Answer: A fine lead is very useful following accident where frightened or injured cat will not allow you to approach closely enough to pick it up. It used to make a slip, ‘noose’ by passing the end with the clip through loop by which the lead would normally be held. This slip noose should be dangled in front of the animal’ head and gradually, with patience and slow movements, manipulated into a position around the nick. Then a quick pull will tighten it. If a cat basket or other container is available the animals can even be momentarily lifted by this noose and lowered into the container, and the lid quickly secured.
Don’t worry that the cat will be harmed by lifting it in this way; it will only be suspended momentarily and there is no risk of it strangling or suffering damage to structures in the nick. It is, in fact, an extremely useful method for securing a severely frightened animal which cannot be grasped. In an emergency a similar slip lead can be made by running a narrow trouser belt or dress belt through the buckle, or even by using a piece of thick cord after first tying one end to from s loop through which the other end can be passed.
Showing posts with label First Aid for Cats. Show all posts
Showing posts with label First Aid for Cats. Show all posts
Q: Is it worthwhile assembling a first aid kit in case an emergency occurs?
Answer: This is very wise precaution and it will certainly enable you to deal speedily and effectively with commonly encountered emergencies.
Q: What is meant by s ‘foreign body’?
Answer: A foreign body is any solid object or fragment which enters part of an animal’s body. Young cat are more likely then older ones to swallow objects. Some foreign bodies penetrate the body tissue, either passing through the skin or through the wall of the digestive tract. Other merely become lodged in a part of body, usually part of digestive tract e.g. mouth, Stomach or intestines, but sometime in the ear or nose, beneath the eyelids or between the pads.
A foreign body usually causes distress, pain and interference with normal body functions, and penetrating foreign body can spread infection.
Wherever possible, the foreign body should be removed; this is obviously of vital importance where it is interfering with breathing or causing great distress. The cat will need to be well restrained, preferably on a table in a good light for you to do this successfully. If necessary, a torch can be used examine the mouth, nose or ear. Then supportive measures such as artificial respiration and treatment for shock and/or hemorrhage can be applied.
A foreign body usually causes distress, pain and interference with normal body functions, and penetrating foreign body can spread infection.
Wherever possible, the foreign body should be removed; this is obviously of vital importance where it is interfering with breathing or causing great distress. The cat will need to be well restrained, preferably on a table in a good light for you to do this successfully. If necessary, a torch can be used examine the mouth, nose or ear. Then supportive measures such as artificial respiration and treatment for shock and/or hemorrhage can be applied.
Q: Is it ever necessary to deal with wasp and bee sting in cats?
Answer: Yes, occasionally it is. Cats who try to catch these insects may get bitten inside or around the mouth. This will result in pawing at the mouth and increased salivation. Attention is usually drawn to sting on the skin by a cry a pain followed by continual licking of the site.
Multiple stings can result in severe illness, but the most serious consequences occur if either the tongue is stung or if the individual animal is allergic to the sting and goes into state of severe shock and collapse. Both of these latter conditions demand immediate veterinary attention.
If the sting is still present at the site looking like a large black splinter, it should be carefully removed with a pair of tweezers. Then antihistamine cream should be applied to the stung area. If that is not available, or if sting is in the mouth, the area should be bathed with a 2% sodium bicarbonate solution (one level teaspoonful bicarbonate of soda in a tumbler of warm water). This solution can be introduced into the mouth in the same way as for a liquid medicine and the cat allowed to spit it out.
If there is considerable swelling in the mouth and breathing proves difficult, the cat should be laid on its side and the tongue pulled well forward out of the mouth. Artificial respiration should be applied if necessary and treatment for shock given. Unfortunately, where there is severe obstruction at the back of the throat, artificial respiration will not be sufficient to overcome the blockage and it is imperative to get the cat to a veterinarian as soon as possible.
Multiple stings can result in severe illness, but the most serious consequences occur if either the tongue is stung or if the individual animal is allergic to the sting and goes into state of severe shock and collapse. Both of these latter conditions demand immediate veterinary attention.
If the sting is still present at the site looking like a large black splinter, it should be carefully removed with a pair of tweezers. Then antihistamine cream should be applied to the stung area. If that is not available, or if sting is in the mouth, the area should be bathed with a 2% sodium bicarbonate solution (one level teaspoonful bicarbonate of soda in a tumbler of warm water). This solution can be introduced into the mouth in the same way as for a liquid medicine and the cat allowed to spit it out.
If there is considerable swelling in the mouth and breathing proves difficult, the cat should be laid on its side and the tongue pulled well forward out of the mouth. Artificial respiration should be applied if necessary and treatment for shock given. Unfortunately, where there is severe obstruction at the back of the throat, artificial respiration will not be sufficient to overcome the blockage and it is imperative to get the cat to a veterinarian as soon as possible.
