What to do if the cat choked. The cat coughs, stretching his neck (as if he was choking): reasons and what to do. Video about a cat with a bone stuck in its throat

Be aware that it is extremely rare for cats to choke to such an extent that they are at risk of life or death. They are just initially very picky about what they eat. Cats are less likely than dogs and even children to chew on or eat objects that may cause choking. True choking can only occur if a foreign body blocks the lower part of the larynx (especially the windpipe), but cats are not usually likely to swallow anything so large that it can become lodged in the throat. In addition, cats can sometimes make choking sounds when there is no threat of choking. That is why, first of all, it is necessary to study the symptoms that may indicate that the cat is really choking, and also learn how to provide emergency assistance to her in such a situation.

Steps

Part 1

Pay attention to symptoms of choking. It is very important to be able to quickly identify the symptoms of real suffocation in a cat. This may include:

• inability to breathe;
• coughing;
• salivation and vomiting;
• the animal's attempts to clear its mouth with its paws.

1. Be aware of the existence of symptoms only similar to suffocation. This includes increased breathing, during which the muscles of the whole body work, and the cat itself makes whistling sounds when exhaling. Such body movements and sounds can seriously frighten the owner of the animal. Cats can easily confuse their owners, because they often begin to cough when regurgitating hairballs or eaten grass. In fact, cat owners very often confuse regurgitation with choking, which is completely normal for their pets.

   Assess the situation to determine if the cat may have choked. Ask yourself: “What did the cat just do?” If she was sleeping or quietly wandering around the room, and then suddenly began making choking sounds, then she is unlikely to have choked. She didn't put anything in her mouth, so nothing could get stuck in her throat.

   Try to calm the cat down when it is choking. Episodes of mild choking can occur when a sudden deep breath from an animal pulls the soft palate partially into the larynx (close to the windpipe). Subsequent anxious breaths continue to pull the soft palate toward the windpipe. To solve the problem, you just need to calm the cat.

   Pay attention to the color of the animal's gums. If you are unable to stop your cat from choking, check her gums to see if she is getting enough oxygen. Pink gums indicate that the cat has enough oxygen and its life is not in immediate danger. If the gums turn blue or have a purple tint, then the cat is not getting enough oxygen and needs immediate medical attention.

   Look into the cat's mouth. Move your cat's head back slightly to make it easier for you to open its mouth and look inside. Using one finger pressure, move the animal's lower jaw down. Remove the clearly visible foreign object with tweezers. If you cannot see the foreign body or it is too deep and stuck, do not touch anything.

   • Do not put your fingers into the cat's mouth. They can accidentally push a foreign body deeper. In addition, the cat may bite you.
   • It will be a huge help to have an assistant who will hold the cat for you.

2. Try to push out the foreign body. Gently but firmly hit the cat between the shoulder blades with the palm of your hand. As an alternative, you can sharply squeeze the animal's chest from the sides several times. To perform compression correctly, follow the steps below.

   Proceed differently if the cat is unconscious. Due to lack of oxygen, the cat may lose consciousness. In this case, you should proceed according to the scheme below.

   • Open the animal's jaws as wide as possible. This will not harm him. Look for a foreign body. If the foreign object is clearly visible and is not stuck, take tweezers and remove it. In this situation, sometimes you can even use your fingers, but only if you do not put excessive pressure on the object, otherwise you may accidentally push it deeper into the airway.
   • Remove accumulated liquid from the cat's mouth with a clean cloth or napkin. Do not use cotton wool or cotton balls for this, as the fibers may stick to your throat. Place your pet at an angle so that his head is below heart level. This will help the saliva flow out of the mouth instead of running down the throat and being inhaled.
   • Once you are confident that your cat's airway is clear, begin mouth-to-nose breathing. Quick artificial respiration (in the absence of a foreign body in the airway) can save your pet's life.

3. If you are able to remove the foreign body, schedule a visit to your veterinarian for further evaluation. It is very important to examine a cat that has previously choked to assess how much its throat has been damaged by the foreign body. Make sure that the animal remains calm until you can take it to the veterinarian.

   If you are unable to remove the foreign body, contact your veterinarian immediately. Transporting your cat to the veterinarian should be as comfortable as possible for her (it is extremely useful to have an assistant on hand), and you should also ensure that there is a good flow of fresh air in the car. Don't forget to call the veterinarian to notify you of your imminent arrival.

