When the cat loses more fluids than it is taking in, it becomes dehydrated. This can occur for a variety of reasons, including not eating or drinking enough, heat stroke, vomiting, diarrhea, among many other factors. Dehydration is a serious condition for cats, because the correct balance of fluids is essential for maintaining the right body temperature, the correct elimination of feces, ensuring good circulation and guaranteeing the balance of the body's critical systems. The sooner you can detect the warning signs of dehydration in your cat, the sooner you can find the right help, and the easier it will be to reverse the condition.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Look for the Signs of Dehydration
Step 1. Act immediately if necessary
Some causes require immediate medical attention for any cat, regardless of age and general health. These causes include any suspicion of internal bleeding, burns, moderate to severe injuries, severe or prolonged vomiting or diarrhea, lack of appetite lasting more than 24 hours if the cat is an adult or 12 hours in kittens, open mouth breathing or high fever.
Step 2. Check your cat's water intake
In the early stages, dehydration is easy to go unnoticed. In fact, even the most subtle physical signs are not noticed until the cat is at least 4-5% dehydrated. Precisely for this reason, you should pay attention to how much he drinks; check if you are drinking less fluids than usual or not drinking at all.
You need to make sure that you always provide him with plenty of fresh water, especially if you plan to be away for an extended period of time, such as for a business engagement or a day trip
Step 3. Check if your gums are moist
One way to tell if your cat is dehydrated is to check their gums. Use your fingers to push up her upper lip and thus expose her gum line, and touch it with your finger. If the animal is well hydrated, you should feel the gum tissue moist. However, as the cat becomes more and more dehydrated, the gums begin to dry out. If they seem sticky or smell bad, they may be the first signs of dehydration.
- If the gum tissue is really dry, the cat may be moderately or severely dehydrated, depending on the presence of other symptoms. Usually the gums do not become completely dry until the cat is at least 6-7% dehydrated.
- Keep in mind that the gums dry quickly in the air when you lift your upper lip, so you need to immediately evaluate the degree of humidity.
- If your gums look dry, sticky, smell bad, or aren't sure if they are normal, watch your cat further for other signs that can help you determine if he is actually dehydrated or how dehydrated he is.
Step 4. Check the capillary refill time (CRT) of the gums
This is the amount of time it takes for the capillaries, which are small blood vessels in the gums, to fill with blood. As dehydration reduces blood volume, this time increases in dehydrated animals. To check the CRT, press your finger on the cat's gum and then release it. The skin should whiten (if not, try again, this time by pressing a little harder). Then lift your finger and count the seconds it takes for the white mucosa to return to its natural color.
- In a healthy, well-hydrated cat, the skin should return to normal color in less than 2 seconds.
- If the animal is moderately dehydrated, it may take a little longer. In cases of more severe dehydration, this filling time can be even longer.
- Fill time typically doesn't increase when dehydration is mild, so if you notice an increase in CRT it could be moderate or severe dehydration that requires veterinary care.
- If the gums are very pale or white before you even press them, take your cat to the vet right away. This could be the case with more advanced dehydration.
Step 5. Test the elasticity of the skin
Another early sign is a slight loss of skin elasticity, which becomes more pronounced as dehydration worsens. Check the elasticity by choosing an area of skin along the cat's back or chest. Avoid the skin on the nape of the neck, as it is thick here and can give you misleading results. Gently pinch it between two fingers, release it and finally observe it.
- In a healthy, well-hydrated cat, the skin should immediately return to its natural position. When slightly dehydrated, the skin cannot return to position any faster than it would in a well-hydrated animal.
- If the cat is moderately or severely dehydrated, the skin obviously returns to its place more slowly, while, if the animal is really very dehydrated, the skin may remain "pinched" and not return to its normal position.
- Be aware, however, that this test is not always absolutely accurate. Old or emaciated animals often have less elastic skin than younger ones, so their skin cannot snap into place quickly, even if they are well hydrated. Puppies less than 6 weeks of age have less elastic skin than that of adults; moreover, overweight animals have a lot of subcutaneous fat, so it is not possible to notice a noticeable loss of skin elasticity until they are really severely dehydrated.