Q: Do cat ever get frostbite?
Answer: Frostbite may affect the ear tips of the cat exposed for a long time to sub-zero temperature. The cat has no sensation in the ear flaps, and they appear pale and very cold to the touch. If frostbite is suspected, gently apply warm water with a pad, but do not rub vigorously, or apply intense heat suddenly. Latter, affected areas may appear red or, in severe cases, black. It is sensible to obtained veterinary advice.
Q: Do cats ever suffer from hypothermia?
Answer: Yes; as mentioned previously it occurs in cat poisoned with the rat poison alphachloralose, and also in those suffering from exposure after long periods in very cold, wet or windy conditions, including being shut in the refrigerator. If the animal cannot maintain its normal body temperature, despite shivering, its body activity slows down so that it becomes lethargic and then unconscious. The animal feel cold to the touch, its breathing is slow and shallow, and eventually it would die. Newborn animals and old animals are particularly vulnerable to low temperatures.
The cat should be dried quickly if wet and brought in to warm surroundings as soon as possible. However, it should not be subjected to locale heat, e.g. by being placed in front of the fire or on a hot water bottle or electric blanket or because the sudden increase blood flow may cause the animal to collapse. In case where the animal is comatosed, it should be placed in a bath of water at blood heat for ten to fifteen minutes, dries and wrapped in blankets. If the animal is able to drink, it can be given warm milk, but don’t give it alcohol or attempt to force feed it.
The cat should be dried quickly if wet and brought in to warm surroundings as soon as possible. However, it should not be subjected to locale heat, e.g. by being placed in front of the fire or on a hot water bottle or electric blanket or because the sudden increase blood flow may cause the animal to collapse. In case where the animal is comatosed, it should be placed in a bath of water at blood heat for ten to fifteen minutes, dries and wrapped in blankets. If the animal is able to drink, it can be given warm milk, but don’t give it alcohol or attempt to force feed it.
Q: Do cat ever get bitten by snakes?
Answer: All the available evidence indicates that cats, unlike dogs, rarely suffer from snake bites. In most countries there are one or more poisonous snakes. In Great Britain there is only one, common adder (Viper berus); in North America there are several belonging to two sub-families, the pit vipers and the brightly coloured coral snakes. It is useful to be able to distinguish between the bites of poisonous and non-poisonous snakes. With poisonous snakes the venom causes a severe swelling in the center of which are two small punctured wounds where the fangs have penetrated the skin; with non-poisonous snakes the bite appear as a U-shape or semi lunar row of tiny punctures with minimal swelling and pain.
Q: What is a frictional burn?
Answer: Frictional burns arise when a cat is dragged behind a moving vehicle or contacts or revolving wheel. They are strictly abrasions (a type of close wound) and are usually extensive, very painful, ooze blood and are easily contaminated. As f first aid measure they require bathing dressing with gauze and bandaging, otherwise sepsis of the area is very common sequel.
Q: Do cats get sunburn?
Answer: Sunburn is generally rare in cats, though in sunny climates (e.g. Australia and the southern states of the U.S.A.) it can affect the ear tips of cats with white ears, particularly blue-eyed white cats. There is a slow reddening and crusting of the ear margins, without much discomfort but getting worse each year. Eventually a cancer may develop on the ear tip. This is not a first aid condition, but requires affected cats to have the ears protected in summer with sun creams, to be kept indoors during the hours of strongest (10.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m.) and, if lesions are well-developed, to have the ear tips amputated.
Q: What is the difference between the treatment of burns and scalds on a cat?
Answer: Strictly speaking, a burned is caused by dry heat and a scald by moist heat. But this distinction has no practical value and the first aid treatment for any thermal injury is the same the immediate application of cold water to the area to remove all residual heat from the tissue. If the animal is actually on fire, the flames must be smothered immediately by covering the cat with a blanket, rug, or coat. Then water should be applied as soon as possible for five to ten minutes with a spray attachment or hose, simply poured or sponged on.
Don’t try to apply grease to the burn, to prick any blisters, or try to pull away any burned material (like blanket or collar) which is stuck to the skin. If any such adherent material is part of large mass, the rest can be detached by cutting through it three to four inches away from the skin surface.
All burns and scalds should be examined by a veterinary surgeons unless the total area of skin involved is similar then the palm of your hand swelling of the skin. Even so, if the eye or mouth is involved, or the cat is in a state of shock, veterinary attention is required.
The cat’s skin is normally more tolerant of heat then that of humans. Cats appear to feel no discomfort until a temperature of 126F (52C) is reached, whereas most people dislike prolonged contact with surface hotter then 112F (46C).