• When examining your cat's mouth, it will be easier to detect a foreign body if you use a flashlight or other lighting device.
• A veterinarian may administer an anesthetic to a conscious cat to take a closer look at the foreign body in its mouth. The examination may also require x-rays and other procedures. In addition, the cat may be immobilized with tranquilizers and placed on an oxygen mask. It all depends on your specific situation and your veterinarian's decision.

The article was prepared with the support of specialists from the online store of goods for animals Zooservice.

What to do if a cat chokes on a bone

Every owner of a four-legged friend should be prepared for any surprises, including knowing what to do if the cat chokes on a bone. This most often occurs when animals are fed large, unprocessed pieces of food, or when fed hard, fragile foods. Kittens and young cats also often choke, as they greedily grab large pieces of food and quickly swallow them. The presence of bones in the diet, be they fish, chicken, or others, significantly increases the risk of such a danger.

How to fix the problem

First of all, if there is a suspicion that your pet is choking, you should rule out other problems with similar symptoms. Under no circumstances should you panic or hesitate. If an animal has a rare urge to vomit, cough, hoarseness, suffocation, these may well be symptoms of diseases of the respiratory system, digestive system, allergies, infectious diseases, and abnormal development of internal organs. The owner needs to learn to distinguish symptoms and respond correctly.

If a cat chokes on a bone, the following signs are observed:

Intense vomiting;
hypersalivation (increased salivation);
actually, vomiting, and quite intense;
impaired swallowing (the pet is unable to drink water or swallow saliva);
anxiety, panic;
in serious cases - acute respiratory distress.

If a cat chokes on a fish bone, the symptoms may be accompanied by the presence of blood in the mouth and saliva, since fish bones are sharper than chicken bones and can injure the mucous membranes of the animal. You need to find out what the pet did and what it ate. The owner’s actions must be precise and confident.

What should the owner do if a cat chokes on a bone?

Of course, it is better to consult a veterinarian. But, if for some reason this fails, the owner himself must provide assistance.

A cat choked on a chicken bone or other bones, what should the owner of the victim do? The first step is to evaluate the animal's breathing. If there are no problems with this, then most likely the foreign object is located shallow and can be removed independently.

It is important to examine your pet's mouth and throat. It is very difficult to carry out such manipulations alone; it is better if someone helps to hold the injured cat. A frightened animal may struggle, scratch, and it will be difficult to open and hold its mouth. We must not forget about our safety - you can wrap your fingers in a thick cloth so that the cat cannot bite your hand. The mouth can be held open by means of a thick stick or similar object carefully inserted into the mouth on one side and secured between the back teeth of the upper and lower jaws.

It is necessary to provide bright light so that it is possible to clearly see the pet’s throat. An important point is that you need to talk to the cat calmly in a gentle tone, say his name, and under no circumstances raise your voice. At the same time, manipulations should be carried out accurately, carefully and boldly. The animal is already scared, it needs to be shown as much as possible that the owner is not causing harm.

How to help

When a cat chokes on a bone, specialists and experienced owners know what to do. Here are some ways to solve the problem:

The simplest and most accurate - pull out the bone using tweezers. This tool is a must have in your first aid kit. If a foreign object is visible, it must be firmly grasped and quickly pulled out with a precise, careful movement. It is important to assess how badly the bone is stuck so as not to injure the cat even more with your actions.
Sometimes owners shake the bone out of the cat's throat (just as when helping children). Pet turned upside down and hit sharply on the chest from the back. It is important to control the force and correctly determine the location of the clap.
Can pour some vegetable oil into the mouth. This will help the bone slide and move out.
You can also try artificially induce vomiting. This reflex sometimes helps to independently push the bone out of the pharynx.

Under no circumstances should you give laxatives or drink alcohol.

What to do if the bone cannot be removed

The problem cannot be left to chance. There is a danger of injury to the mucous membranes of the pharynx and esophagus from sharp parts of the bone. In the future, inflammation may arise and develop, and infections may occur. This has serious consequences, including death.

In addition, a cat with a bone stuck in its throat cannot eat or drink water normally. Exhaustion and dehydration occur – the whole body suffers. Therefore, in case of unsuccessful attempts to remove a foreign object on your own, you need to take your pet to an appointment at a veterinary clinic.

Particularly dangerous is the complete or partial closure of the respiratory tract. This may be evidenced by:

Heavy, labored breathing;
cough, wheezing;
cyanosis (blueness) of the tongue, gums;
bulging eyes;
the cat works intensively with its paws - trying to pull out the interfering object;
shock, loss of consciousness.

In such a situation, the animal requires emergency help. You need to contact your veterinarian immediately!

