The most common question that owners ask is why does a cat bleed from the genital tract? There are several reasons for this phenomenon. How to determine which discharge is normal, and which ones require the patient to be taken to the clinic immediately? What danger lies in the beginning of bleeding during pregnancy?
Pyometra
The appearance of white vaginal discharge in a cat always causes concern for the owner, since the reason for its appearance can be very diverse.
Only a veterinarian can tell whether such a condition is dangerous for an animal after a detailed examination of the pet. This can be either a consequence of the development of a pathological process in the cat’s body, or just a visual manifestation of the altered state of the animal (for example, estrus or the birth process). Therefore, it is important to find out the root cause of this phenomenon and, based on this, assess the degree of danger for your pet.
For physiological reasons, the formation of discharge does not pose a danger to the life and health of the female. In this case, the owner of the animal should simply pay more attention to the cat and monitor its condition. No further action needs to be taken.
If the cause of the discharge is a symptom of a disease, then there is a danger to the life and health of the cat. The degree of danger here depends on how far the pathological process has gone in its development. In this case, it is necessary to consult a specialist who will prescribe a course of treatment.
Whatever the reason for this phenomenon, only a specialist can assess the degree of danger to the animal. Therefore, in any case, the cat should be shown to a veterinarian.
In this video, an expert will talk about pyometra disease in cats, what its symptoms are and how to treat it effectively.
Fluid released a few weeks before birth indicates health problems, so you should not self-medicate.
Helpful information:
- Birth diseases are excluded in healthy pets.
- The animal is isolated in rooms where there are no sharp corners or high furniture to avoid injury.
In what cases is it necessary to visit a veterinarian?
Dangerous secretions
- Inability to provide her with a clean place to rest: in a dirty room there is a high probability of infection in the birth canal.
- Severe bleeding due to injury or tissue rupture during childbirth.
- Changes in the nature of the discharge: cloudy, black, grayish, excessively green and having an unpleasant, putrid or sour odor.
- Fever, high body temperature.
- Repeated vomiting.
- The bleeding does not stop for 10-15 minutes.
- Discharge of a thick consistency with a strong putrid odor is a good reason to urgently run to the doctor.
- Lack of appetite.
- Stressful, depressed state of the cat.
- Lack of desire to care for offspring.
- Only a qualified veterinarian should choose therapy to treat your pet after examination, ultrasound and carefully collected tests.
- If the placenta does not separate for a long time, injections of the hormone oxytocin are used. Only a specialist can correctly determine the dose of medication to protect your pet from unpleasant and painful consequences.
- For severe hemorrhage, vasoconstrictor and hemostatic medications are used.
- For infectious diseases, inflammatory and pathological processes, anti-inflammatory or antibacterial drugs are prescribed.
- For a speedy recovery of your pet, you should pay attention to the quality of its nutrition, a sufficient amount of vitamins and nutrients in it. Sometimes additional multivitamins or immunomodulators are prescribed.
- In particularly difficult cases, surgery is prescribed.
To prescribe the necessary treatment, the veterinarian conducts an examination using palpation, ultrasound, and x-rays and consists of the following:
- For minor bleeding caused by Oxytocin, veterinarians prescribe hemostatic agents; if significant blood loss is observed, then surgical intervention will have to be performed on the animal.
- If a cat gets sick, her temperature rises, then the kittens need to be isolated from their mother and transferred to artificial feeding.
- When a veterinarian prescribes gentle treatment, the owner may not have to face the question of separating the mother from the kittens.
- If a cat is diagnosed with inflammation of the uterus, then in addition to antibiotic therapy, the veterinarian prescribes medications that lead to an increase in tone. As a result, the remaining tissue is removed from the uterus. In addition to medications, you can massage your tummy. With timely treatment, a complete cure occurs in your pet after 2 weeks.
- Immunostimulants and vitamins will help the animal recover after a difficult period.
- In case of inflammatory processes in a cat, it is necessary to conduct a milk test. If it turns out to be infected, the kittens must be separated from their mother.
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If a cat develops bloody discharge, then it is necessary to urgently assess the situation. If complications occur, you should contact your veterinarian for medical help as soon as possible. It is very important that assistance is provided in a timely manner, because the life of a young mother depends on it.
