Content
- nasal epistaxis in cats
- Cat bleeding from the nose. What is the reason?
- When is nosebleed in cats severe?
- What to do when a cat is sneezing blood?
In this PeritoAnimal article, we will discuss one of the emergencies that we caregivers may encounter. it's about nosebleed, also known as epistaxis. There are many causes that can cause lesions in the nasal area, to the point of causing hemorrhage. Although most are the result of minor problems, we must know in which cases a visit to the veterinarian will be essential, due to the seriousness of the condition and the consequent risk to the cat's life. so we will see what to do if a cat is bleeding from the nose.
nasal epistaxis in cats
As has been said, epistaxis consists of nose blood loss. In cats, we often think that this bleeding comes from the outside of the nose, as it is not strange that, among their peers, they scratch themselves for pranks or fights. This last point will be more frequent in cats with access to the outside, especially if they are unneutered males with females in heat within their reach and tend to dispute over territorial issues.
So if our cat is bleeding from the nose outside, what to do? In these cases castration is recommended of the cat and the control, or even the restriction of access to the outside. While these external wounds are not serious, repeated fights can cause significant injuries and transmit diseases for which there is no cure, such as immunodeficiency or feline leukemia. Also, we have to control thatthese wounds heal wellBecause, due to the characteristics of feline skin, they can falsely close and end up developing an infection that will require veterinary treatment. If they are superficial wounds, it is normal for them to stop bleeding in a short time and only a little dry blood can be noticed in the nose. We can disinfect them, for example, with chlorhexidine.
We'll look at some common causes of epistaxis in cats in the next sections.
Cat bleeding from the nose. What is the reason?
Sneezing can be the most common cause of nosebleeds. If our cat sneezes and blood comes out, this can be explained by the presence of a foreign body inside the nose. In these cases, we will see a sudden onslaught of sneezing and the cat may rub its nose with its paws or against some object to try to get rid of the discomfort. Unless we see the object pointing, we should go to our veterinarian to have it removed if the condition doesn't reverse.
Bleeding is explained by the rupture of a vessel or by injuries caused by a foreign body. Usually, this bleeding consists of droplets that we'll see sprinkled across the floor and walls. For this same reason, the cat has blood in the mucus, which also happens in bacterial or fungal infections that become chronic. If our cat bleeds through the nose under these circumstances, what do we do? We should visit our veterinarian to prescribe proper treatment. It cures the infection, it will stop bleeding from the nose.
When is nosebleed in cats severe?
There are situations of nosebleeds where we cannot expect it to regress on its own, even though it is the only symptom we see, our cat needs a thorough veterinary evaluation to rule out more serious damage. These situations would be as follows:
- Traumas: In these cases the cat bleeds through the nose from a blow, as can be received by a car or, very often, falling from a height. The veterinarian must find out where the bleeding is coming from.
- poisonings: the ingestion of some toxins can cause nose, anal or oral haemorrhages. It is a veterinary emergency since the cat's life is at risk.
- CID: and the disseminated intravascular coagulation which occurs in severe cases of different changes, such as heat stroke or viral infection. It is difficult to reverse it, so it is an emergency that requires immediate veterinary assistance. Epistaxis in cats can also appear in other clotting problems.
- tumors: a quick veterinary diagnosis is necessary, as your prognosis can improve if we detect them in the early stages.
So, in these cases, if our cat is bleeding from the nose, what should we do? Go to a veterinary center immediately!
What to do when a cat is sneezing blood?
In addition to the particularities that we commented, if our cat bleeds through the nose, we can follow the following tips:
- The most important thing is tranquility, keep Calm so the cat doesn't get nervous.
- may be necessary confine it in a small space, like the bathroom or, if we notice you are too nervous to cause more damage, we may have to put you in your transport.
- The Elizabethan collar can also help prevent the animal from scratching and causing more injuries.
- we should look for the source of bleeding.
- We can try apply cold to the area, although it is difficult due to the size of the cats' nose. If using ice, it should always be wrapped in a cloth. The goal is for the cold to produce vasoconstriction so that the bleeding stops.
- Once the bleeding point is found, we can constantly press it down with gauze.
- In case of nose injuries that cause bleeding, we should clean and disinfect them.
- If the bleeding does not regress, if we do not know the cause or if it is considered serious cases, we must go immediately to our veterinary center of reference.
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.