Unfortunately, if a cat chokes on a large chicken bone, sometimes you have to resort to surgical treatment. The same method is used if a sharp fish bone has penetrated deeply into the tissues of the animal and is securely stuck. It is important not to delay providing assistance in order to avoid complications.

What to do after bone removal

If the bone extraction was painless, no special care is required after the incident. We need to review our pet menu. At first, give him more gentle and soft food, after a while you can pamper him with treats for cats. Immediately after providing assistance, you need to give the cat a rest. Calm and praise your pet. It is necessary to provide drink, but it is better to feed after a while.

If a cat chokes on a sharp fish bone, you should put him on a gentle diet of liquid and soft food for a couple of days. The mucous membranes quickly recover from injuries, but it is worth keeping an eye on your pet during this period. Puncture and cut wounds caused by sharp parts of the bone can sometimes become inflamed and tear. It is important to pay attention to any changes in your pet's condition.

If surgical intervention was not necessary, you must strictly adhere to all the recommendations of the attending veterinarian and bring the cat for examinations on time. Don't be shy about asking your veterinarian questions.

How to avoid such situations

Preventing danger is always smarter and easier than dealing with the consequences. To avoid unpleasant situations associated with improper feeding, you need to exclude river fish from the diet (it contains a lot of bones of different sizes, it is almost impossible to remove everything), and carefully handle the fed products. It is necessary to provide your pet with freely available fresh water so that the cat can always drink.

You need to carefully monitor your pet and periodically examine the oral cavity. It is better to accustom your cat to various manipulations from childhood. Then it will be easier to provide help if necessary.

Do not neglect preventive examinations by a veterinarian. Proper diet and attentive care are the key to successfully keeping a healthy, cheerful pet.

Even if the owners feed their animal correctly, no one is safe from a situation where the cat has eaten too much chicken bones. These cunning animals have an excellent sense of smell and are able to climb onto a table or trash can to eat the remains of their master's meal. Let's consider what the owner should do immediately if this happens, and what plan of action to follow in the future.

If the cat ate a chicken bone

Eating chicken bones doesn't always mean disaster. In many cases, the cat's body is quite capable of handling such food without much harm to health, especially if the bones were raw, and we are not talking about tubular bones. Another thing is that sooner or later the animal that consumes them will, in any case, face certain problems.

If your cat has eaten chicken bones, don't panic. You need to adhere to a specific action plan:

1. You should observe the animal to see if it is drooling, lethargic, or if it still has an appetite.
2. It is necessary to inspect the oral cavity using a flashlight to look for stuck fragments and damage to the mucous membrane.
3. Over the next week, watch your stool. Absorption of bones in large quantities is dangerous, causing painful bowel movements and internal trauma. If inflammation develops, the stool contains an admixture of blood and mucus.

What should you do if your cat has eaten chicken bones and his health has worsened? Further actions of the owner should be based on the results of observations. If your pet is drooling excessively, feels depressed, is not eating, shows signs of pain, is vomiting, or is unable to go to the toilet, a visit to the veterinarian is necessary.

That is, in fact, the main task of the owner in this situation is to carefully monitor the health of the pet. It is also allowed to give Vaseline oil, which passes through the digestive canal in transit, facilitating the gentle elimination of feces. The oil helps get rid of sharp fragments with minimal trauma to the intestines.

The drug should be given in a volume of 1 ml per 1 kg of animal weight up to 4 times a day. This can be conveniently done using a regular 10 ml syringe with the needle removed. It is introduced into the cat’s oral cavity from the side, behind the cheek, and the oil is gradually introduced, waiting for swallowing movements. If petroleum jelly comes out within two days, but there is no bowel movement, then intestinal obstruction can be suspected.

What to do if your cat chokes on a chicken bone

Sometimes a large piece of bone, greedily swallowed by a cat, gets stuck right in the esophagus. Unfortunately, it is impossible to independently remove a foreign body from the esophagus and stomach, and failure to provide assistance in this case risks the death of the animal. How can you tell if your cat has a bone stuck in her esophagus?

This condition is characterized by the following symptoms that appear immediately after a cat has swallowed a chicken bone:

• profuse drooling;
• urge to vomit;
• characteristic movements of the paws, as if the animal is trying to free its mouth from something.

To assess where exactly the foreign body has penetrated, you should secure the animal by wrapping it in a towel, carefully open its mouth and look into its throat, shining a flashlight there. If the bone is shallow, for example, you can try to pull it out with tweezers. But the best thing to do if a cat chokes on a chicken bone is to immediately take it to a veterinary clinic that has a gastroscope.