Classically, burns are described as first, second or third degree. First degree burns produce only redness, slight swelling and pain. Second degree burns result in blistering with considerably more swelling and pain. Third degree burns are those where the complete thickness of the skin is destroyed, even exposing the underlying tissues; with these severe burns, pain is absent, shock is severe and healing takes a considerable length of time. A major burn is second or third degree burn involving more then 20% of the total body area. Vey extensive burning will usually prove fatal and in survivors extreme scarring will produce disfigurement and often difficulty in eating and walking. If a burn involves more then 50% of the body surface, euthanasia is advisable because the chances of several are slight.
Shock and sepsis are the two major consequence of the burn. First aid treatment for shock is often necessary, otherwise it may lead to other problems such as a failure of kidney function. Burns can go septic because the protective outer layer of the skin has been destroyed, permitting the entry of pus-producing bacteria. For this reason it is essential that burns should be kept clean.
With a mild burn or scald (i.e. involving a small area and showing only slight redness, swelling and pain), it may be sufficient, after bathing in cold water, to clip the hair, wash the area with toilet soap and then to apply an antihistamine cream. The a pad of sterile gauze should be used as a dressing and kept in place with crepe bandage. The area should be redressed each day for one to three days, but if the blister or any pus develops a veterinarian should be consulted.
Quite often hot liquids are splashed onto a cat in the kitchen and the resultant scalds are not detected until, in stroking the cat a day or so later, one or more scabs are left, These may be oozing with summer or pus which is matting the hair. This type of lesion should be referred to your vet, but if some delay is inevitable clean away any pus by washing with mild toile soap, rinsing and dabbing dry. But don’t try to remove the scab.
Skin contact with very clod surfaces produces lesions similar to thermal burns, known as freezer burns, through here cold water treatment is not required. Nor is it needed with electrical burns arising from chewing through a live flex or falling onto an electrical railway conductor rail. Here the important points are to separate the animal from the live surface, after the current has been switch off, and them to apply treatment for shock and if necessary, artificial respiration. If it is difficult cut off the domestic electrically supply, the cat can be pulled away from the live surface after first being covered with a dry coat, blanket or a rug for insulation. However, don’t attempt this with a high voltage supply that is still functioning, (e.g. conductor rail or overhead cable), because you may be electrocuted yourself.
Don’t try to apply grease to the burn, to prick any blisters, or try to pull away any burned material (like blanket or collar) which is stuck to the skin. If any such adherent material is part of large mass, the rest can be detached by cutting through it three to four inches away from the skin surface.
All burns and scalds should be examined by a veterinary surgeons unless the total area of skin involved is similar then the palm of your hand swelling of the skin. Even so, if the eye or mouth is involved, or the cat is in a state of shock, veterinary attention is required.
The cat’s skin is normally more tolerant of heat then that of humans. Cats appear to feel no discomfort until a temperature of 126F (52C) is reached, whereas most people dislike prolonged contact with surface hotter then 112F (46C).
Classically, burns are described as first, second or third degree. First degree burns produce only redness, slight swelling and pain. Second degree burns result in blistering with considerably more swelling and pain. Third degree burns are those where the complete thickness of the skin is destroyed, even exposing the underlying tissues; with these severe burns, pain is absent, shock is severe and healing takes a considerable length of time. A major burn is second or third degree burn involving more then 20% of the total body area. Vey extensive burning will usually prove fatal and in survivors extreme scarring will produce disfigurement and often difficulty in eating and walking. If a burn involves more then 50% of the body surface, euthanasia is advisable because the chances of several are slight.
Shock and sepsis are the two major consequence of the burn. First aid treatment for shock is often necessary, otherwise it may lead to other problems such as a failure of kidney function. Burns can go septic because the protective outer layer of the skin has been destroyed, permitting the entry of pus-producing bacteria. For this reason it is essential that burns should be kept clean.
With a mild burn or scald (i.e. involving a small area and showing only slight redness, swelling and pain), it may be sufficient, after bathing in cold water, to clip the hair, wash the area with toilet soap and then to apply an antihistamine cream. The a pad of sterile gauze should be used as a dressing and kept in place with crepe bandage. The area should be redressed each day for one to three days, but if the blister or any pus develops a veterinarian should be consulted.
Quite often hot liquids are splashed onto a cat in the kitchen and the resultant scalds are not detected until, in stroking the cat a day or so later, one or more scabs are left, These may be oozing with summer or pus which is matting the hair. This type of lesion should be referred to your vet, but if some delay is inevitable clean away any pus by washing with mild toile soap, rinsing and dabbing dry. But don’t try to remove the scab.
Skin contact with very clod surfaces produces lesions similar to thermal burns, known as freezer burns, through here cold water treatment is not required. Nor is it needed with electrical burns arising from chewing through a live flex or falling onto an electrical railway conductor rail. Here the important points are to separate the animal from the live surface, after the current has been switch off, and them to apply treatment for shock and if necessary, artificial respiration. If it is difficult cut off the domestic electrically supply, the cat can be pulled away from the live surface after first being covered with a dry coat, blanket or a rug for insulation. However, don’t attempt this with a high voltage supply that is still functioning, (e.g. conductor rail or overhead cable), because you may be electrocuted yourself.
