need repeat chest radiographs.
Hospitalization will be required for pets who are inactive, unstable and have poor appetites, while oxygen therapy and 24-hour care may be required for critical pets unable to get sufficient oxygen into their systems. Hospitalization for pneumonia may also include intravenous fluid therapy, antibiotic therapy, nebulization, and physical therapy. The goal during hospitalization is to get the pet stable and eating well in order to be discharged and sent home for at-home treatment
Pneumonia is often also accompanied by a bacterial component, in which case treatment must also involve management of the bacteria.
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