What Your Cat Is Trying To Tell You: A Head-to-Tail Guide for Your Cat's Symptoms - and Solutions
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What Your Cat Is Trying To Tell You: A Head-to-Tail Guide for Your Cat's Symptoms - and Solutions
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Overview
Your cat can't speak, but her symptoms can.
The best way to ensure your cat's health is to know how to interpret her symptoms and take the proper meausres to get her well again. From head to tail, from physical to behavioral problems, respected veternarian Dr. John Simon helps you understand your cat's ailments and arrive at safe, effective solutions. Included in this cat's owner's invaluable volume are:
Emergency syptoms: what kind of signals should be attended to immeiately and which ones to watch closely
Home care vs. Doctor care: when your cat needs to see a vet and when you can remedy the problem yourself
150 common cat health problems: outlined in clear, easy-to-understand language, Dr. Simon prestnts the most common pet problems and the best way to treat them
Plus: essential appendices for fast reference, including a checklist for good health, how to perform a weekly exam, a chapter of emergency symptoms and solutions--and much, more more.
Now you don't have to be a veterrinarian to discover
What Your Cat is Trying to Tell You
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781250095602 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | St. Martin's Publishing Group |
| Publication date: | 08/25/2015 |
| Sold by: | Macmillan |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 256 |
| File size: | 3 MB |
About the Author
John M. Simon, D.V.M., author of What Your Dog Is Trying to Tell You, has over twenty-five years of experience in conventional and alternative pet care. He is the owner of his own private practice, Woodside Animal Hospital, in Royal Oak, Michigan, and has a regular column in Detroit's Daily Tribune.
Stephanie Pedersen was a freelance writer who collaborated on a variety of projects, including What Your Cat Is Trying to Tell You and What Your Dog Is Trying to Tell You. She has since discovered her passion for nutrition, self-care and spiritual life, and has written several books about power food, health, and wellness.
Read an Excerpt
What Your Cat is Trying to Tell You
A Head-to-Tail Guide to Your Cat's Symptoms â" and Their Solutions
By John Simon, Stephanie Pedersen
St. Martin's Press
Copyright © 1998 The Philip Lief Group, Inc.All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-250-09560-2
CHAPTER 1
Emergency Symptoms
Perhaps you've actually witnessed your pet meet with misfortune, such as in a vehicle run-in, a fight with another cat, or taking a few quick sips of a poisonous chemical before you could stop him. Or maybe you've come across him after such a catastrophe. Either way, you're probably familiar with many emergency symptoms. After all, common sense is all you need to realize that if your kitty exhibits strong, dramatic signals — such as gushing blood, an exposed bone protruding from his thigh, an obvious wound, extremely heavy vomiting that doesn't seem to stop, or perhaps even unconsciousness — you need to sprint to the vet.
Yet, what about those subtler signs of trouble? The ones that don't announce themselves, that maybe even show up gradually, but are every bit the emergency warning signs their more dramatic counterparts are? Sure it takes an adroit owner — one who is thoroughly versed in her cat's normal behavior and vital signs — to spot anything unseemly, but most pet owners are just such people.
The point of all this is that just because the sign you happen to notice is subtle, it's still worth taking seriously. Indeed, some such signs, such as a change in posture, an unwillingness to move, a high fever, and an unusually low body temperature, can indicate life-threatening conditions. You should also be aware that because felines generally prefer to lick their wounds — literally — in private, a cat that won't come out from under the bed or has recently gone missing may be injured or seriously ill. Conversely, other, more showy symptoms, such as coughing, sneezing, or loud wheezing, usually indicate nothing more grave than a kitty cold or a feline allergy.
Abdomen: Acute Pain
You can tell your pet's abdomen hurts if he shrinks from being touched there, moves cautiously or not at all, or adopts the prayer pose with his chest against the floor and rump in the air. Other signs of abdominal pain include refusing food, trembling, vomiting, extreme restlessness, inability to find a comfortable position, irregular purring, grunting, meowing and crying, and labored breathing. If the condition comes on suddenly, it commonly signals an emergency situation. Get your pet to the vet immediately. [Also see sections in Chapter 8, Bloated, Distended, or Painful Abdomen; and Obvious Bulge at Midabdomen, Groin or Rectal Area.]