The most dangerous consequences of childbirth include uterine ruptures, which lead to bleeding and prolonged blood loss. Often, ruptures occur as a result of the use of the drug oxytocin, which stimulates labor, but has a side effect - the tendency of the uterine muscles to rupture and damage. This complication should be taken into account when deciding to use this drug.
The following manifestations are considered dangerous to the health and life of the animal:
- finding a cat after birth in unsanitary conditions, when there is a high risk of infection entering the birth canal that has not yet healed;
- Birth and postpartum injuries that slow down the healing process can cause severe bleeding. Protecting a cat weakened by childbirth from physical and psychological stress will prevent her from getting sick and save her life;
- when several large kittens are born and the tissues of the birth canal rupture;
- inflammatory processes in which there is a change in the shade of postpartum discharge - it becomes grayish-cloudy and has an unpleasant odor. You should definitely contact your veterinarian, who will prescribe a course of anti-inflammatory drugs. Manifestations of inflammation in the birth canal of an animal can include lethargy, depression, and refusal of water and food.
The appearance of a rotting smell, an excessively long period of discharge, the cat’s weakness and manifestations of painful sensations in her, which is manifested in her meowing, moaning and inappropriate behavior - reasons for an early visit to the veterinary clinic.
A dangerous complication in a cat that requires immediate intervention by a qualified physician. Previously, it was believed that pyometra occurs in old cats without offspring. But later it became known that young and old cats who gave birth suffer from pyometra.
Causes
The main reason for the appearance of pyometra is a hormonal imbalance in a cat during estrus, after childbirth, as well as endometritis, which has passed into the purulent stage. The onset of the disease is provoked by pathogenic bacterial microorganisms that enter the uterine cavity during difficult childbirth, improper maintenance (unsanitary nests with kittens), and disruption of the integrity of the mucous layers of the uterus.
Signs of complications
The manifestation of the onset of pyometra depends on the form of the disease. After giving birth, the cervix has not yet had time to close, there is copious discharge from the vagina on the litter, and the cat licks itself every 15 minutes. If pyometra does not develop in cats immediately after birth, but after some time, the cervix closes and the purulent contents cannot come out.
In such cases, the symptoms have the following characteristic features:
- increase in abdominal volume;
- high body temperature;
- the animal's refusal to eat;
- increased feeling of thirst;
- bowel disorders;
- frequent and painful urination;
- hard breath.
A large amount of pus in the uterine cavity presses on the walls, causing rupture and spillage of exudate into the peritoneum, causing death.
Treatment
One of the most effective methods of treating pyometra in cats is complete extirpation of the organ. During surgery, hysterectomy and oophorectomy are performed. Drug treatment is also used in mild cases. For these purposes, antimicrobial agents and hormonal drugs are used. But this method of treatment does not guarantee that the disease will recur after each birth or even estrus.
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If white discharge appears in a cat after giving birth, it is important to promptly consult a doctor for advice and timely treatment. White discharge is not the norm and any delay in this matter can cost the life of your pet.
Rectal injuries
Bleeding from the rectum in these animals is accompanied by staining of the stool with scarlet blood. The most common cause of this phenomenon is damage to the mucous membrane of the organ by too hard feces, which contain the remains of incompletely digested food, hair that got into the stomach during licking, and bone fragments. In older pets, this problem can arise as a result of various pathologies of the rectum (for example, prolapse, cracks, malignant neoplasms).
Treatment
Treatment tactics directly depend on the cause of pathological discharge from the uterine cavity.
If the abnormal discharge is caused by an uncomplicated infection, treatment may be conservative. It is enough to undergo a course of drug therapy to cure the disease.
Surgical treatment is necessary in all other cases: rupture of the birth canal, incomplete release of the membranes, aggressive course of the infection. Emergency care after lambing is necessary when the cat has uterine bleeding. If nothing is done, this could be fatal.
