Mishka, the sea otter, has asthma.

It's believed she is the first otter diagnosed with the breathing disorder. She's also got a puffer to inhale her medication -- and she's learning to use it herself.

Mishka lives at the Seattle Aquarium. And Lesanna Lahner is the vet who is treating her.

"Essentially, what we're doing is just positively reinforcing her for putting her nose against the little nebulizing chamber, where the medication is puffed into, and then she breathes that into her lungs," Lahner tells As It Happens host Carol Off.

Mishka, an otter at the Seattle Aquarium, uses an inhaler for her asthma. 0:04

Lahner diagnosed Mishka with asthma a few weeks ago. Seattle's waterfront was cloaked in smoke from wildfires in eastern Washington. The otter began to have trouble breathing and she wasn't as hungry as usual. Then, the next day, she had an asthma attack.

At first, Lahner thought Mishka might have pneumonia or an infection, since asthma had never appeared in a sea otter before. But her symptoms and a radiograph indicated Mishka was indeed asthmatic.

Mishka with some other otters at the Seattle Aquarium. (Seattle Aquarium)

Misha is feeling better now that she's started using a puffer. But Lahner says the otter will need a few more lessons before she masters her technique.

"She is a young, happy, frisky, little sea otter pup and she wants to play with her inhaler more than she wants to use it, but she's doing great."