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Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca (KCS or ‘Dry Eye’): KCS, also known as ‘dry eye’, refers to any condition that impairs your cat’s ability to produce adequate amounts natural tears to keep the eye moisturized and functioning properly.Ĭonjunctivitis: If your cat has conjunctivitis (more commonly known as pink eye), the pink membrane or conjunctiva that covers the inside of her eyeball and the inside of the inner eyelids is inflamed signs include swelling and redness, and discharge may be present. Depending on the area of the eye that’s infected, your vet will be able to determine the cause, type of illness, and method of treatment. There are a variety of different causes for feline eye infection, including bacteria, a virus, or even fungi. However, depending on the cause, they may be at risk of another stroke in future.When it comes to your cat’s eye health, knowing the symptoms of eye infection is instrumental in protecting her vision and quality of life. The good news is that if your cat receives speedy treatment (within the first 24 hours), they’ll often make a full recovery within a few weeks. Your vet will advise if this is needed and suggest exercises to help improve your feline’s movement. In some cases, life-long treatments or medications (particularly in the case of heart disease, hyperthyroidism or diabetes) may need to be administered.Īdditionally, physiotherapy may be necessary. Your vet will also need to treat the underlying cause of your cat’s stroke to try and stop it happening again. During this time they may need to have intravenous fluids and supportive care to promote healing. Your cat may need to be kept at the vets overnight to check that a second stroke doesn’t happen. A faecal sample might be taken if parasites are thought to be the cause, thyroid levels might be checked for hormonal disorders and your vet may recommend a CT or MRI scan to check the brain to assess the compromised blood vessels. If kidney or liver issues are suspected then further tests may be carried out on the urine. Blood tests may also be necessary to assess the cat’s condition and identify any underlying causes. Your vet will carry out a full physical examination where they’ll check for injuries, organ enlargements and any other symptoms. If the stroke is a result of trauma, these injuries may need to be treated too. Once your cat’s at the vets you’ll be asked about their medical history and symptoms which will help your vet diagnose the cause of the stroke. Your vet will assess your cat and they’ll be able to advise you on how best to diagnose and treat your pet. In particular, the condition of ‘vestibular disease’ can cause some of these symptoms – a head tilt and loss of balance to one side, as well as rapid eye movements.
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Many of these symptoms of cat stroke are not specific to this condition and can indicate other diseases, so it’s important that you seek veterinary advice. Unusual walking gait (sometimes affecting just one side of the body).Some symptoms you should be on the lookout for include: The symptoms of your cat’s stroke will depend on whereabouts in the brain it occurs, how much brain tissue is affected and how severe the effects are. Cushing's disease (hyperadrenocorticism).Ingestion of toxins that cause bleeding, such as warfarin in rat poison.Body trauma: this can dislodge fat or cartilage.There are several possible causes for strokes in cats, including: When the blood supply to a part of the brain fails, its function will be severely disrupted and the tissue could even be destroyed. The brain needs a constant supply of blood to bring oxygen and nutrients and to remove waste from the brain cells.
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There are two types of stroke – ischemic, which is usually caused by a clot within a blood vessel, and haemorrhagic, which is when there is bleeding in the brain due to a blood vessel rupture. If your cat experiences a stroke, it’s important to seek veterinary care quickly to make sure they have the best chance of recovery.įind out all you need to know about the cat stroke symptoms to watch out for and the treatment options currently available.Ī cat stroke refers to the sudden reduction of blood supply to the brain. Strokes in cats occurs far less frequently than they do in humans, but a stroke is still classed as a medical emergency. Find out about the symptoms you should look out for and the current treatment options in this guide. If your cat experiences a stroke, it can be really scary and it’s important to take them to the vet quickly so they can receive any treatment they need.
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