Activated charcoal for a kitten with diarrhea: application, dosage. how to give your cat activated charcoal how to give your cat activated charcoal

"Activated carbon" is a well-known sorbent that is used for various poisonings. It has a powerful adsorbing effect. The active component of the drug quickly envelops the gastric mucosa, which prevents the ingress of harmful substances - salts of heavy metals, narcotic components, poisons, chemicals, toxins - into the bloodstream. The drug is safe, it is removed from the body unchanged with feces after 7-10 hours, staining them black. The sorbent is assigned to everyone without exception, including infants and the elderly. Can I give activated charcoal to a cat?

"Activated charcoal" for a cat: application

Having made the decision to get a cat, the owner must understand that feeding, cleaning the animal's tray and combing it regularly is only half the battle. It is very important if you have a four-legged friend in the house to ensure that he is completely safe. This is especially true for small kittens, who strive to taste something. And this is not necessarily due to the fact that the owner feeds his pet a little. Most likely, teething or a weakened sense of smell are to blame. Therefore, food often enters the stomach of little fidgets, which is not at all intended for a weak and weak organism. Hence, gastric disorders, intestinal in the form of diarrhea, vomiting and other signs of intoxication.

How to understand that an animal has poisoning? Here are the main symptoms:

• liquid, watery stools, the frequency of which per day can be from 5 times;
• rapid breathing;
• refusal to feed;
• dark urine color, frequent urination;
• dry nose, dilated pupils;
• a cardinal change in behavior (an active cat becomes too calm, immobilized, sleeps all the time);
• putrid smell from the mouth of the animal, glow in the dark of vomit (observed with phosphorus poisoning);
• heavy breathing, excessive salivation, swelling of the tongue and gums (with acid poisoning);
• lowering the temperature, ulceration on the oral mucosa, paralysis, uremia (mercury poisoning);
• regurgitation, vomiting, in severe cases, convulsions, trembling, loss of consciousness, blanching of the mucous membranes of the mouth are observed (this indicates the onset of dehydration).

If you have one of these signs, you need to sound the alarm. The best option is to contact your veterinarian. If this is not possible, then you need to urgently give the pet "Activated charcoal". The drug is absolutely harmless to four-legged animals, so veterinarians recommend giving it in case of poisoning - and the sooner the better.

When is it prescribed and how does the medicine work?

Once in the stomach, the drug begins to act immediately. The main component of the drug is coal of plant and animal origin, which has undergone special processing. It has a detoxifying effect, that is, it cleanses the body of toxins, toxins and allergens. The action consists in the absorption by particles of coal of a liquid containing toxic substances.

"Activated charcoal" for cats

Veterinarians recommend taking the medicine within 2 hours of poisoning. The fact is that during intoxication, the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract work in an enhanced mode. This leads to increased production of mucus. In such an environment, the reproduction of bacterial flora occurs faster. Therefore, it is impossible to delay in this case. The body spends too much energy and fluid, which contributes to dehydration.

And if against this background the pet is also fed, then injury to the walls of the stomach and intestines joins the ongoing process. Due to swollen mucous membranes and a lack of beneficial bacteria, nutrients are not absorbed and food is not processed.

The sorbent acts like a sponge that absorbs harmful components. Coal is not absorbed into the blood and is excreted from the body with feces in its original form. The drug does not affect digestion and peristalsis.

The pore structure of "Activated carbon"

In addition, the drug has an antimicrobial effect. It adsorbs and removes bacteria from the intestines, which helps the body cope with the infection faster.

"Activated charcoal" will help if taken as soon as possible after eating poisoned food. If harmful substances are absorbed into the blood, the drug will not have a therapeutic effect.

The task of the owner in case of intoxication is not to give food, to drink more and not to affect diarrhea and vomiting. It should be remembered that diarrhea and vomiting are natural processes that free the body from harmful substances, so they cannot be prevented.

Important! The owner should be wary if diarrhea and vomiting in a cat occur more often 5-6 times a day. This is fraught with the development of dehydration due to a significant loss of water from the body.

Indications for the use of charcoal for cats:

• fermentation and putrefaction in the intestinal cavity, flatulence;
• increased acidity of the digestive juice;
• diarrhea, vomiting, blood in feces;
• allergy;
• poisoning with chemicals, drugs, juices of indoor plants;
• salmonellosis, dysentery;
• vomiting and diarrhea after taking drugs for worms;
• liver disease.