An experienced doctor, using a special tool, is able to grab and pull out the bone and make sure that the walls of the esophagus are not damaged, and if damaged, provide the necessary assistance.

Ingestion of bones into the respiratory tract is an extremely rare occurrence, but this possibility should not be ruled out. If the animal begins to choke, then first of all it is also necessary to examine the oral cavity and pharynx. When the cause cannot be identified, veterinary care must also be provided as quickly as possible.

Despite the fact that in most cases, eating chicken bones by cats ends happily, we cannot exclude a serious risk to the health and life of the pet associated with the consequences of eating bones, especially those that have undergone heat treatment, making them hard and brittle. Therefore, do not leave chicken bones on the table and place the trash can in an area out of reach of cats.

Coughing is a protective reflex that helps animals clear their airways. As soon as the kitten is born, it begins to cough in order to start breathing. Should you be wary and what should you do if your cat coughs as if she’s choking for no apparent reason? You need to worry if attacks recur frequently. The owner’s first task will be to identify the cause of the cough; we’ll look at it in more detail below.

How to identify the causes of cough and what may cause attacks? This question is very complex and to fully answer it you will have to read tons of veterinary literature. is a symptom of many ailments. However, a characteristic expectorant cough occurs for only one reason - the nerve endings of the respiratory tract are irritated by something. The brain receives a signal that the airways need to be cleared and the cat begins to cough. Below are most common causes of seizures, they need to be confirmed or refuted first.

The first reason to consider is. Most owners believe that a cat cannot catch a cold or that this illness is very rare. This statement is far from the truth, since your pet's body is protected by an immune system that can work normally or malfunction. Moreover, a normally functioning immune system cannot cope with the combination of several risk factors:

• Freezing or being in a draft after swimming.
• when walking in frosty weather.
• Hypothermia against the background of a secretive illness.
• Cold against the background of defeat.

Note! The cat must receive warm food and water! Drinking food or water that is too cold can lead to inflammation of the throat and tonsils. In hot weather, the water should be slightly cool and fresh.

Let's return to the last point of the above list - cold symptoms against the background of a virus infection. Ailments caused by bacteria are treated symptomatically and, in severe cases, with antibiotics. Viral diseases need to be treated as quickly as possible and with the use of antiviral drugs and agents to increase the body's immune defense. If you treat a viral cold, firstly, you will waste time, and secondly, you will very soon notice a deterioration in your pet’s condition.

Note! With a characteristic expectorant cough, medications that increase the outflow of sputum are prescribed for symptomatic treatment.

A cat suffering from a cold should be seen by a doctor, but can be treated at home. The animal will recover faster if all irritating factors are eliminated; the cat needs to be provided with maximum care, peace and comfort. During treatment, your pet's food should be crushed and kneaded so that it does not scratch the throat and cause even more irritation. The diet should be high in calories, rich in proteins and easy to digest. The drink is exceptionally warm and fresh.

Advice: If you are treating a cat for a bacterial cold and using antibiotics, it is advisable to immediately introduce drugs with. Antibiotics kill all bacteria: both friendly and enemy, and this can lead to dysbacteriosis.

With a viral infection, the course of the disease is usually more severe. Almost always there is a very high temperature and subsequent intoxication. Very common symptoms are purulent discharge from and, weakness, apathy, with - ulcerative lesions of the nasal passages and mouth. Viral diseases cannot be ignored and self-medication is not recommended.

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It is impossible to rule out infection by the virus, even if your ward does not walk outside. The source of infection can be you, items of clothing, or anything brought from the street. Many viral agents are resistant to the external environment and can survive in sputum and feces. The risk increases significantly if the animal has not received timely vaccination, suffers from disease, has access to places where waste accumulates, hunts and eats wild rodents and birds.

Important! The immune system of animals is less resistant to viruses if the cat is less than 1 year old, or if the pet is under constant stress or suffers from lack of sleep, or has undergone long-term treatment or surgery.

If you are sure that your patient has not contracted the virus, you need to consider other causes of coughing attacks. Many owners dress cats collars for decoration or identification. If your pet is also the proud owner of a collar, make sure that when fastened, a finger fits freely between the strap and the cat's neck. It is especially important to track the degree of tension during the autumn molt. It is not recommended to wear a collar on a cat on walks, as it increases flight risk and suffocation followed by coughing.

Are the coughing attacks related to your recent return from the street? If the answer is yes, your cat is most likely suffering from a non-food problem. In case of food intolerance, it is not difficult to identify the allergen; it is enough to put the cat on a strict diet and add foods one at a time. If the allergy is non-food, the situation is much more complicated. Coughing after a walk can be a reaction to dust, fumes, pollen, grass or soil chemicals.

