How do you know if a cat is poisoned?

Through the skin or mucous membranes. As a rule, this method of poisoning is associated with improper treatment of the animal from parasites. For example, if the toxin got on the mucous membranes. When applying the medication to the cat, clearly follow the instructions for use. Dispose of the package from the drug immediately.

First aid for cats with poisoning – a checklist for the pet owner

When poisoning a pet, you need to act immediately. The main thing that the owner of the cat should remember in this case – to take measures to stabilize the condition of the animal as quickly as possible.

Regeneration processes in the body of pets are faster than in humans, with the right care and treatment.

The task of the owner is to prevent the development of consequences against the background of the action of toxic substances.

The first signs of poisoning in a cat

It is easy to know if an animal has been poisoned by carefully observing changes in the cat's health or behavior. The first signs of poisoning in a cat are:

• attacks of nausea and subsequent vomiting ;
• Disorders of the stool – diarrhea ;
• severe weakness , apathy , tremors ;
• problems with breathing – it may be rapid and intermittent;
• swelling of the visible mucous membranes and tissue hyperemia;
• increased salivary secretion ;
• semi-fainting states.

There are many factors that contribute to cat poisoning. If the owner does not know the exact cause, which led to the poisoning of the pet, without the help of a veterinarian to make a diagnosis is not possible. Causes of cat poisoning may include:

• Inhalation of toxic chemical vapors;
• Eating expired food or food from the human table;
• Eating poisonous plants grown on windowsills;
• Drinking water that has been poisoned by toxins;
• bites of poisonous insects and snakes;
• ingestion of rat poison, household chemicals or medicines from the human medicine cabinet.

Most often, cats get food poisoning. In these cases, you can quickly help them at home and only then take them to the veterinary clinic.

If the cause of intoxication was caused by other factors, the cat should immediately be shown to a veterinary specialist.

Symptoms of poisoning in cats

If a person himself can in most cases identify his poisoning by 2 – 3 symptoms, as for the cat – not everything is so simple. Much depends on what the animal was poisoned with. If it is spoiled food, the symptoms will be one, but if the rat poison or household chemicals – there are already very different clinical picture

Poisoning of cats in the apartment

It is important to keep all medicines and chemicals in places inaccessible for animals. Poisoning can be as mild as vomiting and diarrhea or as fatal as a result of, for example, acute kidney failure.

The most common reason for going to clinics is food poisoning, when fed either tainted ready-made feed or natural food unsuitable for animals.

Compared to poisoning with strong poisons, unsuitable food is less likely to cause acute life-threatening conditions, but it does cause chronic illness. The liver, pancreas, and stomach react most often. With any adverse signs, even mild ones, it is important to show your pet to a doctor and get the necessary tests, even if symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea could be prevented on their own. A course of additional medications may be necessary.

Medication poisoning

Paracetamol (4) is contraindicated in cats – it can cause muzzle edema, cyanosis of mucous membranes (blueness), shortness of breath, kidney failure, gastritis and stomach ulcers.

Animals are also contraindicated analgesics (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as Ibuprofen and Indomethacin – they are very toxic and can also cause poisoning Aspirin, Pyroxicam, Caroprofen, Naproxen, Phenylbutazone.

Their use with glucocorticoids is especially contraindicated. They may cause gastric ulceration, stools and vomiting with blood ("coffee grounds"), abdominal pain, and acute renal failure. If poisoned by these drugs, it is necessary to induce vomiting, and if poisoned by Aspirin, the stomach can and should be flushed, even if 3 hours have already passed after poisoning, because aspirin can form conglomerates.

First aid in case of poisoning in a cat

The main thing is to get rid of the cause of poisoning, to throw out the food or what you suspect, so it does not happen again.

Next you need to induce vomiting, give activated charcoal or Enterosgel. Charcoal – 1 – 2 tablets, depending on weight, must be sure to drink water. It is most convenient to give water to the cat from a syringe without a needle.

Try to diaper the cat with water after vomiting, since there is a very strong loss of fluid.

Be sure to cover or wrap the cat in a blanket, as poisoning causes weakness and a drop in the pet's body temperature, which may lead to unpleasant consequences.

Prevention

Preventive measures to prevent the intoxication of the animal's body include a few basic rules. Thus, it is not always possible to keep your pet away from dangerous poisonous plants, but you can try to prevent your pet from coming into contact with them. It is important to make sure that the cat's food is of good quality (correctly selected high quality food and clean drinking water).

Care must be taken to keep various paint solvents and household chemicals out of the cat's reach. Treating for fleas, ticks and other vermin should be done carefully, following the recommendations and instructions precisely.

Timely precautions greatly reduce the risks of intoxication in the animal's body, keeping him healthy.

