Vomiting on a cat

 

Vomiting is a defense reaction of the body. It can be acute and chronic, one-time and protracted, debilitating, have a different color and consistency, accompanied by a variety of accompanying symptoms. The gag reflex in cats can occur for a variety of reasons, and knowing the exact triggering factor is key to successful treatment. Improper therapy in some cases is dangerous: in the presence of an unexplained disease, the condition of the pet will only worsen. In addition, prolonged vomiting in cats can lead to dehydration and death of the animal.https://lapkins.ru/partners/af/d/24dc.php Contents:

• Common causes of vomiting in cats
• Cat pregnancy as a cause of gag reflex
• Why do kittens vomit?
• Is it possible to find out the cause by the appearance of vomiting?
• Associated Symptoms
• When you need to contact your veterinarian immediately
• Treatment of vomiting at the veterinary clinic
• How to help your cat at home
• How to feed a cat when it vomits
• Is vomit dangerous for pets?

Common causes of vomiting in cats

Why is my cat vomiting? The most common reasons are as follows:

• eats a lot of food, absorbs food quickly, swallows large chunks;
• food intake after prolonged fasting, in the case of infrequent feeding (food in a bowl for cats, unlike dogs, should always be present, because the animal eats often, but little by little);
• the presence of wool in the digestive tract, which enters during licking, accumulates, and then is expelled through the oral cavity;
• poisoning with household chemicals, low-quality food, plants and so on;
• injuries, for example, falls and bruises to the head, spine, damage to internal organs;
• cleaning the digestive tract, for example, with the help of fresh grass, which cats especially eat for this purpose;
• the reaction of the pet's body to strong drugs in the treatment of any disease;
• feeding newborn kittens – lactating cats regurgitate partially digested food and “feed” the kittens so that their digestive tract gradually adapts to future food.

Vomiting in a cat may indicate the presence of a disease that requires a diagnosis and the appointment of special treatment. These can be: feline distemper, enteritis, calicivirus, helminthiasis, thyroid disease, pathology of the vestibular apparatus, and others.

Cat pregnancy as a cause of gag reflex

Experts do not reach a consensus on the issue of toxicosis in cats during childbirth. However, pet owners who are pregnant often experience choking, especially in the morning. As a rule, this phenomenon is caused by hormonal changes in the body, occurs in the second week of fetal development, and its duration does not exceed 10-14 days.

If there are no suspicious inclusions in the vomit, the body temperature is normal, the stools are normal, then there is no reason to worry. In the case when the animal's condition worsens, other symptoms combine, vomiting becomes profuse, frequent, severe, with feces, it is necessary to show the cat to the vet. Otherwise, the risk of losing not only the unborn child, but also the mother, increases.

Why do kittens vomit?

Small kittens may vomit milk during overeating, which is associated with digestive tract imperfections, and in adulthood – with high physical exertion. Other reasons may be congenital abnormalities of the digestive tract, for example, abnormal development of the sphincters of the esophagus or stomach, impaired enzyme production, and so on. Infectious diseases can be suspected if there is unusual discharge in the vomit or in cases when the mass has an odd color.

Is it possible to find out the cause by the appearance of vomiting?

In some cases, the appearance and/or nature of vomiting in a cat indicates what is causing it. Types of vomiting Possible reasons for yellow vomiting The yellowish tint can be caused by feeding your pet food with dyes, but more often it is helminthiasis or problems with the liver and gallbladder. Such vomiting has a pronounced yellow color, it is possible with severe intoxication of the body, poisoning, the use of fatty foods, and some drugs. Vomiting wool is a normal phenomenon – the digestive tract removes the accumulated wool, which is not digested and does not enter the intestine. foam, with or without mucus withoutThis is the secretion of the stomach, the mucus that protects its walls. Overeating, parasitic diseases, developing gastritis, ulcers, a viral or bacterial infection can trigger this type of vomiting in cats. Can be fasting. Single attack harmless. Gray vomiting with little food Occurs if overeat, contains undigested food residue. May occur during cat pregnancy, violate the patency of the intestinal tract, inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, volvulus. Green vomiting Green color can be provoked: poisoning, intestinal infections, liver and gallbladder diseases, oncological pathologies. Blood vomiting Provoking factors: chemical (for example, drugs) and mechanical trauma to the gastrointestinal tract, oncology, gastric ulcer. Dark red, dark brown hue may indicate pathology in the stomach or duodenum, bright blood – damage to the esophagus or oral cavity. Black color of vomitThis may be due to impaired intestinal patency, taking certain medications (for example, activated carbon in case of poisoning).

Associated Symptoms

Under pathological conditions, vomiting in cats can be accompanied by a number of other symptoms:

• diarrhea;
• lethargy, depression, or, conversely, anxiety, meowing;
• lack of appetite;
• saliva;
• lacrimation;
• increased thirst or refusal to drink water.

