How to Check for Symptoms of Dehydration in Cats: 12 Steps

2024 Author: Jason Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 10:50

When the amount of fluid intake in the cat's body is not proportional to the body fluids removed, the cat can become dehydrated. Dehydration can occur for a number of reasons, including not eating and drinking enough, overheating, vomiting, diarrhea, and many other factors. Dehydration is a serious condition for cats because a balance of body fluids is essential for maintaining body temperature, removing waste, maintaining blood circulation, and ensuring a balance of vital body systems. The sooner the early signs of dehydration are detected in a cat and appropriate treatment is given, the easier it will be to treat this condition.

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Part 1 of 2: Checking for Symptoms of Dehydration

Step 1. Take immediate action if needed

Some causes of dehydration in cats require prompt medical attention regardless of the cat's age and general health status. These causes include suspected internal bleeding, burns, common to serious cuts, prolonged vomiting or diarrhea, loss of appetite for more than 24 hours for an adult cat or 12 hours for a kitten, breathing with the mouth open, or fever. tall.

Step 2. Monitor your cat's water intake

In its early phases, dehydration is not easy to detect. In fact, even hidden physical symptoms can't be detected until the cat's dehydration level reaches 4 to 5%. Since the symptoms are so subtle, pay attention to how your cat drinks each day. Notice if the cat is drinking less and less until it stops altogether.

Also, be sure to keep plenty of clean water around your cat, especially if you're going to be out for some time, such as work or a day out

Step 3. Check your cat's gums for moisture

One way to tell if your cat is dehydrated is to check its gums. Use your fingers to lift the upper lip until the gums are visible. Touch the cat's gums. For cats who are not dehydrated, the gums will feel moist. As your cat gets more dehydrated, his gums will start to dry out. If your gums feel sticky or sticky, these are early signs of dehydration.

If the gums feel really dry, the cat's level of dehydration can be moderate or severe, depending on other symptoms. Gums usually don't feel completely dry until your cat is at least 6 to 7% dehydrated.
Keep in mind that your cat's gums will slowly dry out in the air once you lift their upper lip, so it's important to assess the humidity immediately.
If your cat's gums feel dry or sticky, or you're not sure if your cat's gums are normal or not, get your cat checked out to see if he's dehydrated or not and see how dehydrated he is.

Step 4. Check the capillary refill time (CRT) of the gums

CRT is the amount of time it takes for the capillaries, tiny blood vessels, in the gums to fill with blood. Because dehydration reduces the volume of blood in the body, capillary refill time will increase in dehydrated animals. To check the CRT, press your finger on the cat's gums and then release. Gums will turn white. If not, try again and press harder. After you lift your finger, count the amount of time it will take your gums to return to their normal color.

For a healthy, non-dehydrated cat, the gum color will return to normal in less than 2 seconds.
For a moderately dehydrated cat, this will take longer. In more severe cases of dehydration, this charging time will appear very long.
CRT is not increased in cases of mild dehydration, so increasing CRT may indicate moderate to severe dehydration and requires veterinary care.
If the gums look pale or white before you press them, take your cat to the vet immediately. Pale gums can be a sign of more severe dehydration.

Step 5. Check the elasticity of the cat's skin

Another early symptom of dehydration is a loss of skin elasticity. These symptoms will become more obvious as the dehydration gets worse. Check the skin's elasticity by selecting an area on the cat's back or chest. Do not use the skin on the back of the neck because the skin is very thick and the results can be misleading. Pinch the skin between your fingers and release it. Pay attention to the skin you pinch.

