Anemia is a disease that occurs when there is a significant lack of red blood cells in the body. It also occurs when red blood cells do not contain enough hemoglobin (iron-rich protein). This deficiency decreases the amount of oxygen that passes from the lungs to all the tissues of the body. Basically the blood is not oxygenated.
Anemia is not only suffered by humans but can also be suffered by pets, especially cats. Although it is very common, it is a condition that must be detected and treated early, as it can lead to the formation of other diseases, in some circumstances, fatal. In the case of animals, it is important to diagnose it in time, because their organism tends to be more sensitive than that of man.
If you think your cat may have anemia or you are simply interested in knowing more about this disease, its symptoms and treatment, I invite you to read this article that we have prepared on our site abouttypes of anemia in cats.
Types of anemia and why it occurs
There are two types of anemia in cats, one more complicated than the other. The first, most basic, treatable and short-lived is known as " regenerative anemia", where the cat's body is losing more red blood cells than it can regenerate but still has the ability to create new blood cells in its bone marrow. The second and more complicated one is called " non-regenerative anemia", in which the animal has lost all ability to make these important red soldiers. In this case, both the disease and the treatment tend to last longer.
There are many causes for anemia in your cat, one of the most common is hemorrhage or excessive blood loss. It may be that without realizing it, your cat has fallen or taken a blow that has caused an injury and, therefore, internal bleeding.
Other causes may be: a low production of red blood cells, your cat is full of fleas (fleas transmit two parasites that can cause this disease, pay attention to this), lack of iron in your body and the most fearsome, diseases such as cancer (feline leukemia), peritonitis and kidney failure. The most serious type of anemia can cause damage to vital organs such as the heart and brain.
Detect possible anemia
In most scenarios anemia develops slowly and progressively, so you will have more time to detect the disease and the chances that your cat will be cured will be greater. On the other hand, anemia can also attack suddenly, in this case, life expectancy is lower. For this reason, and because the symptoms of anemia, at first, may seem very mild, it is vitally important that you pay close attention to your pet's condition and behavior.
In cats the easiest way to detect possible anemia is to smell their breath If your cat has strange and unpleasant breath, proceed to check your mouth (the appearance of the mouth in cats can detect many diseases) this could present pale gums and tongue. When cats are anemic they tend to breathe faster to produce more oxygen, so if they are breathing hard, short and fast, you can include that symptom of feline anemia on the list. Other classic symptoms of anemia are tiredness, constant weakness, fever, yellow skin, and lack of appetite. If you invite them to play and your cat is no longer interested, he may be depressed, this being a psychological symptom of anemia
Straight to the vet
The specialists, to diagnose diseases such as feline anemia, perform blood tests where they analyze the volume of red blood cells present in the bloodstream cat blood. If anemia is detected, the veterinarian will develop an appropriate treatment plan depending on the type of anemia and severity. Treatments for anemia are usually:
- For anemia due to hemorrhage or blood loss, a blood transfusion is performed.
- For anemia due to a lack of nutrients, such as iron, your cat's diet will be changed to a diet full of foods rich in minerals in order to stabilize its levels. This treatment must be rigorous.
- Infectious anemias (in the case of fleas) are treated with antibiotics and even blood transfusions.
Having a pet is like having a small child, every once in a while you have to take him to his doctor's check-up to give him his vaccinations and do his general check-ups. If you suspect that your cat has anemia, do not let it go and take it quickly to the vet.