Bite and Scratch Wounds
Being the territorial creatures they are, fights between outdoor felines are surprisingly common. If you suspect your cat has had a row with a neighborhood puss (disheveled fur and bald patches are common giveaways), give your pet a thorough once-over, paying special attention to his ears, eyelids, and the base of his tail. Check for bite and scratch wounds.
Minor scratches can be swabbed with an antiseptic, such as 3% hydrogen peroxide. If the wound appears deep, wrap the area with a pressure bandage to slow the bleeding. If left untreated, such a wound can cause considerable blood loss. Now you're ready to go straight to the vet. Often embedded in such wounds are dirt, saliva, and hair from the rival cat — all of which can cause the wound to become an infected, abscessed mess. These contaminants can also cause blood poisoning. To prevent an infection, your vet will remove any embedded dirt and hair, flush the wound with 3% hydrogen peroxide, clean it with a surgical soap, and then rinse it with water. Finally, she will apply a wound antibiotic and bandage the area. Antibiotic injections may also be given and oral antibiotics dispensed.
Bleeding: Uncontrollable
Maybe your cat was cut by a piece of glass. Maybe he was hit by a vehicle. Maybe he snagged himself jumping over or squeezing through a fence. In any event, your kitty is bleeding and you want to make it stop.
Bleeding comes in degrees of seriousness. A relatively minor cut will typically stop bleeding by itself after 6 or 7 minutes. A larger cut may not stop bleeding without assistance from you. Find a clean rag, towel, or gauze bandage and hold it directly against the wound. (Here's an optional step designed to keep hair out of the wound — especially important if your pet is a longhaired cat: Before applying the cloth, smear a thin coat of petroleum jelly around the outside of the cut.) If the blood flow stops, you can hold off seeing the vet for 4 or 5 hours (but you'd be wise to have it checked at that point in the event that the wound may need cleansing and/or suturing). If the flow doesn't stop in 20 minutes, you must go straight to the vet. After the vet has halted the blood flow, she may stitch the area closed, providing it is not badly contaminated and can be easily cleaned.
You also must go straight to the vet anytime there is a deep cut in the cat's chest area. On the way to the doctor's office, apply a pressure bandage to the area. Should a rib protrude through the skin, avoid touching the bone with your hand or with the bandage. With a chest wound, you may notice air bubbles in the leaking blood. You may also hear a hissing noise: This sound is actually air escaping from the chest cavity.
If, for some reason, you can't get a wound to stop bleeding heavily after a 30 minutes worth of pressure, and you cannot get to a vet immediately — perhaps you live in a rural area — you may need to apply a tourniquet. Tourniquets are used only on appendages — in other words, the cat's limbs and tail.
To apply a tourniquet, find a soft, elastic fabric, such as a sock. Tightly tie the fabric around the appendage, directly above the wound. To avoid killing living skin and muscle tissue, you will have to loosen the tourniquet every 10 minutes, for 30 to 45 seconds at a time, to allow blood to flow into the limb. Once the blood flow has significantly slowed — or stopped altogether — replace the tourniquet with a pressure bandage.
Break, Fracture, or Sprain: Difficulty Moving
A fall or a collision with a car or bike can break or fracture a bone or injure ligaments. First, if you do see your kitty hit by a vehicle or involved in a serious fall, it's a good idea to take the animal to a vet straightaway for a checkup. (Read the third paragraph of this section for information on how to transport an injured cat.)
The more likely scenario, however, is that the cat was hurt during an unsupervised moment. Thus, you may suddenly notice your kitty limping (if a leg was injured) or adopting a hunched-up posture (if a rib was cracked or the spine was damaged). You may also notice a cracking or grinding noise when your pet moves, as well as swelling at the injured site. You may even see a piece of bone protruding through the skin.
If you do see a piece of errant bone, you can be certain there's a break. Without visible bone peeking through, however, determining whether the cat has a fracture or a sprained or torn ligament can be difficult for nonvets. Regardless of the actual problem, encourage your kitty to remain still while you gently pick him up (using both hands) and lay him on a blanket with the injured area facing up. Be aware that a cat in pain may bite indiscriminately out of fear and discomfort. If another person is present, each of you should take an end of the blanket and lift your pet — hammock style — into an appropriately sized, stable box, or other open, sturdy container (if there is no one to help, you'll have to do this yourself). Moving him as little as possible, take your pet to the vet, who will radiograph the injured limb, set a broken or fractured bone, wrap a sprain, or surgically repair torn ligaments.
