Bruised paw on a kitten is a common type of mechanical damage. Bruises can affect various parts of the animal's body, including the paws. The result of paw bruises can be pain, limited mobility, disruption of the integrity of blood vessels, and so on.
Bruises occur for various reasons. Cats, and especially active kittens, can injure their paws during
fights with other animals, when falling or unsuccessfully descending from a certain height and in other conditions. Most owners cannot be with their pet all the time. Therefore, there is a possibility that you will miss the moment of getting a bruise on your paw or paws and will only find out about the problem after the cat has limped. It is important to pay close attention to your pet's behavior so as not to miss warning signs.
to detect manifestations of this type of mechanical tissue damage in cats, such as a bruise , especially if the cat is not limping. Getting a bruise on the front or back paw is often accompanied by problems with the circulatory system and internal organs in the pet’s body. Mechanical damage caused by a fall or blow with a blunt heavy object often provokes internal hemorrhages. In turn, in the case of simultaneous external damage to skin tissue, muscles and bones can be exposed to infection.
Features of the respiratory system of kittens
The respiratory system of a kitten is not too different from a human:
1. Inhalation: the lungs inflate, due to which air is drawn through the nose, where it is warmed and filtered, passes through the pharynx into the larynx, from there into the trachea, then into the bronchi and lungs.
2. From the lungs, oxygen enters the blood and is distributed throughout the cells of the whole body.
3. Exhale: the diaphragm relaxes, nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide are removed from the bronchi.
In addition to supplying the blood with oxygen, breathing performs the function of thermoregulation by removing excess fluid.
The respiratory rate of adults is on average 30 inhalations and exhalations per minute, in kittens it is approximately 40-50. Moreover, this indicator is approximate and unstable; it depends on many factors, both the environment and the internal state of the animal.
Prevention measures
The following actions will help prevent the problem from occurring and prevent recurrence of the disease:
- It is necessary to regularly show your pet to a doctor. A qualified specialist will be able to correctly diagnose and create an accurate picture of what is happening - is the pet healthy, and if not, what exactly is bothering him.
- While the kitten is small, it needs to be taught oral hygiene so that in the future the pet will allow it to brush its teeth and the oral cavity in general.
— How do you say it should be cleaned?
- It is important to provide your cat with a balanced diet rich in nutrients and microelements. In addition, it is necessary to constantly alternate hard foods with soft ones. If your pet eats only dry food, this risks damaging tooth enamel and oral tissues. In the case when the food is always soft, dental diseases begin to develop, for example, caries (teeth “wean” from the load and become weak).
- It is recommended to buy special toys that help prevent oral diseases. When a cat chews on these toys, the teeth and gums are easily cleaned of food debris.
- anthelmintic treatment at least twice a year .
- Wash your cat regularly and comb its fur. Since these animals constantly lick themselves, there is a chance of catching some kind of infection that gets on the surface of their fur and paws.
The kitten is breathing heavily - the reasons are within the norm
Even if a kitten is breathing heavily and frequently, this does not always mean that there are some serious health problems; the reasons for intense breathing can be quite harmless:
1. Most often, normal increased breathing is associated with stress experienced by the animal. It can be caused by many circumstances:
· any medical interventions and treatment procedures, from injections to taking pills.
· visiting unfamiliar places, for example, a veterinary hospital.
· traveling in a car, bus or other vehicle.
· contact with other animals, children, strangers.
2. The kitten begins to heat. Adults also experience changes in the body such as pregnancy and childbirth.
3. Food absorption.
4. Overheating.
5. Increased physical activity during games and running.
All these situations do not pose any threat to the life and health of the pet. After eliminating the causes that caused the increase in frequency, breathing returns to normal. It is important to remember that stressful situations can cause other health problems for the kitten and should be avoided if possible.
At night, grandfather could not sleep peacefully, he kept tossing and turning from side to side. Thirst arose from insomnia. Grandpa got out from under the blanket and walked through the dark apartment towards the kitchen. Along the way, foreign objects kept falling under our feet.
Suddenly the owner of the apartment froze, stopped by a wild and frantic cry of either an animal or a bird. At the same time, terrible pain paralyzed the back heel of my right leg, as if a thousand snakes had bitten me at the same time. My nerves could not stand it, and the night was filled with another heart-rending scream, this time it was a man screaming.
Holding his heart with one hand, the other grandfather began frantically rummaging along the wall in search of the switch. Something rustled across the floor, quickly moving into the next room, and this rustling was terribly reminiscent of the gnashing of sliding claws. Finally, the light came on.