Due to the large flow of incoming questions, free veterinary consultation is temporarily suspended.

First aid for cats with poisoning

There are many factors that provoke cat poisoning. If the owner does not know the exact cause, which caused the poisoning of the pet, without the help of a veterinarian to make a diagnosis is not possible. Causes of cat poisoning may include:

• Inhalation of toxic chemical vapors;
• eating expired food or food from the human table;
• Eating poisonous plants grown on windowsills;
• Consumption of water poisoned by toxins;
• Bites from poisonous insects and snakes;
• ingestion of rat poison, household chemicals or medicines from the human medicine cabinet.

Most often, cats get food poisoning. In such cases, you can promptly help them at home and only then take them to the veterinary clinic.

If other factors caused the intoxication, the cat should immediately be shown to a veterinarian.

Checklist for the owner's actions in case of suspected poisoning

As soon as the owner notices the first signs of poisoning in the pet, you should immediately contact the veterinarian. You can call a specialist and give details of the symptoms, which will then allow the doctor to quickly identify the cause of intoxication and prescribe an adequate treatment. If there is no possibility of calling the clinic, the animal should be taken to a hospital immediately.

1. Take the animal to an open space with access to fresh air. This should be done primarily in case of poisonous gas poisoning.
2. Try to revive the animal if it has lost consciousness. This can be done with ammonia. A cotton ball soaked in ammonia solution should be held up to the cat's nose.
3. Wash the cat if the toxins are on the coat of the animal. When licking, the cat will swallow the poison, leading to dangerous consequences.
4. Flush the stomach and induce vomiting – if poor-quality or expired food was the cause of the intoxication.
5. Give the cat an adsorbent – whatever you have in your medicine cabinet. This can be Polysorb, Enterosgel, activated charcoal (pre-crushed into powder).

If the poisoning is clearly food poisoning, gastric lavage procedure can be done at home. It should be remembered that gastric lavage is performed only when the cat is conscious. If the animal is unconscious, the vomit may cause an airway blockage, which will lead to the death of the animal.

Gastric lavage of the cat is also prohibited in the following cases:

1. Prepare a syringe pear. A volume of 400 ml is sufficient. It is also necessary to take 1 liter of clean water and dilute a teaspoon of salt in it. It is desirable to prepare a basin or other container under the contents of the stomach. It is possible to carry out the procedure over the bathtub. It is also necessary to take a towel and gauze bandages, which are used as paw clamps.
2. The animal is wrapped in a plaid or a thick large terry towel. It is best to have a helper hold the animal firmly in a fixed position during the gastric lavage.
3. Next, the stomach is rinsed by pouring a solution of water and salt into the mouth. It is better to put the end of the syringe in the space between the teeth. The solution should be poured quickly enough. As a rule, after these actions, vomiting begins. If this does not happen, you can induce vomiting by gently massaging the stomach of the pet or by pressing on the root of the tongue.
4. After opening vomiting, you need to pour an adsorbent into the stomach. Suitable is activated charcoal, ground into a powder and diluted in water. The cleansing procedure is repeated until the vomit is clean.

Treatment of cat poisoning at the veterinary clinic

On a mandatory basis, the doctor will question the owner, specifying exactly when the first symptoms appeared, whether there was vomiting or diarrhea, what is their frequency. A general examination of the animal is performed.

1. General and biochemical blood tests. With their help the presence of a pathological process in the cat's body is established.

2. Coagulogram. This test indicates a violation of blood clotting, which is relevant when rat poisoning is suspected.

Further steps depend on the type and degree of poisoning, so it will be good if you know exactly what poisoned cat.

• Glucose drips and solutions to restore the water-salt balance;
• Detoxifying, general stimulants, antiemetics, anti-diarrheals;
• hepatoprotectors;
• cardiac medications;
• diuretics;
• antispasmodics;
• in case of snake bites, an antidote is administered.

Care for a cat after poisoning

Poisoning – a serious blow to the body, so after it the cat will have a long recovery period. The task of the owner is to provide the pet with proper care:

1. Adhere to a gentle diet. It will necessarily be prescribed by the veterinarian. It may be necessary to introduce certain foods into the diet or to feed special food.

2. 2. Make sure there is always a sufficient amount of clean drinking water in the cat's bowl.

3 Ensure peace of mind for the cat. Provide a comfortable nook for your cat, such as a warm A warm cot or dog house.. The animal's immune system is weakened after poisoning, so avoid drafts or resting on a cold floor.

4. Warn family members not to touch the cat unnecessarily.

5. If a veterinarian prescribes certain medications, such as, vitamin and mineral complexes or probioticsGive them on time and stick to the prescribed dosage.

How can poisoning occur

Poisoning in a cat is the most common problem you may encounter. It occurs when your cat has eaten poisonous or spoiled food, or consumed a substance harmful to the body.

