[SOLVED ] Q. I have a 5 wk old kitten outside Thursday night. Friday his leg started swelling. Hasn't eaten or drank much in two days now the swelling is...

horrific

Experienced and professional animal trainer provide their insights in answering this question :

A. I think it’ s time to have him checked over, despite the horrible swelling it might be pretty straight-forward treatment. The longer you wait the more difficult to treat it will be and surely it must be painful too !

How to Identify Common Pet Problems ?

Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced pet care professionals :

If the limb continues to be used, the sprain, swelling and pain will not resolve. As long as the cat is restricted to a cage or small area in the house, where it can rest, its injured limb should begin to heal. Recovery can take a minimum of two weeks as long as the rest regimen is strictly enforced at home.

Injury: The inflammation, bleeding, or infection associated with wounds, embedded foreign objects, joint sprains, muscle strains, broken bones, hematomas, tendonitis, and dislocated joints can all cause swelling in a cat`s legs or paws.

If your cat has swelling associated with a sprain, bruise, or tendonitis, apply ice packs to the area for 15 minutes, twice daily. Flowing water improves circulation, reduces swelling, and promotes healing. If your cat will tolerate it, place her in a tub and swirl water around the leg.

Don`t wait 24 hours if there is a visible cause such as bleeding, swelling or the limb is hanging in a strange way, call your vet immediately to prevent infection or a worsening condition.

Some kinds of cat leg injuries, such as soft tissue injuries, may be able to heal on their own. However, others will only get worse if left untreated. As a result, it`s always best to consult your vet if your cat is struggling from a cat leg injury.

These cases of FPP are usually caused by a foreign body or a more serious condition in which FPP is symptomatic. In some cases, FPP has been shown to clear up on its own within two to three months.

Antibiotics, such as ampicillin (Ampi-Tab®), amoxicillin-clavulanate (Clavamox®), cefazolin (Ancef®, Kefzol®), or cefovecin (Convenia®), will be given to treat the bacterial infection.

“If you see swelling, an open wound, or your cat`s leg is hanging in a strange way, seek immediate veterinary attention,” Mears says. “Don`t wait for 48 hours to pass because infection could set in or the injury (like a broken leg) could worsen.” If you`re not sure what to do, give your vet a call.

Steroids for Inflammation in Cats

Corticosteroids are potent anti-inflammatories. Reducing inflammation can also decrease discomfort, but steroids like prednisolone, methylprednisolone, and dexamethasone aren`t often used solely for pain relief, especially long-term.

In many cases, depending on the location and broken bone type, fracture repair will return the broken leg or other bone to complete function with little to no issues. Recovery from a fracture can be a long process, since broken bones in adult cats can take anywhere from 6 to 12 weeks to fully heal.

In general, almost all Grade I strains heal within a few weeks. Grade II strains may take two to three months. After surgery to repair a Grade III strain, most people regain normal leg muscle function after several months of rehabilitation.

Caring For Your Cats Broken Leg At-Home

Your vet will give you detailed instructions on how to care for your cat once you get home. You will probably need to restrict your cat`s activities. It`s essential to prevent your cat from jumping and running, so the injury can heal as quickly as possible.

How should I care for my cat`s open wound at home? Your veterinarian will provide you with specific instructions. Typically, you will need to clean the wound two or three times daily with a mild antiseptic solution or warm water to remove any crusted discharge and to keep the wound edges clean.

Happily, most cats with a footpad injury go on to make a full recovery from what is undoubtedly a painful and unpleasant condition. Depending on the nature of the injury it can take between 10 days to three or four weeks for the pet to recover, during which time it may have mobility issues.

Once it becomes apparent that your cat has a swollen paw, you need to take a trip to a veterinary clinic. There, the vet will determine the cause of the swelling, as well as treatment options. Injuries and trauma – These will be determined through an examination, sometimes requiring an x-ray, then treated accordingly.

To show affection

Licking is not only a grooming mechanism but also a way cats show that they love you. Your cat is creating a social bond by licking you, other cats, or pets. This sign of affection may stem from kittenhood when your cat`s mother licked them to groom them and show care and affection.

Behaviour signs of a cat in pain

Decreased interest in positive things like playing, social interaction and exploring outside. Being withdrawn and hiding away. Appearing lame and experiencing increased sensitivity to touch in specific areas of their body. Reduction in movement and activity.

Cats don`t cry tears when they`re sad or in pain. But Halls says whether your cat is experiencing emotional or physical pain, they`ll exhibit behavioral changes that could include vocal crying. The sound of a cat crying is typically longer in duration and lower in frequency than day-to-day cat chatter.