Drugs similar to "Activated charcoal"

How to give the drug to animals?

Almost all cats resist when the owner tries to give him a pill. Of course, because their unusual taste is far from their favorite food. This will require some ingenuity. Here are the step by step steps.

1. Put the pet on his knees so that his hind legs rest on the owner's stomach.
2. Raise the animal's head with the left hand. Pull the lower lip towards the back of the head. In cats, after 4 lower and 6 upper premolars, further teeth are missing. This simplifies the introduction of drugs into the oral cavity. Pulling the lower lip back, at the root of the cat's tongue, you can see a hollow hole into which the ideal syringe enters.
3. You can not lower the animal's head down and remove your hand until it swallows. To stimulate the swallowing movement, you need to stroke it along the neck.

It is important to properly fix the cat before giving the drug.

If the owner is afraid of being scratched, then you can ask other family members for help or simply wrap the animal in a blanket or towel so that, if possible, he does not release his claws.

The tablet can be given to the cat as a whole. You need to press your fingers on the area between the upper and lower lip. In this case, the head of the animal should be raised. When the pet's mouth opens, a tablet is placed on the root of the tongue. Next, the jaws close. You can not remove your hands until the animal makes a swallowing movement.

Video - How to give pills to cats?

After swallowing the tablet, the cat must be given water. He should drink at least 1 glass per day. In order for the drug to help your pet, you should know what dosage is acceptable for him.

Dosage

It would be nice to give the cat a whole pill. But, since this is problematic in most cases, a crushed tablet mixed with water is also suitable for medicinal purposes. The resulting mixture can be given with a small spoon or syringe, after removing the needle. A small sterile syringe is also suitable in this case.

How to give activated charcoal

The dosage of the medicine is calculated depending on the weight of the cat. So, for 1 kg of her body weight, 0.25 g of the active substance (1 tablet) is recommended. Give the four-legged drug should be every 4 hours, but not more than 4 times a day.

For a kitten whose age does not exceed 1-2 months, half a tablet is enough, from 2 to 6 months you can give the whole tablet in 1 dose.

Such a kitten should be given half a tablet of "Activated Charcoal"

It is worth saying that intoxication symptoms, as a rule, are noted after 1-2 hours. During this time, poisons and toxins have time to absorb into the walls of the stomach and intestines. If the animal does not have time to take black coal during this period of time, then this threatens the penetration of harmful substances into the blood.

It makes no sense to induce vomiting after 2 hours - only torturing the cat. In this case, you can put a cleansing enema based on black coal. To do this, 10-15 g of the powder is introduced into a glass with 100 ml of warm boiled water. After the procedure is completed, the cat must be given charcoal orally.

Overdose of "Activated charcoal" for cats

Do not treat with "Activated charcoal" cats that have:

• stomach bleeding;
• ulcers in the gastrointestinal tract;
• sorbent intolerance.

It is worth noting that prolonged use of the drug and excess dosing threaten problems with stools - constipation. Dry and dense feces can form a blockage, which will lead to intestinal obstruction.

Attention! If the animal does not go to the tray for more than a day, then you should consult with your veterinarian.

If you uncontrollably feed a four-legged pet with coal, this will contribute to the leaching of useful substances, vitamins, minerals from the body, as well as a decrease in the production of gastric juice, the main task of which is the breakdown of fats and proteins.

Pet owners should remember that dark gray staining of feces is a normal reaction after taking Activated Charcoal.

'Activated charcoal' darkens cat feces

As for overdose, its main symptom is constipation. How to understand that a cat has problems with stool? Here are the main symptoms of temporary intestinal obstruction:

• the animal is pushing in the tray, but the feces do not come out, while the cat may meow loudly;
• abdominal pain;
• when feeling the pet's abdomen, a seal is noted;
• faeces dry and cracked.

To prevent side effects, you should follow the dosage and give the animal water (for 1 tablet 10 ml).

"Activated charcoal" is safe for pregnant cats

Can Activated Charcoal be fed to pregnant or lactating cats?