Step 6. Check your eyes
These organs can provide you with important information about your cat's hydration status. If they are slightly sunken in a healthy cat they may indicate moderate dehydration. However, keep in mind that very thin cats, especially those who are elderly or chronically ill, may naturally have slightly sunken eyes.
- Deeply sunken, dry eyes may indicate severe dehydration. In some really severe cases, the third eyelid may even be visible.
- If the eyes appear dry, sunken or you notice the third eyelid protruding, the cat should be referred for immediate medical attention.
Step 7. Feel the paws
If the cat is showing other signs of dehydration and its paws are cold to the touch, it may be moderate or severe dehydration. To assess this, gently grab the cat. Hold its paw in the palm of your hand and pay attention to the temperature. If he looks as normal to you as the rest of his body, then he is not moderately dehydrated. On the other hand, if you feel fresh or cold, it could be a sign of severe lack of fluids and you should take him to the vet as soon as possible.
Part 2 of 2: Diagnosis and Treatments
Step 1. Seek veterinary assistance
If the animal shows signs of dehydration, you must have it examined by the doctor. You should see your vet as soon as your cat shows the first signs of a fluid deficiency, as it is much easier to treat the problem if it is addressed in its early stages. If you suspect he is moderately or severely dehydrated or if the animal is lethargic and unresponsive, take him to the vet right away.
- Let the doctor understand that it is an emergency situation, so that he can visit the animal as soon as possible. When dehydration is severe, it is truly a life-threatening emergency.
- In addition to confirming the results of your physical exam and evaluating the clinical history of the cat, the vet can subject him to tests to determine how he became dehydrated, in order to define an adequate therapy.
Step 2. Let the vet run tests
In addition to a physical exam, the doctor can do some basic tests to check the cat's dehydration status. These may also include a blood test to analyze the hematocrit (PCV). If the PCV is higher than normal, the cat is probably dehydrated.
- The vet may also have a urine sample analyzed to check its concentration. Usually, when animals are dehydrated, the kidneys process more concentrated urine to retain as much water as possible. However, if the cat suffers from kidney disease or hormonal imbalance, the kidneys may not be able to concentrate urine properly even when the animal is dehydrated.
- The cat may be subjected to further testing, based on the underlying cause that is suspected to be responsible for the dehydration.
Step 3. Treat your cat
Once the veterinarian has examined the cat, he will establish the approximate degree of dehydration and formulate a therapy for fluid intake. The best way to remedy moderate or severe dehydration is to give fluids intravenously. Furthermore, it is necessary to address the cause that caused it, so as to solve the problem upstream.
In the event of severe dehydration, immediate intervention should be carried out with an incisive therapy of intravenous fluid administration, to ensure the animal's healing
Step 4. Look for the underlying causes in a sick cat
Since the first signs of dehydration are subtle and hardly noticeable, it is important to try to identify the potential risk factors for this problem and the situations that could cause it. You must start by looking for the common causes of dehydration, such as insufficient diet or fluid intake, excessive urination, vomiting, diarrhea, burns or other skin damage, internal or external bleeding, fever, and loss of fluid within. of the body due to internal bleeding or other inappropriate transfers of fluid from blood vessels.
Sick or debilitated cats and kittens are particularly vulnerable to this condition. If your cat falls into one of these types, you should be especially careful when looking for these factors, as they are always cause for alarm and require veterinary care
Step 5. Identify your risk factors
Certain medical conditions and certain environmental conditions make dehydration more likely, so animals that suffer from it are at greater risk of dehydration. This means that you need to be very careful in checking your pet for any small symptoms of fluid deficiency, to promptly assess dehydration. Among the problems that generate a greater risk are kidney disease, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease, gastrointestinal parasites, various infectious diseases and heat exhaustion.
Advice
- Make sure your cat always has plenty of fresh, clean water available.
- Feed your cat at least some canned or fresh food, as kibble is dry and does not provide enough liquid.
