Content
- Causes and risk factors of heat stroke in cats
- Heat stroke symptoms in cats
- Consequences of prolonged exposure
- First aid and heat stroke treatment
- Heat stroke prevention
- Burns due to sun exposure
Cats love to be outdoors and feel the warmth of the sun's rays on their bodies. That's why his favorite places are the balconies and terraces. Like humans, and although cats are used to the sun, overexposure could cause heat stroke.
Summer is when the sun is hottest and strong and temperatures are very high, so it is important to be aware and measure the amount of sun that your cat's fur is absorbing.
In this article by PeritoAnimal we will see what it is sunstroke in cats, what are your symptoms and the First aid to be taken into account if this occurs.
Causes and risk factors of heat stroke in cats
Although cats are covered in thick fur, they can also be affected by long exposures to the sun. This star is very strong and its rays affect practically every creature on the planet. Heat stroke could represent a medical emergency, so be careful.
Cats are susceptible to suffering from heat stroke, especially cats. kittens and old cats, who are not able to properly regulate their temperature. Because they cannot eliminate heat, cats start to increase their body temperature alarmingly, and may even occur to death.
It can especially affect cats that:
- They don't have a shady haven.
- Are locked in cars.
- They are locked in houses.
- They live in very hot places.
- Suffer from heart disease.
- Suffer from respiratory diseases.
- With a previous history of heat stroke.
- Longhair cats.
- Dark colored cats.
Heat stroke symptoms in cats
The symptoms that a cat is suffering from heatstroke are very evident, so it is extremely important to detect them from their first appearance, especially if the cat is a kitten or of old age. You symptoms of heat stroke in cats are:
- high body temperature
- Anxiety
- foam in the mouth
- dry gums
- White, very red or blue gums
- difficulty breathing
- Cough
- Tachycardia
- vomiting
- Diarrhea
- tremors
- poor muscle coordination
- Weakness
- fainting
- Convulsions
- abnormal heart rate
- constant gasping
- Nanny
The cat can become sluggish and lazy. Your breathing may become fast and you may even have difficulty breathing. Cats cannot perspire the way we humans do, they rely on panting (which removes the warm air from their bodies and invites the air to cool and cool) and limited perspiration through their paw and nose pads. This is not enough for them, which makes them more sensitive to absorbing more heat than normal, especially during times of heat and humidity.
The mucous membranes in your gums will also turn blue and your heart rate will increase. If your cat has physical symptoms, staggers when walking, or even vomits, it is clear that it is suffering from heat stroke. He must consult a veterinarian as soon as possible.
Consequences of prolonged exposure
If first aid and treatment are not applied immediately, the cat is likely to suffer consequences due to prolonged exposure to the sun and the symptoms that heat stroke causes. gravity will be directly related to the acting time and the physical condition of the cat.
Among the milder consequences we find the loss of salts and mild dehydration, but in the more severe we can find acute dehydration, internal hemorrhages (which cause damage to many organs), kidney and liver failure, stroke, a coma and even death of the cat.
First aid and heat stroke treatment
If you see that your cat is suffering from heat stroke, the first thing you should do is cast it in the shade, and then very gently spray water at room temperature with a spray or apply warm water compresses between 10 and 15 minutes. Never apply cold water suddenly or in a compress, as the cat could suffer from a shock. Talk to him and try to calm him down. Check if you have wounds, what type they are and wrap them with a soft, wet cloth, then take it to the vet.
Once the health status of the cat is verified, it should be taken to the vet as soon as possible. Explain to him in advance by telephone how you are and how to proceed in some specific way. In addition, we recommend some of the basic first aids that can help improve your cat's health:
- Keep your cat in a shady area out of the sun.
- Check your cat's rectal temperature at all times while applying the compresses and stop doing so when it exceeds 39°C.
the heat should decrease slowly and gradually, don't forget that a drastic change can severely affect your internal organs.
The veterinary treatment to be applied will depend on the seriousness of the situation and the damage that the heat stroke has caused to your feline's body. When there is no specific treatment, the professional will act trying to minimize the symptoms you observe. The prognosis may or may not be favorable, it all depends on the damage.
Heat stroke prevention
At PeritoAnimal we always appeal to prevention, this helps us to avoid future bad moments with our pet. Heat stroke can be very unpleasant for him and in some cases very serious, so if your cat likes sunbathing a lot, you should prepare it for him as well as for his environment.
Always have at your disposal a drinking fountain with plenty of fresh water. Place a pillow or bed in an area of the house that is always cool, so when you feel saturated with the sun, you know you have a area where you can relax in the shade and avoid having access to the sun during the hottest hours, between 12:00 and 17:00.
Burns due to sun exposure
Some cats have genetic defects that can make them more prone to skin sensitivity, so prolonged exposure can affect them to a greater degree. In some cases, exposing them too much to the sun could worsen existing conditions such as chronic conditions or autoimmune skin diseases and skin parasitic infections.
In summary, the results of sun damage cause acute inflammation of the animal's skin, which if very frequent, can lead to pre-cancerous conditions, or skin tumors.
This condition is determined by degrees of intensity ranging from burning skin that, if not protected and reduced, could become superficial partial burns that are usually first degree, deep partial burns (these rarer and more severe) and deep burns that extend all over the skin and may involve the inner tissue. In the second and third cases, the visit to the veterinarian is essential.
With partial burns the cat's skin will have a reddish tone, in addition to being irritated and sensitive to the touch. Although it is superficial, it does not mean that the animal does not feel discomfort and even pain. When a cat has symptoms of sunburn, it's important not to mess with it too much. Deep partial burns cause blisters to appear in some cases and your skin will be really red, this type of burn can go beyond the first layer of skin. Pay attention to the condition of your pet's scalp.
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.