Veterinarians recommend treating lactating and pregnant cats with the drug. The active substance of the drug is not absorbed by the gastrointestinal walls and does not penetrate into the blood, and therefore does not pose any danger to kittens in the womb.

Important! Cats should not be given "Activated Charcoal" for preventive purposes.

Actions of the owner in case of cat poisoning

To cure poisoning in a cat, you should act quickly and follow a number of recommendations from veterinarians.

1. Call the vet.
2. A poisoned cat should be taken to a well-lit and ventilated place.
3. Be sure the owner must wear long-sleeved clothes to protect his hands from contact with poisons. After all, cats during illness can show aggression - bite and scratch.
4. Induce vomiting in a cat. This must be done immediately after the animal has eaten poisonous food. To do this, you need to give your pet 3% hydrogen peroxide to drink (1 tsp per 1 kg of weight). The portion is divided into several receptions. Usually after the second, the cat begins to vomit. You can drink the animal with an emetic root (in the form of syrup, sold in a pharmacy), saline solution.
5. You should not feed your cat.
6. After vomiting, give "Activated charcoal" at the rate of 0.25 g per 1 kg of pet weight.
7. Drink more water.
8. If toxic poisons remain on the coat, then it is better to wash the pet so that it does not lick off the remnants of toxic substances.

Attention! If the poisoning is severe, then the dosage of the medicine can be increased to 1-4 g per 1 kg of the cat's weight. You need to give the medicine every 4-6 hours for 3-5 days.

"Activated charcoal" and isoniazid (rat poison) poisoning

Isoniazid is used by dog ​​hunters to bully cats and dogs. If an animal is accidentally poisoned by this substance, you should:

• call the veterinarian
• induce vomiting immediately;
• feed the animal with a laxative (so that the poison does not have time to be absorbed into the digestive tract);
• give "Activated charcoal" (before and after vomiting);
• give "Pyridoxine" - vitamin B6 (if haters of animals live in a neighboring apartment, it is better to have this drug in the first aid kit);
• give "Corvalol" - 3 drops per 4 kg of weight;
• soak with water.

When poisoning with rat poison, you need:

• call the veterinary clinic;
• urgently induce vomiting, give an enema or give a laxative;
• feed "Activated charcoal";
• use an antidote - vitamin K (necessary for blood clotting);

Table. Permitted analogues of "Activated carbon"

Bug Poison and Activated Charcoal

The blister beetle is such a kind of assistant to agricultural workers. Its purpose is the destruction of plant pests. Has a bright red color. The insect never bites. His cunning lies in the release of a toxic substance - contharidin. A few hours after the poison enters the mucous membranes of the mouth, in the gastrointestinal tract (when biting a beetle or swallowing), ulcers with purulent secretions form on the walls, which leads to the imminent death of the pet.

If, immediately after swallowing an insect by a cat, you feed it "Activated charcoal", then the likelihood that the animal will survive increases.

When treating feline poisoning with activated charcoal, the dosage should be observed. The wrong ratio can lead to overdose and unwanted effects, one of which is severe constipation.

Activated charcoal is an adsorbent that binds toxins and helps to evacuate them. Has no contraindications and side effects. Giving a kitten activated charcoal for diarrhea is necessary if intoxication is suspected. The therapeutic dose is 3-5 tablets for an adult cat and 1 tablet for a kitten.

The main and only substance of the preparation is black pressed coal.. Means has no taste and a smell, actively reacts with water, absorbing it. White activated carbon is also produced, which consists of silicon dioxide and differs in dosage. In the usual blisters for all black activated carbon tablets have a mass of 250 grams.

The action can be seen by dropping a tablet into a glass of water, where it will immediately begin to absorb water, increase in size and become mushy. Activated charcoal absorbs everything around it like a sponge.

The drug is able to provide some antimicrobial action, which is due to the fact that coal adsorbs pathogenic microorganisms on its surface. By removing them from the intestines, it reduces the mass of the harmful colony, which helps the body cope with the infection. Coal mass is evacuated with feces through the intestines.

Application

Activated charcoal is used for symptoms of poisoning:

• strong;
• blood in the stool;
• rapidly developing weakness;
• and nausea;
• stomach ache.

Taking pills will only help to remove toxins that are located in the intestinal lumen. If toxic substances have already been absorbed into the blood, then it is necessary to carry out another symptomatic therapy.

note, that with activated charcoal you can not take any other drugs and even prebiotics together, since charcoal also adsorbs them.