And it is not even necessary that the products or substances were originally poisonous. They could well have gone bad after they had expired or been stored improperly.

Practice shows that in most cases the owner is to blame. Through his fault, the kitten may eat medications, household chemicals, left unattended.

If you feed a cat little, he is constantly hungry and lacks vitamins, the chances of poisoning increase significantly. He can easily eat a poisonous product.

Also, you must remember that it is not necessary for him to eat a poisoned object. He can poison in vapors or just lick it off his paws and fur.

Symptoms: How Do You Know If Your Cat Is Poisoned

In fact, the symptoms can be absolutely varied. After all, it will all depend on exactly what your pet ate. In most cases of poisoning, the signs are quickly apparent. You will see them immediately and how quickly they will develop.

11 visual signs you can tell if your cat is poisoned:

Pet First Aid for Poisoning

The most important thing and the first thing you should do is to stop the harmful effects of the poisonous substance on your pet. It is necessary to slow down the absorption of poisonous substances into the body and neutralize.

To do this, you need to give the cat a vomit and perform gastric lavage. Then it is necessary to neutralize the concentration of the poisonous substance in the stomach and intestines. You need to flush it out of the gastrointestinal tract, using the method of giving the pet water, in large quantities. You also need to put in an enema for cleansing.

After you have done the lavage according to the above recommendations, give her a very, very weak solution of potassium permanganate. When diluted, the color should be a faint pink. Then give activated charcoal, one or three tablets. This is to help him absorb the harmful substances.

The charcoal needs to be drunk. Use one tablespoon of water for this. An excellent option would be to mix tsamax for pets with white clay. You can mix polysorb with Vaseline oil. They draw out the poison, and the oil helps to flush it out with the feces.

It will not be superfluous to apply Diarcan. It will protect the cat's body from the aggressive effects of toxins and bacteria. And will not allow diarrhea to flow into a hemorrhagic form.

What to do if poisoning is suspected?

If you have a suspicion that your cat is poisoned, give her a shot of Gamavit. The dosage is 1-2ml, and is done two or three times in 24 hours.

Determined to give your pet an enema? The water should be salted. One teaspoon per 250 grams of water. It should not be cold, about 25-30°C. The amount of water administered depends on the weight of the pet and varies from 10 to 250 ml. If possible, a good solution is to add polysorb to the solution.

How to induce vomiting at home

If you do not have a special means to induce vomiting, you can use table salt. Dosage: add 2 teaspoons of table salt to a glass of warm water. Water the cat with this solution through force, if necessary, you can use a syringe.

Care and feeding rules after poisoning

Poisoning after a cat does not only require treatment, but also special care during the recovery period.

Depending on what organs and tissues of the body were damaged, the veterinarian will give recommendations on the cat's maintenance and feeding.

A special veterinary diet may be prescribed during the treatment period. But even afterwards, a special diet may be needed to provide for the body's needs during the recovery period. The possibility and timing of switching to a normal diet should be agreed with the veterinarian who treated you.

Recommendations from the specialist should be shared with all family members. Every person caring for and feeding the cat should know that their precise fulfillment is important for the recovery of the cat's health.

Medications, probiotics, vitamin and mineral complexes and other remedies prescribed to the cat should be given according to the recommendations of the attending veterinarian, observing the dosages and duration of treatment.

And during the recovery period and afterwards you should make sure that the cat gets enough clean drinking water. The average daily norm of water for a cat is 40-50 ml per kilogram of body weight.

Prevention of poisoning in cats

1. Keep household chemicals and paint products tightly covered. Keep them in a designated area out of the reach of pets and children. Limit the pet's access to the room during cleaning and repairs with them.
2. Make sure the cat gets a nutritious, high quality food. For animals prone to digestive problems, use special diets, such as Purina One food for cats with sensitive digestion. Do not give your cat food with scraps from your table, steal food prepared for human consumption and leave it in the litter box.
3. Ensure that the cat has access to fresh drinking water at all times. Keep food and water bowls clean and change the cat's drinking water at least once a day.
4. Do not let the cat eat rodents or birds caught while hunting or picking up food outside the house.
5. Do not use products from a human medicine cabinet to treat the cat. Use veterinary medicines only as prescribed by your doctor, observing the recommended dosage, duration of treatment and method of administration.
6. Do not let the cat out for a walk on the garden plot after chemical treatments against pests and weeds. Treating clothes with mosquito and fly repellents you must make sure that the chemical does not get on your cat's fur, and do not let it lie on the treated items.

Every cat is a living creature, inquisitive and active. It's impossible to keep her from having adventures. But if you follow these simple rules, your home and garden will be safer for your cat.

What is GI distress? And why is it scary?

