Eclampsia in a cat: symptoms and treatment

The appearance of kittens is a joyful event. If these kittens are not just purchased, but are born from your own cat, it's just a holiday! It would seem that when all the kids folded in the basket, you can breathe peacefully. But it was not there. Now it is necessary to watch even more closely the newly mummified mother, as pregnancy could lead to a dangerous disease called eclampsia. A cat that has just given birth has no chance to cope with the disease without your help.

Eclampsia

This is an acute nervous disorder that occurs in newly born and lactating animals. Eclampsia in cats after childbirth is caused most often by a lack of calcium in the body. This leads to a violation of metabolism, which leads to the appearance of seizures, and often the death of a pet. Clinical signs of the disease are similar to manifestations of epilepsy. Most often this pathology catches up young cats in the first week after the appearance of offspring. In addition, the disease can occur against the background of teething, poor nutrition, infectious diseases. Whatever the causes of the pathology, it is necessary to immediately start treatment.

Causes

According to observations, postpartum eclampsia in cats occurs most often for three reasons. It can be a genetic predisposition, a disturbed metabolism or external causes. Under the latter, too frequent births, mastitis, a large number of young in one litter, a lack of nutrients are understood.

Symptoms

Eclampsia in a cat has quite definite symptoms, but sometimes they can be confused with signs of nervous disorders. That's why you can not independently prescribe an animal treatment, it should be done by a specialist after a series of tests and tests. Especially important is a blood test, which will show the concentration of calcium in the blood.

After birth, it is necessary to watch the animal very carefully, in time to see that it develops eclampsia. In cats, the symptoms of this disease can be as follows:

- the pet behaves inadequately, it looks like lost;

- showed mastitis;

- the mood of a cat changes dramatically from horror to happiness;

- the temperature is lowered;

- coordination is broken;

- dilated pupils;

- convulsions.

Just yesterday, a friendly cat today can start hiding from everything and everyone, including their own kittens. Immediately she can rush to the offspring, drag the young one after another, transferring them to other places. Eclampsia in a cat can manifest itself in the fact that it begins to bite itself, bite kittens, remain in fear all the time. Sometimes this behavior ends even when she eats her offspring.

Approximately 8-12 hours after the appearance of the first signs of the disease, muscles lose elasticity, become rigid. For this reason, the cat can take strange poses, bend, trying to eliminate this inconvenience.

Treatment

Treatment should be started immediately. It is in the saturation of the body with calcium. However, it must be remembered that its excess is just as bad as the defect. Therefore, prescribe drugs and recommend a dose only a doctor.

So, noticing the signs of the disease, you should immediately contact the veterinarian. Before taking, you can enter one and a half cubes of calcium gluconate and 3 cubes of "Gamavita". If it is noticed that the cat licks, drags, bites kittens, approximately for a day they must be divided.

In severe disease, the animal will be left in the clinic for several days. Eclampsia in cats, whose treatment is started in the early stages, goes pretty soon. An animal is administered a calcium solution intravenously. If you make injections at home, it's worth remembering a few simple rules:

- at home, the drug is administered only intramuscularly;

- get better "human" calcium, it is absorbed by cats much better than veterinary;

- The introduction must be done in different places, each time changing limbs;

- Calcium should be heated to a temperature higher than the room, so a syringe should be held in hands for a few minutes before insertion.

Forecast

Postpartum eclampsia in cats, whose treatment is started in a timely manner, has quite favorable predictions. Just a few injections of the drug, and the cat does not even remember the disease. However, only a few days without treatment, and assistance to the animal is no longer required at all.

It is for this reason that it is necessary to give the birth of the cat maximum attention, noting any, even minor, deviations from her usual behavior.

Prevention

In order to avoid such a dangerous disease as eclampsia in a cat, it is necessary to carry out prophylaxis. In this case, prevention is proper nutrition. And not only during pregnancy and lactation, but before that. An optimal amount of calcium should be present in the diet of the animal.

If, for some reason, the cat loses the specified macronutrient, it is necessary to give her calcium preparations, which will compensate for his deficiency in the body. However, we must not forget that its surplus is not less harmful. Therefore, if the cat receives calcium from medicines, their dosage should be calculated by the veterinarian.

Only an attentive attitude to the pet and a timely appeal to a specialist in case of suspicion of the manifestation of eclampsia guarantee the preservation of the health and life of the cat and its young.