Content
- Dehydrated Cat Symptoms
- What to give to a dehydrated cat
- Ice for dehydrated cats
- Dehydrated cat serum
- Homemade serum for dehydrated cats
- A dehydrated cat needs to feed
- Prevention, the best remedy for dehydration in cats
Unfortunately, it is common to find on the streets, severely dehydrated kittens or noticing in our own pets some symptoms of dehydration. Like humans, felines have most of their bodies made up of water. It is precisely this vital fluid that allows or enhances the organs and body structures, ensuring balance and good health for your body.
Although veterinary assistance is essential in cases of dehydration in cats, it is important to know some home remedies that can provide the immediate attention required in these cases. Therefore, in this PeritoAnimal article, we share the home remedies for dehydrated cats most effective in first aid.
Dehydrated Cat Symptoms
The mammalian organism needs to have an adequate amount of water to develop healthily. If your cat does not drink enough water, vomits due to illness or is exposed to excessive heat, it may experience a drop in water and electrolyte levels and, as a result, your body will be unable to distribute essential nutrients to all fabrics. As a result, the animal can develop several physical signs that demonstrate systemic imbalance. The following signs can be interpreted as dehydration symptoms in cats:
- constant fatigue
- dry gum
- rebate
- panting
- loss of appetite
If dehydration is not dealt with quickly and properly, the feline can suffer severe kidney damage and its body will be driven to collapse.
O medical diagnostic, accurate and official dehydration, it is made from a blood and urine analysis complete that will allow to see the degree of evolution of the clinical picture. However, you can use a simple home method if you suspect your cat is dehydrated. Just gently pull the skin from the back of your neck and see whether or not it quickly returns to its natural position. If this piece of pulled skin remains suspended or is slow to get back into place, it is very likely that your feline is dehydrated. As an exception to this rule, there are cases of obese cats, in which the skin can return to its normal place even though they are dehydrated.
Also, if you notice that the eyes are deep and mouth dry, be aware that these are signs of severe dehydration. In all these cases, you can use home remedies for dehydrated cats as a palliative measure, however, you should seek the veterinarian immediately of your trust.
What to give to a dehydrated cat
Do you know how to moisturize a cat? A dehydrated cat needs to consume water immediately to reverse this negative condition and regain good health. However, it is important to be careful not to worsen dehydration by leaving you unassisted or forcing you to consume too much fluid abruptly.
If your kitten is dehydrated and ingests a lot of water at once, he probably will vomit, will lose more fluid and irritate the digestive tract. So if we want to know how to hydrate a dehydrated cat, we should put a small amount of water pure in your drinking fountain and let the cat consume at a slow and gradual pace until your thirst is quenched.
Ice for dehydrated cats
As we mentioned, dehydrated cats should consume water in small doses to avoid vomiting and stomach irritation. Therefore, an excellent home remedy for dehydrated cats is ice scraping, which allows the cat to slowly consume small amounts of water and it is a good option on how to hydrate a cat..
To prepare, just take a (cold-resistant) container filled with water to the freezer and wait for the ice to form. Before offering the preparation to your cat, just scrape the ice with a spoon or similar utensil. Never offer the whole cube, as the melting causes the cat to drink a lot of water at once.
Dehydrated cat serum
In addition to consuming clean, fresh water as a treatment for dehydration, it is necessary replenish electrolyte levels to restore balance to the body. You can find electrolyte-rich oral fluids or serums for cats at some veterinary clinics and pet shops. However, it may be easier to go to the nearest pharmacy and request a Pedialyte, which is used to treat dehydrated children.
Homemade serum for dehydrated cats
To replenish electrolytes and provide hydration to your dehydrated cat, you can make an excellent one. homemade serum for oral use, using these 5 ingredients, simple and inexpensive:
- 1 liter of mineral water at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon of salt
- 1/2 spoon (of coffee) of baking soda
- 3 tablespoons of sugar
- 1/2 lemon juice (you can use orange. In this case, reduce the amount of sugar to 2 tbsp). Use only the recommended dose, as too much lemon or orange can cause health problems for your feline companion.
Preparation of homemade serum for dehydrated cats
To prepare your whey, you must start by boiling a liter of water. Then turn off the heat, add the remaining ingredients and let it rest until it reaches room temperature. This homemade serum is valid for 24 hours, and should be kept in the refrigerator, in a bottle or container with a lid! Thus, we avoid any unwanted contamination.
Remember to offer the homemade serum at small doses for your cat. And if he doesn't drink naturally, from your drinker, you can use a syringe to administer the serum. If that doesn't work, to save your cat from dehydration, don't hesitate to go to the vet!
A dehydrated cat needs to feed
A dehydrated feline usually loses its normal appetite and may develop certain digestive disorders due to the low availability of water in your body. Therefore, a pattern of dehydration that is not properly treated can lead to a state of malnutrition.
A dehydrated cat needs to eat to avoid worsening its health condition. Therefore, to stimulate your appetite, we can provide you with a wetter diet. You can find many moist food and spreads in pet stores, or prepare a tasty homemade wet food for your cat.
Prevention, the best remedy for dehydration in cats
Diagnosing dehydration in cats can be very complex, especially in obese cats. Many cats can be dehydrated and show visible symptoms only when the image is severe. Therefore, we reaffirm that prevention is the best at-home method to keep pets healthy and happy.
Remember, your cat must have clean and fresh water available all day! Also, the drinker must be washed daily to avoid any contamination. If you don't want to leave different drinkers around the house, you can opt for a fountain for cats, which is already available at various pet stores. For kittens that drink little water, it can be useful to incorporate in their diet, homemade moist food or industrial.
Your cat doesn't drink fluids all day? Don't forget to check out our advice and recommendations in the article "Why doesn't my cat drink water?" And remember that the remedies mentioned above are not a substitute for specialized attention from a veterinarian, especially in severe cases of dehydration. So, if your kitten shows any changes in its diet or behavior, don't hesitate to quickly take it to your trusted veterinarian. Also, if you've just rescued an abandoned cat that is dehydrated and are looking to hydrate it with home remedies, keep in mind that these methods are first-aid techniques. It is always advisable to visit a specialist to carefully examine the animal.
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.