Domestic Pets

Injury Guide

SEVERE ANEMIA

Cats are more prone to anemia of various kinds than any other animal

CAUSES

More than any animal ,the cat seems to react to the stress of disease and to exposure to a variety of chemicals and drugs by developing anemia

In a minority of cases, the anemia is due simply to blood loss - hemorrhage,parasitism

Or is of a type in which the red cells are destroyed - hemobartonellosis,

Or by certain chemicals,as in some urinary antiseptic drugs

In these anemias, if the casue is eliminated, a healthy marrow (where red blood cells are formed) quickly produces new cells

The majority of feline anemias, however are marked by depression of red cells and sometimes white cell-production, that often persists and proves fatal in spite of all-out efforts at diagnosis and treatment

Among known causes are are infections of many kinds,poisoning,chronic diseases and malignancies (cancer)

Cats that carry the feline Leukemia virus may develop unresponsive depression anemia without ever becoming Leukemic, and have lowered resistance to many disease conditions

SYMPTOMS

Anemia develop so gradually, that only when it becomes severe - does the cat show signs of illness,weakness,lack of appetite, unwillingness to move and respiratory difficulty accompanying the slightest activity.By this time the mucous membranes are chalky white,and any stress, strenuous activity or struggle may prove fatal

To the owner,a cat may merely seem to be vaguely apathetic,less active and eating less than usual.Then suddenly it is prostrate,breathing with difficulty if it makes any effort to move.If its toe pads and nose are ordinarily pink,they may now be chalky white - as are the gums and tongue

TREATMENT

With a little stress and delay as possible, get your cat to a veterinarian.Without a blood transfusion the cat may not survive a day

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