In the doorway of the next room, a small ball of fur tried to make a jerk around the corner, very quickly moving its paws along the slippery linoleum, and the force of inertia kept dragging and dragging it in the same direction. What I saw brought tears to my eyes...
The story may be familiar to anyone who has felines. In fact, not every similar story ends with a happy ending. It’s good if the injured cat gets off with a slight fright, and the owner takes a sip of valerian for his health. Often, a pet runs the risk of becoming disabled from childhood. By the way, adult cats that were trampled in childhood spin less underfoot as they age. Caring owners, of course, experience panic and stress: they say, what if there’s a fracture? And of course, the first question: what to do?
But you don’t need to do anything, or rather, there should be a minimum of actions. First, find a rigid cardboard box. If you have a special device for transporting the animal, this is, of course, ideal. The darkness of the shipping box and the lack of nervousness of the owner will calm the animal much more.
One way or another, after packing the animal, take it to the veterinarian. Do not give the victim any sedatives: you may not calculate the dose, and what helps a person can only harm an animal.
If the animal has an obvious dislocation, do not risk adjusting it yourself - you can tear the already fragile injured tendon. The hands of a specialist will do this more skillfully and painlessly for the animal. If necessary, an x-ray can be taken.
After providing assistance, surround your pet with warmth and care, as well as food with a high content of calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D. Add powdered eggshells or bone meal to the food, and then your pet will quickly heal its wounds.
And if you continue to feed him well and on time, he is unlikely to get a new injury. After all, a well-fed animal is more calm and does not stick its curious nose anywhere, but most of the time digests what it eats, lying somewhere on the sofa.
When to urgently contact a veterinarian
Many of these conditions are extremely dangerous and can lead to death. The success of treatment largely depends on how quickly treatment begins. In order not to miss the moment when treatment is possible, it is worth knowing the symptoms for which you need to show your pet to a doctor as soon as possible. This must be done if, in addition to rapid breathing, the following are observed:
- temperature increase;
- increased heart rate;
- wheezing in the chest;
- nasal discharge;
- discharge from the oral cavity;
- too pale or red tint of mucous membranes.
Causes
For treatment to be effective, it is necessary to understand the reason (the underlying disease) that is causing your pet’s bad breath. Scientifically, this phenomenon is called halitosis. The smell is formed due to the active proliferation of pathogenic bacteria. The process is caused by a disease of the oral cavity and pharynx or a malfunction of the internal organs.
Cleaning a cat's teeth
Thus, the first group of factors includes:
- dental diseases (caries, tartar, pulpitis, osteomyelitis);
- inflammation of the gums (eg due to periodontal disease);
- malocclusion;
- mechanical damage to oral tissues;
- sores;
- stomatitis;
- gingivitis;
- pharyngitis.
What will the veterinarian do if the kitten is breathing heavily?
When a kitten is seen by a veterinarian due to rapid breathing, specialists usually carry out the following procedures:
— Questioning the owner about the time when rapid breathing was noticed, the presence or absence of associated problems and possible natural causes.
— Visual examination of the animal, during which the doctor determines whether the body is dehydrated, what condition the mucous membranes are in, etc.
— Temperature measurement.
— Detection of helminthic infestation.
— Prescribing the necessary additional laboratory tests. For example, a blood test to rule out anemia or infectious diseases.
— Referral for an ultrasound or x-ray if there is a suspicion of heart disease or other internal organs.
— A puncture of the chest wall (thoracentesis), which allows you to determine whether there is excess air or fluid in the chest cavity. Used only in extreme cases.
Learn more about the causes of unpleasant odor
- When changing teeth . During this period, kittens may experience concomitant inflammatory processes, characterized by redness of the gums around the dental bed (red border). An unpleasant and unusual odor at this time is considered normal and does not require any intervention. An exception is when the permanent tooth is growing, but the baby tooth has not yet fallen out, or when the permanent tooth cannot erupt. The inflammatory process worsens, the stench intensifies.
- Poor quality nutrition and/or cheap dry food . A cat can climb into the garbage and grab something from it - the smell from its mouth will eloquently “tell” about this. Also, cheap dry food gives an unpleasant tint to the animals' breath.
- Foreign bodies in the oral cavity . Foreign objects (bones, threads, pieces of ears of corn, etc.) get stuck between the teeth, injuring the gums, the inner surface of the cheeks, pharynx or palate, provoking an inflammatory process, the addition of microorganisms and a characteristic odor.