Mix together 1 pint water, 1/2-teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon calendula tincture. Soak an injured paw in the solution. If the wound is on the body, put the solution in a squirt bottle or large syringe and gently apply it to the injured area. Repeat the soaking or application every 4 to 6 hours for the first 24 hours.

In cases of bacterial or fungal infections, topical ointments can be applied directly to the nail for a period of 2-4 weeks, after which time the cat should return to normal. If a bacterial infection is present, or for the prevention of a bacterial infection occurring, an antibiotic will be prescribed.

Common Causes of Limping in Cats

Infected or torn nail. Sprained or broken leg caused by trauma (being hit, falling, or landing wrong) Being bitten by a bug or other animal. Something stuck in their paw.

METACAM AS A PAINKILLER FOR CATS

Metacam oral suspension is an easy-to-give liquid which helps control pain during recovery from surgery or an injury. It is important that you give Metacam according to your vet`s advice.

NSAIDs for Cats

Your vet may prescribe the pill robenacoxib, which is also available as an injection. Meloxicam is another NSAID that`s injected, usually after surgery. It can also be administered orally in a liquid form.

Illness and injury

It`s sad but true. If your cat is distressed, ill or injured, they`re likely to sleep more intensely to recover. As long as the vet has checked them out and they have everything in place they need to recover, it`s best to leave them be!

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

Q. I have a 5 wk old kitten outside Thursday night. Friday his leg started swelling. Hasn’t eaten or drank much in two days now the swelling is horrific

ANSWER : A. I think it’ s time to have him checked over, despite the horrible swelling it might be pretty straight-forward treatment. The longer you wait the more difficult to treat it will be and surely it must be painful too !

Read Full Q/A … : Cat Questions – Our Happy Cat.com

Q. I have a 1yr old male 38 lb Labradoodle and my gf just brought a month old kitten home. Can they interact? If not, for how long?

ANSWER : A. Interactions whenever a new pet is brought into the house should start off slow, then can be increased in time. The best steps when introducing a new cat is to allow your cat or kitten to have a room in the house all to him or herself. Allow your dog to sniff under the door to get used to the kitten’s scent, and even show your dog articles such as bedding the cat has slept on. After a few days, an introduction with your dog on leash, or a barrier such as a gate where both pets can look at each other but not see each other is best. This will allow each to get used to seeing the other without the ability to jump, bite or scratch the other. Once the two are used to this, then a face to face interaction can begin. If at any time a fight or scuffle breaks out, separate the two pets and try again at a later time. The amount of time this introduction takes can vary depending on how the two react to each other.

Until your kitten is older, or you are sure both are fine together, do not leave the two pets together unattended. Even a well-meaning and playful dog can accidentally break a leg of a kitten or worse without meaning to! A safe room for your kitten to be in while you are away, or a barrier to allow your kitten to escape to safety if needed will help until both are big enough to play alone safely.

Read Full Q/A … : Dogs and Jealousy

Q. I recently added a new 2 month old female kitten to my house and my male 5 month the old kitten has turned aggressive and chases the kitten down..

ANSWER : A. It is possible it could be play behavior but without seeing it in person, hard to say. Is the male kitten neutered? You may want to consider doing so. Also, try re-introducing the kittens slowly by creating a safe space for the new kitten behind a closed door in a room. Keep her there for at least a week so she is protected but your male is still able to smell her. After a week or 2, you can then graduate to using a baby gate so they can then not only smell each other but safely see each other as well. If that is going okay, after another few days you can bring the gate down. Also, be sure to have feeding bowls in separate locations and at least 2 litter boxes.

Read Full Q/A … : Ragdoll Cats

Q. I have a 9 week old kitten. At what age do they start spraying? We have a 12 yr old cat that has sprayed a door, I think. Could it be the kitten?

ANSWER : A. It is not unusual for an established house cat to start acting out once there is a change in his environment. In this case, the new kitten could be a stressor for the older cat as he tries to get used to the new change of an added house member. To answer your question, cats generally do not start spraying until the are around 5-6 months old.

Read Full Q/A … : How to Stop a Male Cat from Spraying – How to do anything

Q. How do I FINALLY rid all 4 of my cats of tapeworms after 2 years of dealing with it? Fleas seem to be controlled. I know they are the vector.

ANSWER : A. If your cats keep getting tapeworms, then they are picking up fleas from somewhere. Fleas will hitch a ride on your pant leg from outside.