Q: How might my cat be poisoned?
Answer: Most poisons are taken orally by the cat. Occasionally, a poisonous gas or vapour my be in haled such as carbon monoxide from a motor vehicle exhaust or a the solid fuel burning appliance, though not from natural gas. Also toxic are the vapours of organic solvent use in poorly ventilated areas and the smoke and the fumes from burning materials, especially plastic form. Vey rarely may a poison be absorbed through the skin.
The evidence for poisoning may be beyond dispute. You might actually see the cat consuming material which you know, or subsequently discover, is poisonous. Or there may strong circumstantial evidence if the cat develops signs of poisoning and could have access to a poison a toxic spray might have been used in the neighbourhood or a rat bait laid. It may be that the cat has been dosed with a drug or its coat treated with an insecticide, or drug used by member of the household may have been interfered with. Examination of the cat may show signs consistent with poisoning, such as the burning and blistering around the lips caused by a corrosive, a strange smell on the breath, a residue of material around the mouth and, especially, the dribbling of coloured saliva. Many rat and slug baits are coloured and this observation may actually help to identify the poison.
Corrosive poisons are usually ingested by cats as a result of washing these substances from their paws or coat. This type of poison kills by producing shock from the enormous of tissue damage and pain created. Corrosive poisons include such substance as acids, alkalis phenolic compounds and petroleum products (petrol (gasoline), paraffin (kerosene), diesel oil, and white spirit (paint thinners)).
Other types of poison damage the cat’s health, and may even cause death, because there interfere with some essential metabolic function. This type gradually produces one of four types of signs:
1 Digestive signs such as abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea.
2 Difficulty in breathing.
3 Nervous signs, which can very their intensity from staggering, excitement and muscular tremors to convulsion, paralysis, coma and apparent blindness.
4 Depression, including a loss of appetite.
This often follows the other signs and precedes death in the case of slow acting poisons. Some rat poisons produce other signs; warfarin, for example, causes internal haemorrhage and anaemia; thallium can produce hair loss, and alphachloralose has an anaesthetic effect and causes the animal to become very cold.
It should be emphasized that all these signs can be produce by conditions other then poisoning, and there are many instances of coat owners suspecting that there animal is being deliberately poisoned by someone bearing a grude when in fact the animal is suffering from a disease, often the early stage of some infectious condition. This should be borne in mind before requesting toxicological analyses; testing for any common poison is not cheap, and a blanket test foe all possible poisons would almost certainly be prohibitively expensive. Furthermore, the unavoidable delay involved on obtaining analytical test result means that they usually contribute little to treatment, though a positive finding may assist in treating, or preventing, the poisoning of the other animals.
The evidence for poisoning may be beyond dispute. You might actually see the cat consuming material which you know, or subsequently discover, is poisonous. Or there may strong circumstantial evidence if the cat develops signs of poisoning and could have access to a poison a toxic spray might have been used in the neighbourhood or a rat bait laid. It may be that the cat has been dosed with a drug or its coat treated with an insecticide, or drug used by member of the household may have been interfered with. Examination of the cat may show signs consistent with poisoning, such as the burning and blistering around the lips caused by a corrosive, a strange smell on the breath, a residue of material around the mouth and, especially, the dribbling of coloured saliva. Many rat and slug baits are coloured and this observation may actually help to identify the poison.
Corrosive poisons are usually ingested by cats as a result of washing these substances from their paws or coat. This type of poison kills by producing shock from the enormous of tissue damage and pain created. Corrosive poisons include such substance as acids, alkalis phenolic compounds and petroleum products (petrol (gasoline), paraffin (kerosene), diesel oil, and white spirit (paint thinners)).
Other types of poison damage the cat’s health, and may even cause death, because there interfere with some essential metabolic function. This type gradually produces one of four types of signs:
1 Digestive signs such as abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea.
2 Difficulty in breathing.
3 Nervous signs, which can very their intensity from staggering, excitement and muscular tremors to convulsion, paralysis, coma and apparent blindness.
4 Depression, including a loss of appetite.
This often follows the other signs and precedes death in the case of slow acting poisons. Some rat poisons produce other signs; warfarin, for example, causes internal haemorrhage and anaemia; thallium can produce hair loss, and alphachloralose has an anaesthetic effect and causes the animal to become very cold.
It should be emphasized that all these signs can be produce by conditions other then poisoning, and there are many instances of coat owners suspecting that there animal is being deliberately poisoned by someone bearing a grude when in fact the animal is suffering from a disease, often the early stage of some infectious condition. This should be borne in mind before requesting toxicological analyses; testing for any common poison is not cheap, and a blanket test foe all possible poisons would almost certainly be prohibitively expensive. Furthermore, the unavoidable delay involved on obtaining analytical test result means that they usually contribute little to treatment, though a positive finding may assist in treating, or preventing, the poisoning of the other animals.