Read also: General anesthesia: preparation, risks, cat behavior after anesthesia

Overdose

Side effects from activated charcoal are rare, overdose symptoms consistent with severe constipation. Since the drug, as mentioned above, absorbs a large amount of liquid, mucus.

Symptoms:

• the animal tries to go to the toilet, pushes, but the feces do not come out;
• severe dehydration, if you lift the cat by the withers, then it does not straighten out for a while;
• dry, cracked feces;
• stomach ache;
• a lump is felt in the abdomen.

To prevent an overdose, it is necessary to observe the dosage and, together with coal, solder to the animal large amount of water(10 ml per tablet). Enveloping preparations and agents that enhance intestinal motility will help to get out of a dense lump (the latter can be avoided with diarrhea).

Dosage

The dosage is 3-5 tablets for an adult cat and 0.5-1 tablet for a kitten, everything is done on the basis of: a gram of activated carbon per kilogram of weight. Don't forget to give your pet water.

How to give a kitten?

It is advisable to give activated charcoal without first dissolving it in water, as you reduce its ability to adsorb. But water is needed. You just need to feed the kitten a pill first, and then give it water to drink. If the kitten is small, then the tablet must first be divided into 3-4 parts so that the animal can swallow them.

How to give a pill:

• Put the kitten on its hind legs, hold it firmly, or better, ask someone to hold it to free your hands.
• Open your pet's mouth, put the tablet on the root of the tongue.
• Close your mouth, slightly raise your head and hold it like that until the pet makes a swallowing movement.
• Then make sure there is nothing in your mouth.

For many people, pets are part of the family. Dogs, cats, parrots, hamsters, aquarium fish and many other animals have long become something more than just representatives of the animal world. But sometimes, unfortunately, it happens that pets are unwell, and the owners need to take urgent measures to cure their pet.

The most common variant of the illness of domestic cats is the poisoning of various types. Well, the most popular and effective drug for the treatment of poisoning in humans, as you know, is activated charcoal. That is why the owners of domestic cats very often may have a question about whether it is possible to give activated charcoal to cats.

Activated carbon: general information

Made from ordinary charcoal as a result of its heat treatment, this drug has a rather rich history. Even in ancient times, the beneficial properties of ordinary coal and ash were noticed in the treatment of poisoning of varying severity. The thing is that the porous structure of coal allows it to absorb toxic substances into itself and remove them from the body.

Nowadays, starch is added to such coal to form crushed coal into tablets and glucose to normalize the functioning of the whole organism. It was this drug that was popularly called activated charcoal, which is considered an ideal antitoxin.

Activated charcoal in veterinary medicine

From all of the above, we can conclude that this drug is very useful not only for people, but also for cats. The most popular reasons why it is not only possible, but also necessary to give a cat activated charcoal, are the following diseases and symptoms:

• poisoning;
• flatulence;
• diarrhea;
• increased acidity of gastric juice;
• allergic reactions;
• kidney failure.

If your pet has one or more symptoms, you should not even think about whether it is possible to give activated charcoal to cats. However, it is worth mentioning that the most convenient forms of this drug for pets are suspension, paste and powder.

Treatment of poisoning

As mentioned earlier, activated charcoal is the best remedy for treating poisoning. Unfortunately, cats get poisoned quite often, and this is due to two reasons. Firstly, these animals are very curious, they need to know what kind of powder is scattered on the floor and what is in the jug on the top shelf of your closet. And secondly, the cleanliness of cats can play a cruel joke with them. For example, if a toxic substance gets on your pet's fur, then after a while it will definitely be in the animal's stomach.

The main symptoms of poisoning are:

• vomiting and diarrhea;
• profuse salivation;
• lethargy;
• disorientation in space;
• dilated pupils;
• hard breath.

If there are at least two symptoms, the owners should already be alert about the possible poisoning of the pet. In this case, you must contact your veterinarian and take your pet to him for examination. If this is not possible, you can give activated charcoal to the cat, it will not be superfluous, but will only benefit.

Means of prevention

Also, very often people are interested in whether cats are given activated charcoal only in case of poisoning. The answer is unequivocal - no. A very popular option for the use of this drug are prophylactic purposes.