To make a correct diagnosis, you need to provide specialists with information about the duration and frequency of vomiting, dietary habits before they occur, and so on.

When you need to contact your veterinarian immediately

You should take the cat to the clinic immediately in the following cases:

• helplessness (animals cannot rise);
• vomiting does not go away in 1-2 days;
• urges become frequent (more than 3 times a day);
• cats cannot drink water on their own;
• a mass of black color, with the smell of feces;
• body temperature rises;
• seizures appear;
• impaired breathing;
• vomiting blood or bile repeatedly;
• the cat's condition deteriorates rapidly.

Treatment of vomiting at the veterinary clinic

Treatment of vomiting in cats depends on its nature: acute attacks are eliminated by symptomatic therapy, and the chronic course requires a thorough examination of the pet (ultrasound, endoscopy, laparotomy) and the use of appropriate methods (medical, surgical, endoscopic ). Therapy will be different in each case. For example, if a hairball is stuck in the stomach or intestines, it is removed by endoscopy, after which the animal is shown anti-inflammatory therapy.

Obstruction of the pylorus of the stomach, tumors, the presence of foreign bodies in the digestive tract of pets suggest surgical (sometimes endoscopic) treatment. If your intestines are severely inflamed, your vet may prescribe hormones and supportive medications. Diseases of the liver and gallbladder require the use of antibiotics, anti-inflammatory and choleretic drugs, corticosteroid drugs, immunosuppressants.

How to help your cat at home

What if my pet vomits? First of all, you need to position the cat so that its head hangs slightly, which will prevent backflow of its contents into the esophagus.

Pharmacological agents at home should be carefully selected:

• sorbents (Smecta, Enterosgel) will help to relieve poisoning in case of poisoning;
• taking antiemetic drugs will reduce the frequency of urgency (cerucal);
• relieves spasms in the digestive tract, you can relieve pain with the help of No-shpa;
• Regidron will help restore water balance, preventing dehydration.

Caution: in case of poisoning with the help of vomiting, the body tries to excrete toxic substances, therefore antiemetics are not recommended. Instead, you can try to induce a reflex in your cat by pressing the root of the tongue with your finger, after an initial drink of warm salt water (volume – the more, the better, until the gag reflex occurs).

You can support your pet by periodically feeding him a decoction of chamomile, oats or flaxseed. Make sure to give plenty of water. If the animal refuses to drink on its own or cannot, drink from a spoon, pour it into the mouth with a syringe or a rubber ball.

How to feed a cat when it vomits

In the clinic, a specialist will definitely recommend giving the cat a frugal diet or letting the cat starve for 1-2 days. Fasting allows the mucous membranes to recover from vomiting. The presence of an inflammatory process in the digestive tract prevents the complete breakdown and assimilation of food, so any food is not only useless, but also causes new attacks.

With a single vomiting, not associated with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, it is permissible to feed the animal after a while. As a rule, the cat itself tells you about it. In such cases, the first meal is a diet menu that does not include fatty and protein foods. You can include in the diet: rice broth, vegetable puree (for example, intended for children), low-fat broth. If your pet is used to industrial food, then you should choose a special offer from the drug category.

Is vomit dangerous for pets?

Single vomiting in cats, in the absence of the disease that provoked it, is harmless. Frequent and abundant reflexes can lead to serious consequences: the immune system is weakened, the body's energy reserves are depleted, the pet becomes susceptible to infections.

But the main danger is dehydration, especially if vomiting is accompanied by diarrhea. You can check for significant water loss in the following way: take an area of ​​skin on the animal's body and pull the fold back slightly. With a sufficient level of fluid in the tissues, it will quickly expand, otherwise the folds will remain or return to their original position after a while. The latter option means that the cat must be taken to the clinic immediately for emergency measures.

How to prevent vomiting

Precautions to prevent vomiting in cats:

• provide quality food, balanced composition, without harmful additives that negatively affect the liver;
• when switching to another diet, introduce it gradually;
• stick to one type of food (for example, do not “jump” unnecessarily from dry to natural foods);
• timely deworming of animals;
• administering vaccinations against infectious cat diseases, agreeing a vaccine plan with a veterinarian and sticking to it;
• periodically combing pets;
• protect cats by limiting access to household chemicals, rodent poisons, drugs;
• monitor the cleanliness of the bowl;
• Avoid prolonged fasting or excessive consumption of pet food.

It should be remembered that vomiting is not only a symptom that indicates a functional disorder in the cat's body, but also a condition that has the potential to endanger the animal's life. Attentive owners will be able to guess the cause of vomiting and take the pet to the clinic, or provide home care. Adherence to preventive measures will help to avoid unpleasant situations in the future.