Q: What first aid treatment should I give a cat with a fracture or dislocation?
Answer: The general first aid treatment for both fractures and dislocations is very similar. The cat should be carefully approached and restrained, and then carried to a place of safety and warmth with the damaged part carefully supported. A cat basket or large cardboard box is ideal but in an emergency the cat can be carried in your arms. If there is need for artificial respiration, or treatment for haemorrhage or shock, this must receive priority. Then the cat should be restricted to a confine area to limit its movements-in a cat basket or its own bed (ideally lying down with the affected part or limb uppermost)-until a vet can examine and treat it. This is minimize pain and, in the case of fracture, to prevent further damage to surrounding tissues. Make the animal as comfortable as possible and don’t handle the area of the fracture or dislocation more then is necessary. Moreover, don’t attempt to correct a dislocation; this can be often only achieved after using a general anaesthetic to relax the muscles.
A fractured limb can be well supported and immobilized with a firm bandage. But if there is any possible that you are dealing with a dislocation and not a fracture, it is best omitted. The procedure is to apply a thick pad of cotton wool 4 to 6 inches long over the area of the fracture and then to tightly bandage the pad in place with a crepe bandage. As a general rule attempts to secure splints to the limbs do more harm then good and are best avoided. If the lower jaw is hanging free it can be supported by applying a crepe bandage fairly loosely around the head, but check that the animal can breathe satisfactory, especially if there is bleeding in the mouth.
Spinal fracture and dislocation may result in paralysis of the hind quarters, shown by the cat’s inability to move its hind legs and, to avoid further damage, it is important that such an animal is lifted its spine in kept perfectly straight. Unfortunately, the outlook for such cases is poor and the victims often have to be put to sleep.
A fractured limb can be well supported and immobilized with a firm bandage. But if there is any possible that you are dealing with a dislocation and not a fracture, it is best omitted. The procedure is to apply a thick pad of cotton wool 4 to 6 inches long over the area of the fracture and then to tightly bandage the pad in place with a crepe bandage. As a general rule attempts to secure splints to the limbs do more harm then good and are best avoided. If the lower jaw is hanging free it can be supported by applying a crepe bandage fairly loosely around the head, but check that the animal can breathe satisfactory, especially if there is bleeding in the mouth.
Spinal fracture and dislocation may result in paralysis of the hind quarters, shown by the cat’s inability to move its hind legs and, to avoid further damage, it is important that such an animal is lifted its spine in kept perfectly straight. Unfortunately, the outlook for such cases is poor and the victims often have to be put to sleep.
Q: How would I know if cat had suffered a dislocation?
Answer: A dislocation occurs when one of the bones which form a joint moves out of palace. The bones are usually separated by force; dislocation of the hip joint id the most common example following jumping or a road accident. In general, the thigh bone (femur) moves forward making the hind limb appear shorter. The lower jaw is also often dislocated and then the mouth will not close properly. In some cats a congenital defect of the stifle joint allows a small bone, the patella (keep-cap), to dislocate very easily without undue force. This condition is very common in the Devon Rex breed, causing an abnormal gait; in some case the stifle locks and the cat stretches its hind legs from time to time in an attempt to make the patella slip back into its correct position.
Many signs of dislocation are similar to those of fractures-pain, swelling, deformity and loss of function, but there are useful distinguishing features:
1 Pain and swelling is confined to the region of the joint.
2 Movement is more restricted then usual, not increased.
3 There is usually no grating sound.
4 Bones never penetrate the skin.
It can, however, be difficult to distinguish between a fracture and dislocation, particularly if the fracture is near a joint; occasionally they will occur together.
Many signs of dislocation are similar to those of fractures-pain, swelling, deformity and loss of function, but there are useful distinguishing features:
1 Pain and swelling is confined to the region of the joint.
2 Movement is more restricted then usual, not increased.
3 There is usually no grating sound.
4 Bones never penetrate the skin.
It can, however, be difficult to distinguish between a fracture and dislocation, particularly if the fracture is near a joint; occasionally they will occur together.
Q: What signs indicate that my cat had a fractured?
Answer: A fracture is a break or crack in a bone caused by the application of physical force. The bone must often fracture by the cat is the femur in the hind leg. But also common are fractures of the pelvis, the coccygeal vertebrae, usually requiring amputation of the tail, and the lower jaw.