Very often, veterinarians advise cat owners to give this remedy to their four-legged friends as a preventive measure and to prevent possible poisoning and health problems. The systematic use of activated charcoal significantly reduces the risk of catching any infection. The best option is a course of ten days every three months. Thus, this is another answer to the question of whether activated charcoal can be given to a cat.

Drug and blister sting

In addition to banal poisoning, they can be caused by other reasons. One of them is the bite of the blister beetle. This small and seemingly harmless insect is very dangerous for small animals, since its bite can even kill a horse in certain situations.

The thing is that the body of this beetle contains poison, which, if it comes into contact with the skin, leads to a burn and the subsequent formation of characteristic blisters. If you notice such a blister on your pet's skin, you should immediately take him to the veterinarian. But before that, be sure to give your cat activated charcoal, which will fight infection while you're on the road.

Dosage

So, this drug has quite useful properties for the body of an adult and even a small kitten. Thus, after you understand the need to treat the animal, the next logical question arises: "How much activated charcoal to give the cat in case of poisoning?"

Despite the fact that the structure of the body of a cat and a person is slightly different, the dosage follows the same principles. So, in order to figure out how much to give activated charcoal to a cat, you need to know the following proportion: one tablet per 10 kg of your animal's weight. That is, to treat a pet weighing 5 kg, half a tablet of coal will be required.

If you initially purchased this drug in the form of a powder or suspension, and your pet's weight does not exceed ten kilograms, then the amount of activated carbon should be taken at the rate of 1 g of powder per 1 kg of the cat's weight. For an average animal, you need to take about 6 g of powder.

How to give?

As you already understood, determining the need for the use of this drug and its dosage are not the most difficult tasks. The real difficulties will come when you think about how to give the cat an activated

So, the required amount of activated carbon in the form of a powder must be dissolved in boiled water so that the consistency of the finished solution resembles liquid sour cream. Then the finished solution must be injected into the syringe.

Well, then the fun begins. You need to take the cat and put it on your lap face up. As you may have guessed, the solution from the syringe must be injected into the cat's mouth. It will be quite difficult to do this, since any animal will break out and will not want to voluntarily open its mouth.

Knowledge of the skeleton of cats will come to the rescue here. As you know, a cat's teeth are not located around the entire perimeter of the mouth - there are none at the base of the tongue. Thus, if you gently pull the cat's lips down, you will be able to freely and, most importantly, painlessly for the cat, insert the tip of the syringe into the animal's mouth and inject the solution there. At a time, no more than 2 ml of the solution should be poured, and such manipulations should be carried out 3-4 times a day when the first signs of poisoning appear. As soon as your pet's condition improves, you should start giving whole or broken tablets.

However, do not forget that pets have severe poisoning. In this case, infusing the activated charcoal solution into the mouth will not be enough. In this regard, a logical question arises: "How to give activated charcoal to a cat with diarrhea?" The answer is a cleansing enema.

To do this, dissolve up to 20 g of powder in 100 ml of water and inject the finished solution into the rectum. This option will be the most effective way to remove all harmful substances from the body of a pet.

Contraindications and side effects

Despite the very noticeable benefits, this drug still has some side effects. For example, prolonged use of charcoal can lead to constipation. Activated charcoal is also contraindicated in cats with gastric ulcers. In addition, this drug should not be combined with other antitoxic drugs, as the result of this combination can be unpredictable.

In conclusion, very often veterinarians are asked if it is possible to give activated charcoal to cats during pregnancy? Since this drug is not absorbed into the intestines, it is absolutely harmless for both pregnant and lactating animals.

Conclusion

Although there is some concern on the part of pet owners about whether activated charcoal can be given to cats, this drug is an indispensable treatment for poisoning. When the first signs appear, you should immediately give your pet this medicine to drink. It is worth considering that giving activated charcoal to a cat is a rather serious task, which, however, can be easily handled by doing everything right.

The drug is obtained from charcoal powder, starch and sucrose are added to form tablets. It absorbs toxic substances from the gastrointestinal tract, does not break down, is not absorbed into the blood. A day later, it is completely excreted along with feces.

