Unlike humans, cats cannot express their feelings in words. If your beloved animal used to eat three or four packets of food a day, and now suddenly refuses to eat, this is an occasion to seriously think about the possible reasons for this behavior and further actions to solve the problem.
It is necessary
- - Vaseline oil
- - immunostimulating drugs (like "Vitafel")
- - antiviral drugs
- - syringes of standard volume (2, 5 and 10 ml)
- - towel
Instructions
Step 1
Remember if your cat was vaccinated against panleukopenia (feline distemper), a viral disease also called infectious enteritis. Distemper infection occurs through contact with the feces or saliva of sick animals. The virus persists for a long time in the external environment (on the grass, etc.), so walking on the street can be dangerous for an unvaccinated animal. Symptoms of the disease: sunken eyes, painful sensations (the cat always lies on its stomach, tucking its front paws under it), refusal to eat and water, frothy vomiting, diarrhea with dark green stools or mixed with blood. The cat can look at a bowl of water for a long time, and the swallowing reflex is triggered.
Step 2
Measure the temperature of the animal. To avoid scratching, wrap the cat in a towel, leaving only the head and back of the body outside. Lubricate the tip of an ordinary thermometer with Vaseline (or any other) oil, put the cat on its left side and gently insert the tip into the anus. Wait 3-5 minutes. The temperature of a healthy cat does not exceed 38 degrees. With panleukopenia, the temperature rises to 40-41 degrees. A drop in temperature can indicate muscle weakness and dehydration.
Step 3
Feel the cat's abdomen using palpation. For this procedure, two are required: one should hold the front and hind legs of the cat with both hands, the other should make a diagnosis. The cat must be placed on its side. Muscle tension, the presence of bumps and lumps signal an increase in intestinal lymph nodes or stagnation of feces.
Step 4
Only an experienced veterinarian can confirm or deny the diagnosis, as well as prescribe treatment. At the slightest suspicion of infectious enteritis, the cat should be immediately taken to the veterinary clinic. There is a high probability of death, however, with timely diagnosis and proper treatment, the death of the animal can be avoided. Usually a cat is prescribed: bed rest, forced drinking, injections of glucose, immunoglobulin (Vitafel, Immunovet, Globfel-4, etc.) and antiviral drugs (Fosprenil, Anandin, Kamedon and etc.).
Step 5
If you do not have the time and desire to take the cat to the clinic every time, you can leave the animal for inpatient treatment (which will be very expensive) or give injections yourself at home, having previously consulted with the veterinarian about the injection technique (subcutaneous or intramuscularly) and the dosage of drugs … Purchase syringes and necessary medications in advance. Injecting requires calm, confidence and precision. The animal will instantly feel your panic, begin to worry and break free.
Step 6
Constipation can be the reason for refusal specifically from food. At the same time, the animal occasionally uses water. Normally, a cat should have a bowel movement 1-2 times a day. The absence of stool for more than a day can signal stagnation of feces. The reasons can be different - the accumulation of licked wool in the intestines, etc. Exit: taking vaseline oil at the rate of 1 ml per 1 kg of animal body weight. Draw oil into a syringe without a needle. Ask someone to hold the cat and open its mouth. To avoid inhalation, pour the medication into the middle of your tongue, not down your throat. It is best to give the oil on an empty stomach in the morning. Vaseline oil is not absorbed, but only envelops and lubricates the intestines, helping the feces to come out naturally. The result comes after 6-8 hours. If the cat still has not evacuated, the procedure should be repeated on the second day. If you experience profuse vomiting and heightened anxiety of the animal, contact your veterinarian.