Breathing: Extremely Difficult or Stopped; Unconsciousness
A breathing problem caused by a respiratory condition is not an emergency. However, the following are cause for immediate action: your kitty has consumed poison, had a run-in with a car or bicycle, or had a serious fall and is aggressively struggling for breath or has quit breathing altogether and lapsed into unconsciousness.
If the cat is still conscious, do not try to examine his mouth — you are likely to get bitten. Get to the vet immediately. If the cat is unconscious, ask someone to help you (if possible) so you can administer CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) en route to the vet.
Start by opening his mouth and lying the tongue to one side between the top and bottom molars. Place your finger in the cat's mouth and throat to feel for any obstructions, including vomit, mucous, or blood. Remove anything you find. Extend the cat's head and neck, then close his mouth. Inhale deeply, completely cover your pet's nose and mouth with your mouth, then exhale into his nostrils. The air should reach his chest: Watch for the chest to swell. Remove your mouth and allow the cat's chest to deflate normally. When it has, put your mouth over his nose and mouth and start again. This inflate-deflate cycle should be done 12 times per minute, until the cat begins breathing on his own.
Often, immediately after a cat has ceased breathing (or just prior to it), his heart may stop. (You can check for his heartbeat by wrapping your hand around his chest, just behind his front legs, and applying slight pressure. Alternately, you can check the cat's pulse, which is best felt on the inner side of the thigh in the groin area.) If the nearest vet is some distance away, you also will have to perform external cardiac compression. Place the cat on his right side, laying him on the firmest surface possible. Place your thumb on the side of his sternum (chest) that is facing up and wrap your other four fingers around the chest so that your fingers are underneath his body and pressing on the other side of the sternum. Squeeze the chest firmly between the thumb and four fingers. Release. Then squeeze firmly again. Release. Repeat 6 times, then wait 5 seconds to see if the chest expands and whether any pulse or heartbeat results. If it doesn't, repeat. When you combine pulmonary resuscitation with external heart massage, you should perform 1 pulmonary expansion for every 6 cardiac compressions.
Burns
Cats, being curious creatures, may find themselves face-to-face with spitting cooking grease, scalding-hot water, fire, scorching surfaces, or even a caustic chemical substance, such as lye. If nearby, you'll hear your kitty's pained meow, know that he's been burned, and can immediately treat the injury. Because it's entirely possible that your kitty was burned while out of your sight, here's what to look for: Immediately after being burned, the area will be red and painful. If the burn is bad, the skin may even turn a shade of white or brown. The skin will be blistered and may appear shriveled. If fire or a hot surface caused the injury, fur may be singed or missing altogether. Note: After being injured, most cats tend to hide — under beds, in closets, in bags. Should your cat act reclusive, there is a real chance that he is injured. Approach him tenderly and gently examine him.
Cool the burn by holding an ice pack or bag of frozen vegetables against the wound for 15 minutes. If you suspect a caustic material is to blame, rinse the area with cold water and diluted shampoo — it will help rid the fur and skin of any remaining chemicals. For acid burns, neutralize by rinsing with 1 teaspoon of baking soda per pint (2 cups) of water. For alkali burns, neutralize by rinsing with 2 tablespoons of vinegar per pint (2 cups) of water. Cover the wound with a clean, dry cloth or a gauze bandage and go straight to the vet.
Convulsions: Continuous
Your pet begins moving in a disjointed, jerky way. Suddenly, seizures take over his body — not just one seizure, but one right after the other with no letup. Your cat may (or may not) slip into unconsciousness, vomit, or lose bowel and bladder control. What should you do? Gently place a towel or thin blanket over the animal and head straight for the nearest veterinary clinic — even if it's not the one you go to regularly. Such nonstop seizures often lead to exhaustion, unconsciousness, then death.
En route to the vet, do not place your hand anywhere near your kitty's mouth — you can be severely bitten. And don't worry about whether your convulsing cat will swallow his tongue — it rarely happens. If you do suspect poisoning, be aware that you should never induce vomiting when convulsions are present.
Cats who experience only 1 or 2 convulsions in 24 hours still should see a vet in order to get the condition diagnosed, but the condition is not an emergency unless a single seizure lasts for more than 10 minutes. While observing a cat having a seizure, make sure the poor animal does not injure himself against the furniture or any sharp object. Pillows work well to protect both pet and owner.