GI disorders affect your pet's entire body, leading to pain and other problems. Any disorder in the digestion and absorption of food is a GI disorder.

Healthy digestion is important for a pet because it allows them to use nutrients from food to build and repair tissues and obtain energy.

Gastrointestinal disorders lead to dehydration, acid-base and electrolyte imbalances and malnutrition, so do not ignore such problems and, at the onset of the first symptoms, see the veterinarian.

Common causes of gastrointestinal problems

1. Infectious diseases. They are provoked by the appearance of helminths, viruses, bacteria, fungal agents, protozoa. Most often they are found in puppies and kittens. Babies have weak immunity, so at the first signs of infectious diseases, it is better to consult a veterinarian.

2. Poisonings. Sometimes pets eat things they shouldn't: household chemicals, poisonous plants, poisons outside, forbidden foods left in an easily accessible place (chocolate, grapes, onions). The pet can also be poisoned by food spoiled by improper storage.

4. Inflammatory diseases of the stomach and intestines. This group includes gastritis, ulcers, and colitis. Without a veterinarian, examination and additional tests it is impossible to establish the true cause of their development.

5. Gastrointestinal microbiota disorders are not uncommon. The causes of such disorders are many: stress, taking medications, poisoning, infections. These disorders often occur in conjunction with other gastrointestinal problems.

6. Pancreatitis – is an inflammation of the pancreas, an organ near the stomach and intestines. A common cause of pancreatitis is eating too much fatty food, especially table scraps.

Important: A pet with pancreatitis may need to be hospitalized because without treatment, it will die.

And these are not all causes of gastrointestinal problems. They have similar symptoms: vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, abdominal pain. For quality treatment it is important to establish the true cause of the disorder, so at the first symptoms show your pet to a veterinarian. He will prescribe him treatment and a special diet.

Ask your veterinarian about Hill's. These are the foods recommended for gastrointestinal problems. They contain the new ActiveBiome+ technology. ActivBiome+ is a unique combination of prebiotic fiber that helps to restore the gut microbiome in a short time.

What to feed a cat after poisoning

A general recommendation for feeding a cat after poisoning is to prescribe easily digestible food, while respecting the feeding regimen and dosage. In the absence of serious organ disorders after poisoning and special recommendations from the vet, it may be a familiar diet for the pet. Of course, provided it is balanced and of good quality. But if the consequences of poisoning are diagnosed, it is better to adjust the diet according to the established abnormalities.

To maintain and restore the gastrointestinal tract of a cat after poisoning, we recommend a complete diet dry food PRO PLAN® VETERINARY DIETS EN ST/OX GASTROINTESTINAL. It is easy to digest, high in sodium and potassium, and high in essential nutrients. It helps to normalize the work of the gastrointestinal tract in the animal. The advantage of this diet is that it is suitable for feeding both adult cats and kittens. In addition, the bentonite included in the composition is a natural adsorbent and allows more efficient removal of toxins from the body.

If renal failure develops, a gentle diet with a moderately reduced amount of protein may be prescribed to reduce the burden on the kidneys. One such diet is PRO PLAN® NF RENAL FUNCTION with a limited high protein and phosphorus content to minimize loss of muscle mass and toxin formation in cats with renal failure.

You can calculate the feeding ration of the suggested diets above using an online calculator.

Also remember that your pet should always have access to a bowl of water, which should be changed at least 2 times a day. Since cats prefer to drink fresh water, frequent water changes will encourage more water intake, which in turn accelerates the removal of toxins from the body.

Also a good option for maintaining the cat's natural hydration is Purina® PRO PLAN® Hydracare, an additional source of moisture in the form of liquid incomplete food. Having this product in a separate bowl may encourage the cat to consume additional liquids.

Cat not eating after poisoning

During the recovery period, it is advisable to keep a close eye on the pet, including the amount of food eaten. Starvation is highly contraindicated for cats, as more than two days of no nutrient intake can cause serious liver dysfunction. Therefore, if If the cat will not eat after poisoningIt is recommended to force-feed it. The PRO PLAN® VETERINARY DIETS CN CONVALESCENCE for cats in recovery is suitable for this purpose. It consists of easily digestible ingredients for high digestibility. The consistency of the product is presented as a homogeneous pâté, which when diluted with warm water in the ratio of 1:1 is convenient to feed from a syringe.

Most cat poisonings are the result of curiosity and negligence of owners who may negligently leave substances and objects that are sources of toxins in the open. And also as a consequence of ignorant owners who give animals medications without regard to dosage and compatibility or not as prescribed by a doctor. And since most poisonings can lead to irreversible consequences and medical attention may not always be available in a timely manner, it is important for the owner to know ahead of time what may be toxic to the pet and prevent the incident if possible.