Doctors prescribe coal in the following cases:

• poisoning with food, drugs, chemicals;
• food infections: salmonellosis, dysentery;
• diseases of the stomach, which are accompanied by flatulence, bloating;
• kidney failure;
• diarrhea after deworming;
• allergies to food, drugs.

Without a doctor's prescription, the drug is given at the first sign of poisoning:

• nausea, vomiting and diarrhea;
• weakness;
• increased salivation;
• pupil dilation;
• labored breathing;
• fever;
• impaired coordination of movements.

The drug will be needed when at least two symptoms appear: the sooner it enters the digestive tract, the faster the spread of toxins throughout the body will stop. For prevention, charcoal is given when it is suspected that the cat has swallowed stale food or licked a toxic substance. The drug is allowed to be used for pregnant and lactating cats.

When medicine should not be given

The absorbent is not prescribed simultaneously with drugs whose action begins after absorption: it absorbs part of the drug, and the therapeutic effect is reduced.

Coal is contraindicated in chronic diseases:

• duodenal ulcer and stomach;
• bleeding in the digestive tract;
• intolerance to components: sugar, starch;
• diabetes.

Veterinarians do not advise coal without good reason, it interferes with the absorption of nutrients, as a result, the animal receives less vitamins, micro and macro elements. With uncontrolled intake, the cat begins diarrhea or constipation.

How to calculate the dosage

In pharmacies, the drug is more often found in the form of black porous tablets of 250 mg. It is produced for people, so there are no instructions for treating animals in the instructions. Each tablet is calculated for 10 kg of weight. An adult cat is given 0.5 - 1 piece at a time, half is enough for a kitten.
Increasing the dose by 2 times does not bring negative side effects, with a strong excess, the cat develops constipation. If coal is not excreted in a day, then the reverse process begins: toxins from it return to the intestines and the treatment becomes useless.

The frequency and duration of administration depends on the severity of the animal's condition. On average, coal is given 3-4 times a day with an interval of 3 hours for 3-7 days. If improvement is noticed the next day, the dose is halved. If there is no result after 5 days, veterinary care and additional drugs for treatment will be required. The absorbent neutralizes toxins in the intestines, but does not affect them after they enter the bloodstream.

How to give medicine

The animal is forced to take the drug in the following ways:

• Whole tablets . With one hand, they pull the skin at the withers, raise the head, while the mouth opens spontaneously. Another put on the root of the tongue tablet, close and fix the mouth. The pet is not released until he swallows the medicine.
• Dilution of powder in water . Cats have no teeth along the edges of the gums, a free space is formed between them, where the tip of the syringe without a needle is placed. This is used when medicines are given in liquid form. The tablet is crushed into powder, stirred in 2-5 ml of water, drawn into a syringe. The animal is held by the head, the edge of the lip is pulled to the back of the head with a finger. With the other hand, a syringe is inserted into the gap between the gums and the suspension is poured in. The mouth is kept closed until a swallowing movement is noticed.
• Medicinal enema . This method is suitable when more than 2 hours have passed since the onset of poisoning and the toxins have managed to move from the stomach to the intestines. An enema will also be required with constant vomiting, when the medicine is immediately rejected, without lingering in the stomach. Coal powder is mixed with 100 ml of water, the suspension is collected in a baby syringe.
  The animal is laid on its side before the procedure. The tip of the pear is smeared with petroleum jelly and injected into the anus with helical movements: 2 cm for an adult pet, 1 cm for a kitten. The liquid is injected slowly so as not to damage the intestines, at the end they hold the cat for 15 minutes. For emptying, the animal is placed in a wide basin. After the cessation of vomiting, the drug is continued to be given orally.

Activated charcoal is a versatile and safe remedy for the cat, with the right dosage, it will remove toxins without harm to the health of the pet.

A cat is a rather cautious creature, and it cannot accidentally get poisoned. Unless she is an unintelligent, inexperienced kitten, or her sense of smell is weakened or completely absent. In all other cases, the owners and their careless actions are to blame for the poisoning of cats, for example, improper treatment with potent drugs, or force majeure circumstances from which no one is immune.

Whoever or whatever is to blame for the poisoning of the pet, its owner must detect the first signs in time and provide all possible assistance. After all, the life and health of a cat will largely depend on the correctness and speed of pre-medical manipulations.

