Feline Nosebleeds

Has your pet kitty been experiencing nosebleedsinclude:o Sneezing that results in a spray of bloodo
recently? If so, it is important to understand theSwelling in the nasal areao Fractured teeth or other
potential causes of nosebleeds and when it should besigns of dental problemso Stool that is black and
a matter of concern. In addition, knowing how totarry in appearanceo Foul odors coming from the
properly treat a feline nosebleed can help both younose or moutho Breathing loudlyo Loss of appetite
and your pet better cope with the situation.If you notice any of these symptoms, it is important
What Causes Nosebleeds in Felines?to contact your veterinarian and to report all of the
In general, feline nosebleeds are caused when vesselssymptoms. This way, your veterinarian will be fully
within the nasal mucosa become damaged. It iscapable of making a diagnosis and helping your pet
possible, however, for the nosebleed to occur due toreturn to good health.
certain conditions that cause the capillaries to becomeHow Can I Treat a Nosebleed?
more fragile or simply make your pet more prone toThere are many steps you take in order to treat a
bleeding. Some of the most common causes offeline nosebleed at home. First, you should take steps
nosebleeds in cats include:o Trauma to the faceoto help your pet relax, as increased excitement and
Foreign bodies in the noseo Dental disease, such asagitation will cause the blood to flow faster. Once
tooth rot abscesso Tumors in the noseo Infections inyour cat has been calmed down, apply direct
the nose, which may be fungal, bacterial or parasiticopressure along with a cold compress to the nose in
Blood disorders such as low platelet counts ororder to further help slow down the bleeding.
contraction of tick-borne diseaseso Thickening of theIf the bleeding does not stop or if it becomes worse,
blood resulting from disorders such as multipleyou may need to make an emergency call to your
myelomaveterinarian. In the more severe cases, it may be
It is important to also note that nosebleeds maynecessary to pack the nasal cavity with gauze in
occur on just one side, which is referred to as beingorder to provide more direct pressure to the area
unilateral, or on both sides, which is referred to as(probably best left to your veterinary professional.)
bilateral. In addition, the bleeding can start suddenly orWhether you manage to get the bleeding to stop on
it can be an ongoing problem. The location of theyour own or not, you should still make an
bleeding and the type of bleeding that occurs canappointment with your veterinarian after your cat
help with diagnosing the cause of the bleeding.experiences a nosebleed. Even if you know the
Are There Any Other Symptoms to Be Concernedcause of the bleed, such as trauma to the nose, it is
About?a good idea to have your pet checked over in order
If you notice that your cat is suffering fromto make certain your cat is in good health and there
nosebleeds, you should look for other symptomsare no underlying problems associated with the
that can potentially accompany this problem. Somebleeding.
symptoms that may accompany a nosebleed