Non-food allergies are most common seasonal nature, that is, it is related to air temperature and humidity. In some modern clinics, animals are tested to identify reactions to popular allergens. If this procedure is not available to you for some reason, you can either guess the reason or refrain from walking during dangerous seasons of the year. You need to understand that it is unreasonable to make a conclusion about allergies without the presence of additional symptoms. Usually the disease is accompanied by swelling of the mucous membranes, lacrimation, copious mucus discharge from the nose and itching.

Important! Closely monitor your pet on walks out of curiosity or necessity; the cat may drink water from a puddle or eat a poisonous plant. The first is fraught with bacterial infection, the second with poisoning and an allergic reaction with swelling of the throat.

Another very common cause of cough is accumulation of fur in the pet's stomach. Cats groom themselves and clean their fur with their tongue. Some hair is inevitably swallowed. If the cat has long hair or receives an unbalanced diet, the hair that gets into the stomach becomes a ball. Some of the hairs stick to the esophagus, which provokes discomfort very similar to what a cat experiences when choking.

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To prevent fur from clumping in the stomach, it is recommended to give cats a special gel. After entering the stomach, the product changes the structure of the hair and the cat can digest it. For all cats living in apartments without exception, it is recommended to plant grass . When a cat eats vegetation, it cleanses its stomach and receives vitamins. Don’t be afraid of what follows after eating grass – this is a natural process.

It should be carried out regularly, optimally once every 3 months, but at least once every six months. If your pet has not received prophylactic medications for a long time and the infestation is severe, a few hours after administration, it is recommended to give the cat a laxative. The fact is that dead worms can form a ball and linger in the intestines. In this case, the animal’s well-being will sharply deteriorate due to poisoning by decay products.

Important! If you pick up a cat on the street and suspect a severe parasite infestation, it is better to contact a veterinarian who will carry out measures to stimulate the immune system before deworming.

• Didn’t steal bird bones or oilcloth from sausage, frankfurters, crab sticks, etc. from the trash can.
• I didn’t eat fish, especially those with a lot of small bones.
• Didn't play with small objects.
• I didn’t play with threads or New Year’s tinsel.

Sometimes not only kittens, but also overly curious adult cats swallow foreign objects. Some of these objects are so small that they easily slip through the pharynx and esophagus, and then safely pass the stomach and intestines and come out naturally, while others can get stuck. Often, for example, fish bones get stuck between the teeth, or a hair gets stuck in the back of the throat, sometimes causing an almost continuous cough. Sharp foreign objects can get stuck in the initial part of the esophagus due to muscle spasm that develops in response to irritation. This leads to sudden difficulty swallowing and excessive drooling.

If a foreign object gets into the throat, instant death from suffocation is possible. Breathing stops, the cat lies with her mouth open and her eyes glassy, ​​her gums are blue. Water can also cause suffocation if the cat drowns or chokes.

In all cases, if a cat is suffocating, immediately provide first aid to it, otherwise the animal may die!

Symptoms: the cat coughs, puts its paw in its mouth, rubs it, the eyes come out of their sockets, the tongue is cyanotic, wheezing is heard, the animal is either very excited or loses consciousness.

First aid: If you cannot immediately take the cat to the doctor, then try to remove the foreign body as quickly as possible. If a foreign object is stuck in the mouth, try to open it by pressing the upper lip to the upper jaw with one hand and opening the mouth with the other hand. It is better to remove the foreign body with tweezers. If a foreign body is lodged in the pharynx or esophagus, the cat must be vomited. If the stuck object is small (a hair, a blade of grass, a fish bone, or a piece of dry food), give the cat a teaspoon of Vaseline oil.

You can also pour a few teaspoons of vegetable oil down the cat's throat, and then try to remove the foreign body, or at least push it into the stomach. If you cannot clear the airways, then take the cat by the legs, lower it head down and shake it thoroughly. If this does not help, give artificial respiration.

Remember, if a cat has swallowed an acid, alkali, petroleum product or some sharp object, you cannot make it vomit! If the object is not sharp, induce vomiting with salt (1/4 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon water) and contact your doctor.

If vomiting does not occur after five minutes, give the cat more vomit. If, despite vomiting, the swallowed object cannot be removed, immediately take the animal to the nearest veterinary clinic.

Remember: due to the fact that actions to remove a foreign body from the oral cavity and pharynx require certain professional skills and equipment, it would be best if you take the injured animal to a veterinarian as quickly as possible.