As soon as we decide to take a cat home, we must do everything possible so that it has a long, but above all, happy life. Thus, it is very important that every time we suspect that he is in poor health we take him to the vetotherwise your situation could get worse.
One of the most common diseases is pharyngitis in cats. Like us humans, the annoyances that are associated with it are various. Let us know what the symptoms and their treatment are.
What is pharyngitis?
Pharyngitis is the inflammation of the pharynx usually as a result of a viral or bacterial infection that could have occurred at any time: a simple and brief drop in defenses favors viruses and bacteria entering the body easily and quickly. Once they do, the incubation period is usually 1 to 3 days, but that time can vary depending on the furry's immune system.
Now it can also be due to some foreign body, like a piece of grass. In any case, the symptoms will not take long to appear. And that's when we have to take some steps so that you can recover as soon as possible.
What are the symptoms?
They are very similar to what we have when our pharynx becomes inflamed, so it will not be difficult for us to recognize the pathology in our dear friend:
- Pain when swallowing
- Frequent swallowing movements
- Hoarseness or loss of voice
- Loss of appetite
- Loss of interest in gambling
- General discomfort
- Fever
How do you make the diagnostic?
Once we suspect that the cat may have pharyngitis, what we will do is take it to the vet as soon as possible. There he will ask us about the symptoms he has, and since when do we see him like this. Later, do a physical exam, surely asking us to keep the animal subject so that it does not move or scratch it, since as we all know felines are not very friendly with veterinarians 🙂.
Which is the treatment?
As soon as you see that your throat is swollen, proceed to prescribe antibiotics; or if you have a foreign body, you will anesthetize it and remove it with tweezers. But that is not the only treatment that we will have to give it.
Just get home we must provide you with a room where you can be calm. In it he must have his bed, water and food, as well as toys. You may not feel like playing, but it is advisable to invite him to do it every day, unless we really watch him without wanting anything.
As for food, as it hurts to swallow, you have to make things easier for him. At least while he's sick, give him wet cat food, like those of Applaws or Animonda for example. We will not give you food that contains cereals or by-products, as your situation could worsen by not having a digestive system capable of digesting cereals, beaks, or skin (or any by-product).
Can it be prevented?
Pharyngitis cannot be 100% prevented. Keep in mind that it is generally infectious; Through a simple cough from a sick furry cat can end up suffering from it. In addition, there is no vaccine to minimize the risk, but we can (and in fact, we must) do some things so that, if you suffer from it, you can recover as soon as possible:
- Give him a carnivorous diet: You may get tired of reading me say this, but we are what we eat. No feline eats vegetables -except when purging-, much less by-products. Many of the feeds that are sold contain just that. Thus, it is not uncommon for us to have to go to the vet much more than it would be normal.
What brands are recommended? Anyone who only has meat (minimum 70%) and maybe a little vegetables, such as Applaws, Orijen, Taste of the Wild, True Instinct High Meat, among others. - Keep doors and windows closed: If it does not go outside, this is something that must always be done, but if we let it go, it is best to keep it indoors during the coldest days.
- Let it get under the covers: Being originally from the hot desert, the ideal is that you can protect yourself from the cold under the covers whenever you want. What's more, if you want to sleep with us, the ideal would be to let you do it, because unless we have an allergy nothing is going to happen to us (or nothing bad, at least 😉). You have more information at this article.
- Get the vaccinations you need: this way you will have an immune system capable of dealing with various diseases that could cause inflammation in your throat, among other things.
And with this we are done. We hope it has been useful to you. 🙂