Drowning
Most cats have no great love of water, yet they can swim short distances. But if they fall into your backyard swimming pool, they can't climb over the pool's edge, which means they could easily drown if there is no nearby exit ramp for them to use. Cats have also drowned when hiding in an open washing machine that the unsuspecting owner closes and turns on.
Should you see your pet floating in a pool, bathtub, or other expanse of water, remove him immediately. At this point, he may be weak or even unconscious. Quickly turn him upside down, suspending him by his back legs. This lets any inhaled water exit his windpipe. Next, place the cat with his head lower than his chest — you can use pillows or rolled up clothing or towels to make an artificial slope or you can place his body on a sofa or bed with his head positioned over the edge — and begin artificial respiration.
If the cat is completely unconscious, you will need to administer CPR. Start by opening his mouth and lying the tongue to one side, between the top and bottom molars. Place your hand in his mouth and throat to feel for any obstructions, including vomit, mucous, or blood. Remove anything you find. Extend the cat's head and neck, and close his mouth. Inhale deeply, completely cover your pet's nose and mouth with your mouth, then exhale into his nostrils. The air should reach his chest: Watch for the chest to swell. Remove your mouth and allow the cat's chest to deflate normally. When it has, put your mouth over his nose and mouth and start again. This inflate-deflate cycle should be done 12 times per minute, until the cat begins breathing on his own.
Often, immediately after a cat has ceased breathing (or just prior to it), his heart may stop. This means you may also have to perform external cardiac compression. Place the cat on his right side, laying him on the firmest surface possible. Place your thumb on the side of his sternum (chest) that is facing up and wrap your four fingers around the chest so that your fingers are underneath his body and pressing on the other side of the sternum. Squeeze the chest firmly between your thumb and fingers. Release. Then squeeze firmly again. Release. Repeat 6 times, then wait 5 seconds to see if the chest expands and whether a pulse or heartbeat results. If it doesn't, repeat. When you combine external heart massage with pulmonary resuscitation, you should produce 1 pulmonary expansion for every 6 cardiac compressions.
Once your kitty has begun breathing on his own, take him to the vet, since many cats who get water in their airways develop pneumonia.
Electrocution
Kittens and untrained cats love to play with toys if you provide them, but they will just as happily occupy themselves with things they find around the house, including shoes, furniture, and electrical cords. Although most of these objects won't harm your cat, chewing on electrical cords is a quick way for him to become electrocuted. (Note: You can try to keep cats from chewing cords by coating the surface with a bitter-tasting substance — such as Bitter Green or Bitter Apple, available at your pet store — formulated expressly for this purpose.) The safest bet is to keep cords unplugged whenever possible. Less-common causes of electrocution include coming in contact with power lines, being struck by lightning, and touching exposed wires.
Typically, your cat doesn't chew on cords when you're around to catch him, which means you may enter a room to find your kitty lying on the floor unconscious, cord in his mouth. As long as the animal still has the cord in his mouth, he's probably still being shocked. Do not touch the cat or you will be electrocuted, too! Instead, immediately switch off the electrical source via the circuit breaker. If, for some reason, it is impossible to shut off the electricity, use a nonmetal object, such as a stick, broom handle, or wooden chair, to move the cat away from the cord. If there is any water or urine on the floor, push your cat away from the liquid.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from What Your Cat is Trying to Tell You by John Simon, Stephanie Pedersen. Copyright © 1998 The Philip Lief Group, Inc.. Excerpted by permission of St. Martin's Press.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Contents
Title Page,Copyright Notice,
Dedication,
Introduction,
CHAPTER 1: Emergency Symptoms,
CHAPTER 2: Abnormal Behaviors,
CHAPTER 3: Head and Neck,
CHAPTER 4: Eyes, Ears, and Nose,
CHAPTER 5: Mouth and Throat,
CHAPTER 6: Hair and Skin,
CHAPTER 7: Chest, Heart, and Lungs,
CHAPTER 8: Abdomen,
CHAPTER 9: Spine, Limbs, and Paws,
CHAPTER 10: Tail and Anus,
APPENDIX A: Checklist for Good Health,
APPENDIX B: How to Perform a Weekly Home Exam,
APPENDIX C: Breed Disease Predilections,
APPENDIX D: Important Questions to Answer Before Going in for an Exam,
APPENDIX E: List of Recommended Dosages,
Index,
About the Authors,
Copyright,