Fractures are termed open or closed depending on whether or not the skin surface is also disrupted by the injury. Sometime the broken end of the bone is even pushed out through the skin. Open fractures are, as one would except, more likely to become infected. Other classifications of the fractures are based on the number of breaks, fragments of bone, or on the amount of damage done to the surrounding tissues. However, from the point of the view of the first aid, such classification is unimportant. The only type which is popularly referred to is a ‘greenstick fracture’ in which the bone is not completely broken but merely cracked and bent. This type usually occurs in young animals where the bones are still flexible.
There are six main signs of fracture but not all of them are always present:
1 Pain around the fracture site, which makes the animal resent handling and can lead to shock.
2 Swelling around the fracture due to bleeding and brushing.
3 An unnatural degree of movement. The lower part of the limb, or end of tail, may swing freely or even by dragged along.
4 A loss of function. The cat is not able to move or use the fractured part normally. It may appear lame, because it cannot put weight onto a limb.
5 There may be deformity such as lump or sharp edge which can be felt somewhere along then bone. A limb may appear shorter or abnormally twisted, or the skull appear sunken.
6 A grating noise (crepitus) may be heard when the animal moves or the part is handled. This is due to the rough, broken ends of the bones moving against each other.
If, when you examine the cat, you are doubtful about the sharp of a bone, or the degree of movement, it is useful to compare the same part on the other side of the body.
Fractures are termed open or closed depending on whether or not the skin surface is also disrupted by the injury. Sometime the broken end of the bone is even pushed out through the skin. Open fractures are, as one would except, more likely to become infected. Other classifications of the fractures are based on the number of breaks, fragments of bone, or on the amount of damage done to the surrounding tissues. However, from the point of the view of the first aid, such classification is unimportant. The only type which is popularly referred to is a ‘greenstick fracture’ in which the bone is not completely broken but merely cracked and bent. This type usually occurs in young animals where the bones are still flexible.
There are six main signs of fracture but not all of them are always present:
1 Pain around the fracture site, which makes the animal resent handling and can lead to shock.
2 Swelling around the fracture due to bleeding and brushing.
3 An unnatural degree of movement. The lower part of the limb, or end of tail, may swing freely or even by dragged along.
4 A loss of function. The cat is not able to move or use the fractured part normally. It may appear lame, because it cannot put weight onto a limb.
5 There may be deformity such as lump or sharp edge which can be felt somewhere along then bone. A limb may appear shorter or abnormally twisted, or the skull appear sunken.
6 A grating noise (crepitus) may be heard when the animal moves or the part is handled. This is due to the rough, broken ends of the bones moving against each other.
If, when you examine the cat, you are doubtful about the sharp of a bone, or the degree of movement, it is useful to compare the same part on the other side of the body.
Q: How would I know if my cat is suffering from shock? How should he be treated?
Answer: Shock is a clinical state in which is which there is a fall in blood pressure and in the volume of blood in the circulation. The blood to the flow the body tissue is poor and the cells, including those of the brain, suffering from a lack of oxygen. Many different type of injury will cause shock but the signs and the treatment are similar in all cases. Shock can result from severe blood loss of other body fluids, serious pain and tissue damage (from severe wounds and fractures, electrocution and the effect of the burns, scalds, and poisons-especially corrosive poisons) and the effect of bee and wasp stings (anaphylactic shock). Internal bleeding can result in ‘secondary shock’ occurring some time (four to six hours) after an injury.
The tell-tale signs of shock are as follows:
1 The animal is weak and almost always lies down. It is often only semiconscious and does not respond to stimulation.
2 Breathing is paid (more then thirty to forty breaths per minute) and shallow, i.e. panting respiration.
3 The lips, gums and tongue appear pale and grayish and feel cold and clammy
.
4 The paws feel cols, even though the animal may be in warm surroundings, and it often trembles or shivers. The temperature, if taken, is found to be below normal.
5 The heart beats more rapidly, i.e. more then 120 beats per minute.
6 The pupils are dilated and the eyes appear glazes.
7 The cat may vomit.
These signs may already be present when the injured animal is discovered or they may develop later.
The tell-tale signs of shock are as follows:
1 The animal is weak and almost always lies down. It is often only semiconscious and does not respond to stimulation.
2 Breathing is paid (more then thirty to forty breaths per minute) and shallow, i.e. panting respiration.
3 The lips, gums and tongue appear pale and grayish and feel cold and clammy
.
4 The paws feel cols, even though the animal may be in warm surroundings, and it often trembles or shivers. The temperature, if taken, is found to be below normal.
5 The heart beats more rapidly, i.e. more then 120 beats per minute.
6 The pupils are dilated and the eyes appear glazes.
7 The cat may vomit.
These signs may already be present when the injured animal is discovered or they may develop later.
Q: What can I do about internal haemorrhage?