Diagnostic measures
If suspicious discharge appears in a cat before or before birth, it is necessary to take the pet to the veterinary clinic as soon as possible, where it will be examined by a veterinarian. The doctor will determine the nature of the discharge, whether it is pus, blood, ichor or transparent white mucus. Pink discharge without other inclusions in the early stages of pregnancy is considered normal; if the cat feels well and is not worried, then there is nothing to worry about. It’s another matter when there is bleeding from the genitals, with blood flowing or dripping constantly, the animal feels bad, is worried, or, conversely, is lethargic and passive. Then a referral is given to the following diagnostic methods:
- general blood and urine analysis;
- microbiological examination of secretions;
- Ultrasound.
When can discharge indicate pathology?
In cases where the discharge has an unpleasant odor, or you notice impurities in it, or in situations where something else bothers you, be sure to consult a veterinarian. We remind you once again that in the first days after childbirth, vaginal discharge may contain quite significant amounts of blood, but there is nothing to worry about.
But still, in cases where the brownish discharge is “diluted” with something white or yellowish, or they contain large pieces of tissue, it is better to report this to a specialist.
In addition, in normal cases of postpartum involution of the uterus, not accompanied by any inflammatory processes, the animal’s external genitalia should not be swollen or painful. If such signs exist, then they clearly indicate some kind of pathology. What to do? Of course, contact a specialist.
You should also do this in the following cases:
- Suspicion of ruptures of genital tissue (if the birth was difficult and protracted).
- The discharge is brownish in color, but it is too thin and has a disgusting odor. Such symptoms may well indicate necrotic endometritis.
- You should always contact a veterinarian if dead kittens were noticed during childbirth, or if you suspect that the cat did not “give birth” to all the placenta.
In all the situations described above, the health of both the cat and all its offspring is in danger. It consists of sepsis - a common consequence of severe forms of endometritis . Toxins that enter the bloodstream can cause the death of the cat herself, and kittens that feed on her milk will definitely not become healthier.
In addition, the appearance of pathological discharge immediately after childbirth may indicate, for example, that the mother has chlamydia. In such cases, the kittens themselves may well have hidden pathologies of internal organs, which will certainly appear later. Not to mention the fact that the cat owner himself may well become infected with chlamydia (if he has not already become infected). At the slightest suspicion of something infectious, you definitely need to show the animal to a veterinarian. Perhaps you will save not only his health, but also your own health.
Tumor formations in the intestines
The appearance of blood from the pet's anus is one of the symptoms of neoplasms in the intestines. Such tumors are rarely diagnosed in cats and often have a poor prognosis. The sooner the cat's owner seeks veterinary help, the higher the likelihood of successful treatment of the animal. The causes of this disease are not fully understood. In the course of research, it was possible to establish that representatives of the Siamese breed have a predisposition to intestinal cancer.
Most often, these animals have such types of formations as nutritional lymphoma, intestinal adenocarcinoma and mastocytoma. The disease is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- loss of appetite;
- weight loss;
- nausea and vomiting;
- stomach ache;
- pallor of the mucous membranes;
- lethargy, apathy;
- bloody diarrhea.
How to help your cat at home?
If it is impossible to see a doctor, you can treat the lesion with traditional methods of treatment, which have been used since ancient times. These include the following approaches:
- complete isolation of kittens from the cat and provision of appropriate care for them;
- application of lotions and compresses with anti-inflammatory herbs;
- daily sanitary cleaning using safe antiseptics of the animal’s habitat.
You can read below about how to apply lotions with an anti-inflammatory effect.
Making lotions for cats with mastitis
How to treat?
The owner needs to be close to the pet at such an important moment and monitor so that no complications occur.
Clear, light pink bleeding before childbirth is considered normal, so treatment is not required. The owner needs to monitor the pet’s condition, calm her down during childbirth, and do everything to ensure that the process ends safely. At the same time, during childbirth, it is important to pay attention to the nature of the amniotic fluid, color, and smell. If you have any suspicions, it is better to tell everything to the veterinarian, who will refer you for additional examination and, if necessary, prescribe restorative treatment. In case of uterine abruption, when bloody discharge comes from under the tail, the doctor first of all takes into account the timing of pregnancy. In the later stages, constant monitoring is carried out, and comprehensive analyzes are carried out. Delivery usually occurs without complications unless the animal has other health problems. If abruption occurs in the first half of pregnancy, and the bleeding is profuse, there is no other choice but to artificially induce labor, since the cat may die.