Get your pet on a good topical or oral flea control through your vet. In flea control, you get what you pay for. Consider asking your vet for a dose of Capstar. It helps get the problem under control by killing the fleas on the pet starting in five minutes but only lasts for 24 hours.

You need to treat your home environment. If you use a pest control service, tell them you are having a flea problem and they can adjust their treatment. Use a premise spray that also contains an IGR, insect growth regulator. This keeps eggs and larvae from maturing into adults and helps break the life cycle. Also, vacuum EVERY DAY, throwing out the bag or emptying the canister every time into an outside receptacle and spraying the contents with insecticide to kill the fleas youâ€™ve vacuumed up.

Treat your yard too, since fleas are opportunistic and will hop a ride into your home on your pant leg without you knowing it. Concentrate on areas under bushes, in the shade. Fleas are less likely to be located in open sunny areas where it gets hot.

You can also use borax. Sprinkle it into rugs, into corners and under furniture, use a broom to work it into the fibers and let it sit for hours, days even. It won’t hurt you or your pet to have it present. Then vacuum it up, reapply as needed. Food grade diatomaceous earth can be worked into the rugs and corners in the same way as borax. These treatments aren’t as fast and effective as chemical insecticides but they can help.

You might want to consider boarding your pet for the day at your vet, to give you the opportunity to flea bomb your house without having to worry about your pet being exposed. They can bathe your pet and give a dose of Capstar while you treat your home.

Be patient, you may have to repeat these steps multiple times 10-14 days apart to help break the life cycle.

Read Full Q/A … : Search Results: tapeworm: page: 4

Q. My Chihuahua was jumping and suddenly started whining. Now she won’t put her hind leg down, but doesn’t cry when I mess with it. Will it heal on own?

ANSWER : A. Leg injuries are very common in small dogs, especially if they have jumped from a high place, or even stumbled and landed on the leg wrong. Leg injuries can be caused by anything from minor sprains and strains, to full blown breaks or joint tears and even arthritis or luxating patellas (knee joints that slip in and out). If the leg appears swollen, dislocated or there is visible bone or bleeding, veterinary care should be sought. Providing strict kennel rest and decreased activity for a day or two can help with minor injuries, however if the limping continues for more than a day you should make an appointment with your local veterinarian.

Read Full Q/A … : Causes of Limping in Dogs

Q. I have two 3 week old kittens that I am bottle feeding. The kittens both have diareaa and there buts are red. Is there anything I can do ?

ANSWER : A. Diarrhea in kittens can be caused by many things, including intestinal parasites (very common in kittens), wrong formula, recent changes in diet (from queen’s milk to formula or from one formula to another), and other gastrointestinal upsets. Their bottoms are likely red and irritated from the diarrhea soiling the fur and skin, trapping moisture against the skin and serving as a breeding ground for bacteria. First, stop feeding the formula. Second, collect a fecal sample to be analyzed by your veterinarian for intestinal parasites. Third, call your vet and make an appointment as soon as possible, ideally the same day. Diarrhea in kittens is serious business and can lead to death from dehydration and loss of nutrients. Finally, in place of formula give an electrolyte replacement solution (like Pedialyte for infants/children) – plain, no flavors, no colors – for at least the next 1-2 feedings. This is not the same as a sports drink. After the 1st or 2nd feeding of straight electrolyte replacement solution, start to add formula back into diet at 1/4 strength ( 1 part formula to 3 parts water), The following feeding mix 2 parts formula to 2 parts water. Then, 3 parts formula to 1 part water. Finally, offer full-strength formula. If the diarrhea continues or worsens with increasing amounts of formula, go back to just electrolyte solution and repeat the process.

Read Full Q/A … : Raising Orphaned kittens Part 2: What to do, week by week

Q. I just started a new job w.long hours. Would my 3 yr old Siamese enjoy a kitten companion? If so, m/f? I was thinking of a shelter kitten.

ANSWER : A. Generally adult cats can take to younger kittens a bit easier than another adult cat. You may want to get the opposite sex from what your Siamese is. Also, slowly integrate the new kitten into the household giving your current cat a chance to get used to her/him. Start off by having new kitten behind a door for a few days or even a week. From there you can put up a baby gate so they can see each other but still have somewhat of a safety barrier and after that, you can let the gate down to see how they do. You may want to feed in 2 separate areas and you definitely want at least 2 litter boxes. A shelter kitten rescue would be a great idea!

Read Full Q/A … : Siamese Cat Facts. Siamese Cats – The cats with the most …