Answer: Internal bleeding refers to bleeding into internal organs or into the chest or abdominal cavities. It usually follows crushing or a severe impact injury such as a fall or kick or from involvement in a road accident. The fact that haemorrhage is occurring may not be evident until signs of shock appear; this is usually become blood cannot reach the exterior. However, at times blood may be seen. Frothy blood appearing at the mouth or nostrils suggests bleeding from the lungs or air passage. Vomited blood usually comes from the stomach and appears dark brown because of the action of stomach acid. Extensive bleeding from deep within the ear canal strongly suggests an injury inside the skull. Sometimes blood may be apparent in the urine or motion after an accident.
Regrettably, it is not possible to stop an internal haemorrhage with first aid treatment. The best that can be done is to treat the animal for shock, wipe any frothy blood from the mouth and nose to keep the airway clear and to obtain the assistance of veterinarian as soon as possible.
Regrettably, it is not possible to stop an internal haemorrhage with first aid treatment. The best that can be done is to treat the animal for shock, wipe any frothy blood from the mouth and nose to keep the airway clear and to obtain the assistance of veterinarian as soon as possible.
Q: Can I give my cat the ‘kiss of life’?
Answer: Mouth to mouth resuscitation has been attempted but, because of the shape and size of the cat’s mouth, it usually not very effective. Better is to close the animal’s mouth with your hands and to blow firmly and regularly into its nose with your lips closely applied to its nostrils. As describe before, it is important to ensure first that the air passage is clear. Blowing should occupy about three seconds, followed by a two second pause, and this should be repeated continuously.
This technique may prove more valuable in providing oxygen then the pressure on the chest method of artificial respiration for those animals with a penetrating wound into the chest cavity.
This technique may prove more valuable in providing oxygen then the pressure on the chest method of artificial respiration for those animals with a penetrating wound into the chest cavity.
Q: Is it true that cats are rarely poisoned?
Answer: Although cats are more fastidious about what they eat then many species, there are more factors which render them more susceptible to poisoning. Being predators, cats run the risk of consuming pre animals which have themselves already been poisoned. They also have the habit of washing materials off their coats, ingesting them in the process. This problem is aggravated by the fact that cat’s detoxication mechanisms which break down poisons into harmless substances are not very efficient, so that their effects are much greater then in other animals.
Q: On what other occasions might my cat require first aid?
Answer: Cuts and wounds, with a variety of causes, are also common. The majority are ‘clean’ cuts (incised wounds), resulting for instance from stepping on broken glass or sharp metal concealed in long grass, or falling through a garden frame, or even from licking out cans with a sharp edge.
They can be deep and usually bleed Profusely. Cutting wounds can also be produced by wire nooses in animal traps and by rubber bands placed around the nick, limbs or tail, usually by children. Because of its continual tension, a rubber band gradually cuts through the skin and deep in to the underlying tissues, sometimes even down tom the bone or through the trachea (windpipe).
Irregular, torn wounds can arise from a dog bite or from a cat being caught on barbed wire or in a moving machine while hiding in long gross; they bleed less but are more likely to become contaminated. Penetrating wounds, i.e. penetrating the chest or abdomen, are fortunately rare. They result from the protrusion of a fractured rib after a road accident, from being impaled on a spike or from a malicious cat such as stabbing or shooting. Typical firearm wounds have a small entry wounds and large, ragged exit wound fro the projectile, though sometimes, as with a air gun pellets, the projectile remains in the tissues. The explosive release stored up energy can cause extensive internal damage.
As well as being caused by road accidents, fractures and dislocations can result from being trodden on or kicked, having a tail or a limb slammed in a door, or from an over-ambitious jump or a fall. Many cats discover that they are not as sure-footed as they through and many fall a number of storeys from a window-ledge or parapet on to concrete or paving slabs, which sometimes results in unconsciousness, fractures and internal injuries. However, this does not mean that all cats high up in trees or on the rooftops need to be rescued; most will find their own way down safely, especially if tempted by food.
Burns and scalds are also not uncommon in cat and most of these raises in the kitchen. Usually the animal is splashed with boiling water or hot fat, although often this is not recognized at the time. Sometimes a cat investigating an appetizing smell attempts to walk on the cooker hot plate. Quite apart from reasons of hygiene, this reinforces the need to keep cats off kitchen working surfaces, and it is probably bet to banish them entirely from the kitchen during the cooking. Burns on the feet can also arise from stepping onto the embers of bonfires or the hot charcoal discarded from a barbecue.
So-called chemical burns are due to the effect of corrosive liquids on the skin; this is often diesel oil on account of a cat’s habit of hiding beneath motor vehicles. At other times they may walk through such substances as warm tar, creosote, or battery acid. Electrical burns and electrocution usually result from a kitten chewing though a live electrical flex or cable.
They can be deep and usually bleed Profusely. Cutting wounds can also be produced by wire nooses in animal traps and by rubber bands placed around the nick, limbs or tail, usually by children. Because of its continual tension, a rubber band gradually cuts through the skin and deep in to the underlying tissues, sometimes even down tom the bone or through the trachea (windpipe).