For a healthy, unadulterated cat, the skin will instantly return to its original shape. For a cat with mild dehydration, the skin will not return to its original shape as quickly as a healthy cat.
For a cat with moderate to severe dehydration, the skin will take a very long time to return to its original shape, while for a cat that is seriously dehydrated, the skin will remain in position when pinched and will not return to its original shape.
You should be aware that this test is not very accurate. Old or thin animals often have skin that isn't as elastic as younger animals, so the skin won't return to its original shape as quickly even if it's not dehydrated. Kittens under 6 weeks of age have a lower level of skin elasticity than adult cats. Obese cats also have a lot of fat under the skin, the loss of elasticity of the cat's skin will not be so noticeable until the cat is seriously dehydrated.

Step 6. Examine the eyes

Cat's eyes can tell the status of dehydration. A cat's slightly droopy eyes can be a sign of moderate dehydration. However, it's important to remember that very thin cats, especially older cats or cats with chronic illnesses, will have eyes that are slightly more droopy than normal cats.

Really droopy eyes will look dry and can indicate severe dehydration. In some more extreme cases, the third eyelid may be visible in the cat's eye.
If the eyes look dry, droopy, or have a third eyelid, the cat should be treated by a veterinarian immediately.

Step 7. Feel the soles of the feet

For cats with other signs of dehydration, feet that feel cold to the touch can indicate moderate to severe dehydration. To check, gently lift the cat up. Hold the soles of his feet and watch the temperature. If his temperature feels normal, he is not seriously dehydrated. If it feels cold, your cat may be severely dehydrated and you should take him to the vet immediately.

Part 2 of 2: Getting Treatment and Evaluation

Step 1. Get veterinary help

If your cat is showing signs of dehydration, visit the vet. Consult a veterinarian as soon as your cat shows signs of dehydration, as the condition will be easier to treat if it is still in its early stages. If you suspect that your cat is moderately to severely dehydrated, or if your cat seems weak and isn't responding well, take your pet to the vet as soon as possible.

Let the vet know that this is an emergency so that the cat can be examined more quickly. Severe dehydration is a life-threatening emergency.
In addition to confirming the results of the cat's physical examination and medical history, the vet will perform several tests to determine the cat's level of dehydration and decide on the appropriate treatment.

Step 2. Let the vet do some tests

In addition to a physical exam, your vet will also perform several tests to check your cat's dehydration status. Some of the basic tests veterinarians perform to check hydration levels are blood tests to assess the packed cell volume (PCV), or the volume of compressed erythrocytes. If the PCV is higher than normal, your cat is most likely dehydrated.

Your vet can also do a urine sample test to check for consistency. Normally, when an animal is dehydrated, the kidneys will thicken the urine to conserve body fluids. If your cat has kidney problems or hormonal imbalances, she may not be able to thicken her urine even if she's dehydrated.
Other tests may be performed, depending on the suspected cause of dehydration.

Step 3. Treat the cat

After the vet has examined the cat, he or she will calculate the cat's dehydration level and formulate a treatment plan for the cat through fluids. The best way to treat moderate and severe dehydration is to give intravenous fluids intravenously. You should also know the cause of dehydration in your cat to be able to deal with this situation in the future.

In cases of severe dehydration, aggressive intravenous infusion therapy should be initiated immediately to ensure the cat's recovery

Step 4. Find out the main cause of a sick cat

Because signs of dehydration are difficult to detect, it's important to be able to identify potential dehydration risk factors that could cause a cat to become dehydrated. You should find out the underlying causes of dehydration such as not eating and drinking enough, excessive urination, vomiting, diarrhea, burns or other cuts to the skin, internal and external bleeding, fever, and loss of body fluids due to internal bleeding, or fluid shifts from vessels. improper blood.

Sick or weak cats and kittens are especially susceptible to this condition. If your cat falls into this category, you should really be aware of these factors. Dehydration always requires veterinary help

Step 5. Identify the risk factors

Medical and environmental conditions can increase the likelihood of dehydration, so pets with medical problems are more likely to become dehydrated. This means that you should pay close attention to your pet's health and environment for early signs of dehydration. Examples of these conditions are kidney problems, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, heart disease, colitis, gastrointestinal parasites, various infectious diseases, and fever.