We are responsible for those who have tamed ... That is what the famous saying goes. Therefore, all pets need not only to love and pamper, but also to take care of them when they get sick or experience, for example, a difficult period associated with moving. This article will tell you about the signs of poisoning in cats, and how you can help your pets in this situation.
What it is?
First, let's talk about the nature of poisoning in cats. Symptoms may suggest what caused the disease. So, a pet can be poisoned by poor-quality food, and he will have one condition, but he can also eat, say, rat poison somewhere. Then the animal will behave in a completely different way, although the nature of the poisoning will be similar - some harmful or worse poisonous substance will get into the cat's body. Poisoning by various substances that can soar in the air is also frequent, it is also worth remembering this, thinking about where the cat could be poisoned. It is also possible that the toxin is produced by the body itself. "How can it be?" - a logical question arises. The reason lies in the malfunctioning, for example, of the kidneys or pancreas, when metabolic disorders occur.
The first group of poisonings
So, how do poisoning appear in cats? Symptoms, as noted above, will vary in different situations. For example, if an animal has been poisoned by phosphorus, arsenic, or copper, it has observed: vomiting, severe salivation, very difficult swallowing reflex, convulsions are possible. How to help the animal in this situation? First of all, you need to rinse your stomach. This can be done using a fairly weak solution of potassium permanganate. You also need to enter activated carbon and sorbents. In addition, veterinarians prescribe injections of drugs that contain caffeine.
Second group
Organophosphorus substances also cause poisoning in cats. Symptoms will be as follows: salivation, cough, diarrhea. Perhaps severe agitation, convulsions, high blood pressure and even central nervous system paralysis. In such a situation, the animal must rinse the stomach with a weak solution of baking soda, as well as give sedative and cardiac preparations.
The third group - medicines
There are cases when a pet is poisoned with drugs. In this case, the characteristic signs are drowsiness, lethargy, cat weakness, vomiting is possible, as well as narrowing of the pupils. To cope with such a problem, the animal needs to rinse the stomach with a solution of activated carbon, as well as introduce enveloping agents inside.
The fourth group is food
How to recognize food poisoning? The cat develops vomiting or diarrhea, arrhythmia and rapid pulse, and body temperature can also increase. Here it is better to rinse the stomach with a solution of potassium permanganate. It is also worth noting that an animal may have a similar set of symptoms if it has been poisoned by carbon monoxide. However, in this case, drowsiness, weakness, shortness of breath and cramps can still be observed in parallel.
Fifth group - acids
There are also acid poisoning in cats. Symptoms in this situation will be quite serious, because the digestive system and the respiratory tract are affected. Lips and tongue may swell, breathing will be difficult, difficult, digestion processes will be disrupted. In such a situation, first of all, it is necessary to give the cat a soda solution, which should neutralize the effect of acid in the shortest possible time. You will need to call a veterinarian.
Sixth group - rat poisons
Now let's talk about such a problem as rat poisoning in cats. Most often, owners of cats living in the private sector are faced with this situation. The fact is that cats are very curious animals, and they can easily try everything that they like in appearance or smell. And if in the neighborhood there is an old woman who does not like animals, who, moreover, also trembles over her garden, which unfit creatures are capable of (according to her) trampling up and down and destroying all crops, then ... In general, the cat is doomed. Moreover, cats can be poisoned by rat poison through an eaten rodent that took poison before their death. Since this group of poisonings is most often found in animals, we will consider it in more detail.
Symptoms of rat poison poisoning
How does this poison work for rodents? Once inside, it slowly corrodes the walls of the stomach and prevents the body from producing vitamin K, which is responsible for blood coagulation. Thus, the unfortunate animal that consumed such poison slowly dies from multiple internal bleeding. Most often, this will not be visible to a person. Symptoms in this situation will be as follows: refusal of food, fever, shortness of breath, neurological problems, convulsions and convulsions are also possible. There may also be bloody diarrhea or bloody vomiting - so the blood can go outside.
What to do first?
Rat poison can contain various chemical elements, depending on what the course of the disease will be different. So, symptoms can occur from two days to several weeks. However, if the poison is very strong, the animal is definitely threatened with death, therefore it is undesirable to engage in amateur activity. Having noticed the first signs of poisoning in cats, it is necessary to contact a veterinary clinic as soon as possible . If this is not possible, and you are sure that the animal was poisoned by rat poison, try to help the poor fellow on your own. So, first you need to try to induce vomiting in the cat - it is imperative to ensure that his stomach is empty and get rid of the harmful substance. A plentiful drink or a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide can help with this (at the rate of 1 tsp per 5 kg of animal weight).
You can try to put pressure on the root of the cat’s tongue, it also sometimes helps. Next, you must give your pet an adsorbent (even if it was not possible to induce vomiting) - activated charcoal per 1 tablet per 1 kg of weight or a drug like Enterosgel. It’s also good to introduce vitamin K to the cat, which will help the blood begin to clot. Veterinarians prescribe droppers, medications that help to cope with individual symptoms, in some clinics they may offer a blood transfusion (because the antidote begins to act only 6-12 hours after its administration).
What to do in general cases of poisoning in an animal?
There are also general recommendations suggesting what to do in case of intoxication. First of all, you need to find out what exactly the pet has poisoned. That is what can significantly reduce the time of making the correct diagnosis and even save the life of a pet. To do this, you need to pay special attention to the signs of poisoning in cats. The treatment, as a rule, is as follows: washing the stomach or inducing vomiting, taking adsorbents and observing at the veterinarian who will prescribe the restorative therapy. However, in a situation with acid poisoning, vomiting is strictly prohibited, this can worsen the situation. But most people do not even know about it. Therefore, the best option is to visit a specialist. Be sure to follow all the doctor's recommendations regarding the treatment of the pet, clearly following the instructions. If there is a risk that the poisonous substance could get on the hair or skin of the animal, it is best to redeem the cat well. Also, after prescribing treatment, the pet needs to be put on a starvation diet for 12 hours, while not forgetting to drink plenty of fluids.
To summarize, note: pay attention to the behavior of your favorite. Noticing the symptoms of poisoning in cats in time and correctly identifying the cause of the pathology, you can provide the animal with timely assistance.