Irregular, torn wounds can arise from a dog bite or from a cat being caught on barbed wire or in a moving machine while hiding in long gross; they bleed less but are more likely to become contaminated. Penetrating wounds, i.e. penetrating the chest or abdomen, are fortunately rare. They result from the protrusion of a fractured rib after a road accident, from being impaled on a spike or from a malicious cat such as stabbing or shooting. Typical firearm wounds have a small entry wounds and large, ragged exit wound fro the projectile, though sometimes, as with a air gun pellets, the projectile remains in the tissues. The explosive release stored up energy can cause extensive internal damage.
As well as being caused by road accidents, fractures and dislocations can result from being trodden on or kicked, having a tail or a limb slammed in a door, or from an over-ambitious jump or a fall. Many cats discover that they are not as sure-footed as they through and many fall a number of storeys from a window-ledge or parapet on to concrete or paving slabs, which sometimes results in unconsciousness, fractures and internal injuries. However, this does not mean that all cats high up in trees or on the rooftops need to be rescued; most will find their own way down safely, especially if tempted by food.
Burns and scalds are also not uncommon in cat and most of these raises in the kitchen. Usually the animal is splashed with boiling water or hot fat, although often this is not recognized at the time. Sometimes a cat investigating an appetizing smell attempts to walk on the cooker hot plate. Quite apart from reasons of hygiene, this reinforces the need to keep cats off kitchen working surfaces, and it is probably bet to banish them entirely from the kitchen during the cooking. Burns on the feet can also arise from stepping onto the embers of bonfires or the hot charcoal discarded from a barbecue.
So-called chemical burns are due to the effect of corrosive liquids on the skin; this is often diesel oil on account of a cat’s habit of hiding beneath motor vehicles. At other times they may walk through such substances as warm tar, creosote, or battery acid. Electrical burns and electrocution usually result from a kitten chewing though a live electrical flex or cable.
Q: What is most common emergency for which a cat would require first aid?
Answer: There is no doubt tat road accidents are the most common emergencies in which cat are involved, especially in urban areas. Many different types of injures can be caused and multiple injuries are common. At times, there are so severe as to cause to the death of the animal immediately, or within twenty-four hours. This is an inevitably consequence of allowing a cat the freedom to wonder at will, and other then keeping your cat confined at all times, or only allowing him to exercise when on a lead, there is very little that you can do the prevent such incident.
The animal may be truck a direct or glancing blow, not only from the front bumper or a wheel, but also from a low slung part of the chassis, transmission or exhaust system as the vehicle passes above the cat. It may suffer crush injures as a wheel passes over part of its body, and it may at times be dragged behind the vehicle for distance. In addition to shock, a road accident can produce a verity of external and internal wounds with varying degrees of haemorrhage, fractures, dislocations, concussion or paralysis. Head and pelvic injuries are very common, and sometime there is a diaphragmatic hernia which causes great difficulty in breathing. At times, the only external evidence of a cat’s involvement in a road accident may be frayed or splintered claws, possibly some loss of hair, and oil and dirt on the coat. Despite the minimal external signs there is often serious internal bleeding.
The animal might remain at the scene of the accident, often dazed or unconscious, or it may run away in a blind panic, only a return home, if at all, several hours or even days later.
First aid treatment for road accidents consists primarily of treatment for shock, plus attention for whatever other serious signs might be present (e.g. severe haemorrhage, difficult in breathing, fracture, paralysis, etc.) before obtaining, veterinary attention. It is of course imperative that if the animal is still in a dangerous position in the roadway it should first be removed to a safer, and preferably sheltered, position.
The animal may be truck a direct or glancing blow, not only from the front bumper or a wheel, but also from a low slung part of the chassis, transmission or exhaust system as the vehicle passes above the cat. It may suffer crush injures as a wheel passes over part of its body, and it may at times be dragged behind the vehicle for distance. In addition to shock, a road accident can produce a verity of external and internal wounds with varying degrees of haemorrhage, fractures, dislocations, concussion or paralysis. Head and pelvic injuries are very common, and sometime there is a diaphragmatic hernia which causes great difficulty in breathing. At times, the only external evidence of a cat’s involvement in a road accident may be frayed or splintered claws, possibly some loss of hair, and oil and dirt on the coat. Despite the minimal external signs there is often serious internal bleeding.
The animal might remain at the scene of the accident, often dazed or unconscious, or it may run away in a blind panic, only a return home, if at all, several hours or even days later.
First aid treatment for road accidents consists primarily of treatment for shock, plus attention for whatever other serious signs might be present (e.g. severe haemorrhage, difficult in breathing, fracture, paralysis, etc.) before obtaining, veterinary attention. It is of course imperative that if the animal is still in a dangerous position in the roadway it should first be removed to a safer, and preferably sheltered, position.
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