No less dangerous than bloody discharge are purulent discharges, which are often the result of the death and decomposition of one or more fetuses. In such situations, the veterinarian prescribes effective antibiotics and other drugs to avoid complications. If the condition does not return to normal, the doctor will suggest a cesarean section or termination of the pregnancy to save the animal’s life. After surgical treatment or urgent induction of labor, long-term rehabilitation under the supervision of a physician will be required.
Preparing for childbirth, proper cat care
If a cat is pregnant, the owners must be fully prepared for the upcoming birth and obtain the necessary theoretical knowledge by reading the literature or consulting with a veterinarian. In this case, you can avoid serious complications that pose a danger both to the cat itself and to the offspring.
About a month before the planned mating, it is necessary to carry out preventive deworming and treat the coat against ectoparasites - fleas, ticks, lice-eaters. After a week, it is worth vaccinating your cat, which will avoid contracting dangerous infections and diseases. Revaccination is especially important if the cat roams freely outside.
It is very important to provide a balanced, complete, nutritious diet, adhere to a daily routine, and feed your pet at the same time. If your pet is kept on natural feeding, be sure to give the animal vitamin and mineral complexes.
Maintain hygiene, protect the pregnant cat from stress, avoid hypothermia, limit the cat from jumping from heights. A few days before giving birth, prepare a “maternity” room for your pet. Proper care of your cat during pregnancy will help avoid postpartum complications.
Inflammation of the pancreas
Bleeding from the anus in a cat can be caused by pancreatitis, which develops due to cholelithiasis, pathologies of the duodenum, infections, malnutrition, helminthic infestation, etc. This disease can be recognized by the following signs:
- abdominal pain that gets worse when eating;
- “idle” urge to vomit;
- complete or partial loss of interest in food;
- belching;
- excessive accumulation of gases in the intestines;
- constipation alternating with diarrhea;
- yellowness of the skin and mucous membranes.
In advanced cases, severe disturbances of carbohydrate metabolism join the pathological process. If this happens, it is unlikely that you will be able to avoid developing diabetes.
Frequent injuries after childbirth
The walls of the uterus become inflamed during acute metritis, the disorder appears due to unsanitary conditions, vaginitis, if a dead fetus or placenta remains in the birth canal, subinvolution of the organ occurs. The retained embryo may protrude from the loop; doctors carefully remove it under sterile conditions.
Popular problems:
- Frequent breathing continues for more than 10 minutes.
- Vomiting and diarrhea indicate the consumption of a large amount of placenta; symptoms disappear after 1-2 days.
- Constipation is treated with Vaseline or olive oil and goes away within 1 day.
- Blood in the urine is eliminated after 2-3 days.
- Problems with lactation in primiparous females.
- Milk remains in the swollen glands, but the kittens died. Water is not given to the animal for 12 hours, the cat does not eat for 1-2 days to get rid of the problem.
Milk sometimes smells bad and has a yellowish tint, this is a sign of infection, in which kittens are transferred to artificial food.
Preventive methods
It is important to show the animal to the doctor in time so that it can carry to term and give birth to offspring normally.
When the owner finds out that his pet is pregnant, he is very happy and tries to do everything for the cat so that this period passes safely and healthy kittens are born. However, sometimes a cat's pregnancy does not go smoothly. In such a situation, it is important to react in time and contact a veterinarian, who, based on the diagnostic results, will advise what to do next. As a preventative measure, it is recommended to always monitor your cat’s health, vaccinate on time, carry out deworming, and treat viral and infectious diseases. In addition, periodic preventive examination of the animal will not hurt. When pregnancy occurs, it is important to carefully monitor the condition of the pet, monitor its behavior, quality of nutrition, and physical activity. You definitely need to listen to the veterinarian’s advice, try to properly care for your cat, and protect it from stress. If the maintenance and care are correct, the cat usually safely carries the kittens to term, and the birth takes place without complications.
White discharge from a cat
From time to time, cats experience vaginal discharge, which causes a little concern among owners. The discharge may be watery, clear, bloody, yellow (purulent), dark green, or brown (postpartum). In this case, the animal periodically licks the causative site, but no other changes in behavior are observed. Let's try to figure out why a cat has vaginal discharge and how it can be cured.
