Cat Chest Injuries
If, for any reason, your cat has labored breathing, a blue tongue, gums, or abnormal chest sounds, you should suspect injury to organs in the chest.
Chest injury can occur in any part of the respiratory system. If bleeding occurs in the chest (hemothorax), if the lung tissue ruptures and air escapes into the chest (pneumothorax), or if the diaphragm ruptures and abdominal contents move into the chest (diaphragmatic hernia), the lungs will not be able to expand to receive fresh oxygen. If the lung tissue is bruised (traumatic lung syndrome), oxygen cannot be received. If the heart is bruised (myocardial irritability), the blood may not be pumped efficiently. Thus, you can see that a chest injury is a potentially life-threatening situation.
Cat Chest Injuries Home Remedies
Artificial respiration and CPR may be needed to keep your pet alive. Treat for shock. Transport your cat gently on a stretcher.
Cat Chest Injuries Treatment
Getting oxygen into its system and stabilizing its condition from shock are the highest priorities. If air or blood has to be removed to help your pet expand its lungs and breathe more comfortably, a tube will be inserted in the chest. Local anesthesia in the chest wall will ease its placement.
Once your cat is stable and breathing better, a radiograph of the chest will be taken to see the extent of the injuries.
The degree of cat chest injuries may vary from mild to severe cases. In most cases, the cat’s chest injury occurs due to the occurrence of blunt force trauma. In most cases, the pets get hurt when they are hit by automobiles, receive a kick, or fall from a very high elevation.
The chest cavity consists of the heart, lungs, and the organs associated with the airways. They are walled by the chest muscles and protected by the rib cage. The thoracic cavity or the chest cavity is separated from the stomach by a muscular membrane known as the diaphragm. Chest injury damage may be caused by a wounded heart, lungs, lacerations of the lungs, and even bleeding and continuous rapture of the airways. The chest pain may also be the result of injury in the protective muscles of the chest cavity, broken ribs, and even the tearing of the diaphragm.
While treating chest ailments the vet doctors try to focus on maintaining the normal heart rhythm and also assisting the breathing process. The vet doctors also carry out additional treatments like the supplying of adequate amounts of oxygen, medications like steroids to relieve pain, intravenous infections to control the blood pressure, and antibiotics. If the heart rhythm is found to be erratic additional medication is prescribed. If the chest injuries are severe, blood transfusion and even emergency surgery are also conducted to save the life of the pet cat.
The best possible way to treat cat chest injuries is to avoid any possibility of the pet being injured. Make sure of keeping your pet indoors and always keep a keen watch on your pet to detect symptoms of cat chest injuries like difficulty in breathing, lack of appetite, and weakness.
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