- Viral and bacterial infections . Cats suffer from calicivirus or rhinotracheitis - a disease accompanied by damage to the oral cavity, active salivation, ulcers on the mucous membrane and an unpleasant odor. In addition to all of the above, the animal will be depressed, and there may be an increase in body temperature, and stomatitis will occur.
- Diseases of the masticatory apparatus . Any dental diseases (caries, fractures, loss, tartar or plaque) are always accompanied by an unpleasant (usually slightly putrid) odor due to the active inflammatory process and the development of microorganisms.
- Pathologies of the salivary glands . There are diseases in which not enough saliva is produced or, conversely, too much. With a lack of saliva, excessive friction of food against the oral mucosa occurs and damage to the palate, cheeks, gums and tongue occurs with the development of an inflammatory process. With an excess of saliva, irritation of the lips and gums of the lower jaw occurs, the hair around it becomes wet, microorganisms begin to develop, which can also cause an unpleasant odor.
- Tumors and neoplasms in the oral cavity can also cause bad breath from a cat. This reason appears extremely rarely, but still occurs. This is especially true for malignant tumors in the last stages (for example, the tongue or soft palate), when tissue decay begins and bleeding is observed.
- Internal systemic diseases . Many internal pathologies of systems and organs are accompanied by a special odor from the mouth that is characteristic of this particular disease. For example, diseases of the kidneys and urinary system are in most cases accompanied by ammonia breath in a cat; with pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, the smell may be putrid or sour, etc.
- Poor oral hygiene . If the cat has an incorrect bite and is feeding soft food, sometimes it becomes necessary to clean the cat’s teeth from plaque, which can give a constant unpleasant odor from the mouth.
Prevention
To reduce the risk of bad breath from your pet and prevent recurrence, you should follow simple recommendations:
- Take your cat to the veterinarian regularly so that he can assess its health and promptly prevent unpleasant consequences.
- From birth, accustom your kitten to the procedures of brushing teeth and treating the oral cavity so that he gets used to them and is not afraid. This will make it easier to take care of him.
- Make sure your pet eats a healthy and balanced diet. His diet must include soft and hard food.
- Buy special toys that help get rid of problems with teeth and oral cavity. The cat will chew them and clear the gums of stuck food.
- Carry out antiparasitic treatment of animals at least twice a year.
It is easy to follow these rules, and the result of their observance will be the excellent health and well-being of your pet.
Sources:
https://zoosecrets.ru/nepriyatnyj-zapax-izo-rta-u-koshki-i-sobaki-prichiny-chto-delat/ https://zverki.click/veterinariya/koshki-veterinariya/pochemu-u-koshki- pahnet-izo-rta-prichiny-i-chto-delat.html https://murkote.com/zapah-izo-rta-u-koshki/
Alternative Cleaning Methods
Instead of toothpaste and gel, it is also recommended to use chlorhexidine. Treat the surface of the cat's teeth with a swab or cotton swab soaked in antiseptic.
Since many pastes consist of plant components, extracts of medicinal herbs, these herbs can be used in the form of a decoction. For example, nettle cleanses and restores tooth enamel. Milk thistle acts as an antioxidant and kills bacteria. Calamus tones and relieves inflammation. To use, you need to infuse the herb in a water bath and wipe the cavity with it using a cotton swab. The herb should be used primarily for prevention. Its effect may not be sufficient for treatment.
Nettle decoction cleanses and restores tooth enamel
When the oral cavity is infected, people are prescribed Metrogyl Denta gel. Its composition and medicinal properties are also active for cats. Usually a dose of 10-60 mg per 1 kg of animal is prescribed. Treatment lasts from one to one and a half weeks.
The most delicious and enjoyable option for a cat is teeth cleaning pads or cookies for the prevention of tartar. They mechanically remove plaque, eliminate unpleasant odors, and polish the enamel. 5-10 pieces a day are enough.
Cookies for the prevention of tartar
Grass for cats is another good way of prevention. It not only helps in the treatment of teeth and gums, but also saturates the body with vitamins, strengthens the nervous system, improves immunity, and normalizes metabolism. It is recommended to grow various types of grasses: barley, wheat, rye, oats, millet, sorghum.
Different types of herbs are a great way to prevent diseases
Treatment of halitosis
The main rule: no self-medication !
Why cats have stinking breath should be determined by a veterinarian after conducting an appropriate examination of the animal. When the cause is established, you should adhere to the treatment regimen prescribed by the doctor.
If your cat has had problems with teeth and tartar, the bad odor will disappear after her teeth are treated and cleaned of plaque and tartar.
If helminthiasis (worms) is detected, the animal is given antiparasitic treatment. More serious problems with internal organs require medication and dietary adjustments.