There are several factors at play here:
- Discharge from a pregnant cat. If they have a reddish tint, then this is a potential threat of pregnancy failure. During the postpartum period, the presence of black and dark green discharge is natural and may last for several days. Traces last up to three weeks. If the placenta has not left, abnormal bloody and watery discharge is observed.
- Pyometra. Over the age of five, unspayed cats may begin to accumulate pus in the uterus, which can lead to a bloated abdomen and pus leaking into the abdominal cavity. Discharge of pus is observed in the open form of the disease. The purulent contents are brown, pink or cream in color.
- Vaginitis. Occurs due to an endocrine disorder with the participation of infection (streptococcus, E. coli, staphylococcus). With vaginitis, a cat will experience a creamy white discharge. The inflammatory process is treated with douching or oil emulsions.
- Endometritis. Inflammation of the uterine mucosa begins with small spotting discharge from the vulva, which over time becomes abundant and foul-smelling. Endometritis is treated with antibiotics, antimicrobial and hormonal drugs.
Thus, if your cat experiences discharge during or after giving birth, this should not cause concern, but if the discharge is accompanied by fever, loss of appetite and lethargy, then you should contact your veterinarian.
In some cases, owners do not suspect that the cat has problems with the reproductive organs. A signal about painful processes in the body of a pet is white, yellow or bloody discharge from the vagina. In the article I will describe their types and the diseases that cause them. I’ll tell you what needs to be done, whether it can be treated and what first aid to provide to the animal.
Prevention
In order for the process of bearing offspring in your animal to go smoothly, it is important to carry out preventive measures in a timely manner. Moreover, it is better to carry out some of them not at the moment when mating occurs, but throughout the entire life of the animal.
Monitor the animal’s health, get all the necessary vaccinations on time and select the right food, taking into account all the parameters. It would also be a good idea to have periodic checkups with a veterinarian.
After mating, you should carefully monitor the condition of the animal and pay attention to even the smallest changes.
- All the veterinarian's instructions must be followed very carefully.
- During pregnancy, you should protect your pet from cold, drafts and dampness.
- For mating, you should choose a healthy partner who has all the necessary vaccinations.
It is important that mucous discharge can also appear in a sterilized cat a short time after surgery. They have a slimy consistency and yellow color, but do not have a strong odor. If such discharge does not stop for a long time, then you should show your pet to a veterinarian, as inflammatory processes are likely to develop.
Proper care and following all doctor’s recommendations will help your cat have a normal pregnancy and give birth to healthy kittens. It is important for the owner only to pay attention to the condition of the pet, and everything else will happen by itself.
This article has been checked and approved by a veterinarian. Knyazeva Anna Vladimirovna, veterinarian in private practice, Moscow. more about the expert.
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Tags: cat pregnancy, cat discharge, cat
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What causes uterine discharge in a cat and how to treat it?
The front part of the body bends down, the back, on the contrary, lifts up. The exudate is transparent and odorless.
As you know, several hours of labor are very stressful for a cat. But the next ten days will be no less intense. What discharge is considered “normal” after giving birth to a cat?
The cat's body must recover within ten days. Only after this period the animal will be able to lead a full life. At this time, discharge from the pet's genitals is common; in general, the process of discharge can occur over a period of three weeks.
When kittens suckle milk, this is an integral part of the recovery process of the cat's body. When milk is produced, the uterus contracts, which at this time expels all harmful bloody mucus and other types of secretions from the animal’s body. It will be worse if the cat does not have milk; accordingly, all the mucus will not be able to actively leave the body, which can subsequently harm the pet.
We suggest you read: What to do if your cat eats indoor plants
If, immediately after giving birth, you notice that bloody or dark brown with green particles are coming out of the cat’s vagina, then this is also a normal situation. In most cases, this discharge becomes mucous in nature after a few days and may become more transparent or slightly pink. As a rule, such discharge has, so to speak, a “metallic” smell - remember, there is nothing wrong with this, this is the norm. But if the smell is different, uncharacteristic, then it’s time to take the cat to the doctor.
If you want to control the color and volume of bloody discharge, then place a white sheet in the cat's nest. If the discharge continues for more than three weeks or less than seven days, then this is a reason to seek help from a doctor. The health of your pet is paramount, especially if the cat is feeding kittens.