We will return to the methods of providing first aid a little later, and now we will briefly dwell on the theory in order to understand the issues of what poisoning is, the causes of its occurrence, and what is the mechanism of action of toxic substances on the body of a fluffy pet.

What is poisoning?

Poisoning is a disease that occurs under the influence of some poisonous substance on the body of a cat and is accompanied by a violation of its functions.

Poisoning is caused by the ingestion of animal poison:

• with water, food;
• with air containing vapors of toxic substances;
• when bitten by poisonous insects or animals;
• through the mucous membrane, skin;
• as a result of the introduction of toxic substances intramuscularly or intravenously.

What can be poisoning?

Poisoning by its nature can have a different origin:

• feed - the intake of poisons through the mouth with feed that contains some kind of toxic substance;
• vegetable - the action of plant poisons;
• medication - an overdose of drugs, the use of drugs to which the cat has an individual intolerance, pills that cause allergies, etc.;
• poisoning with toxic gases - it can be carbon monoxide, chlorine vapor and other toxic fumes;
• poisoning with household chemicals is a rather rare phenomenon, but it also has a place to be.

If we talk about cats, then most often in veterinary practice there are food poisoning.

According to the principle of influence on the body, poisoning can be divided into:

• local, when the violation is limited to the place of contact;
• general, which is manifested by the defeat of individual organs and systems.

There are acute and chronic poisoning of cats:

• Acute occurs as a result of the ingestion of large doses of a toxic substance. It is accompanied by a violation of important functions, which can often result in the death of a pet.
• Chronic poisoning is the result of prolonged exposure to a poisonous substance in small doses. There is an accumulation of poison, this leads to depletion of the pet, a decrease in immunity and a weakening of general health.

Signs of Poisoning in Cats

Local signs are due to the action of a toxic substance on the respiratory tract, skin, mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines. If absorption has occurred, then the symptoms can be very diverse and depend on the degree of damage to the liver, heart, nervous system and other organs.

Common signs of food poisoning include:

• depression of the general condition - the cat prefers to lie more, reacts poorly or practically does not react to external stimuli;
• bloody vomiting with an admixture of a large amount of mucus;
• bloody-mucous diarrhea - frequent liquid, fetid stools, in very rare cases, feces may smell of poison that caused poisoning or a specific smell, for example, with arsenic or zinc phosphide poisoning, feces and vomit have the smell of garlic;
• in some types of poisoning, there is an abundant foamy discharge from the oral and nasal cavities;
• thirst.

How to diagnose cat poisoning?

As a rule, the diagnosis of "poisoning" presents some difficulties. Basically, during the life of the animal, much attention is paid to clinical signs, anamnesis analysis, the results of the study of feed, water, cat excretions.

In making a diagnosis, the owner plays a huge role, who will be able to convey to the doctor complete and comprehensive information about the poisonous substance and all those changes in the cat's condition that have been observed over the past few hours.

Treatment of poisoning in cats

Positive treatment largely depends on how quickly first aid was provided.

Therapy for poisoning includes:

1. Termination of the effect of poison on the body.
2. Removal of a poisonous substance from the body: washing the stomach and intestines by prescribing emetics, laxatives, adsorbents, diuretics.
3. Neutralization of poison (use of antidote, antidote).
4. Symptomatic treatment, depending on the symptoms associated with poisoning.

It is not difficult to guess that the owner of a cat can independently make only two points out of the four available. Measures must be taken as soon as possible after the poison enters the body.

• Gastric lavage can be done with a large amount of water with the addition of salt or baking soda.
• It would be nice to do an enema, in this case there is a chance to remove toxins from the body several times faster than with a simple gastric lavage.
• As emetic drugs, apomorphine or potassium permanganate diluted in water is used. It is desirable to always have these funds.

Activated carbon has always been the best adsorbent.

In case of poisoning, the use of mucous decoctions or enveloping substances (egg white, rice water, tannin solution, etc.) gives a good result. They cover the mucous membrane of the stomach and prevent the absorption of poisons.

After all these events, the cat must be taken to the veterinarian, where you can tell in detail about all the signs that have been observed during the last hours, and also suggest, and maybe say affirmatively, what exactly the cat was poisoned with. It is important not to withhold information; the health of the pet will depend on its completeness. The doctor should also capture samples of vomit and feces, if any.

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