Dog ate chocolate?

 ask a vet

Cat pawing at mouth

Species: Cat
Breed: Short haired
Age: 2-5 years
My cat has been like this for 2 days now, he looked like he was chokeing at first, its like he has something trapped in his mouth. I have tried looking in there i can't see any think, then he will go ok for a while then start again he goes mad by jumping around with his tougue out and his paw at his mouth. we don't know if its a fur ball or if he has eat a bee or some thing like that. we can't afford to take him to a vet and find out its just a fur ball his trying to get up. can you please help by confirming what it can be and is wrong with him. Thankyou


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Oh, it sounds like Diesel is having a hard time.

Usually when I hear of a cat having some coughing type episodes I think of an upper respiratory virus.

However, what you have described with him trying to paw at his mouth makes me concerned that there is something more serious going on. It certainly is possible that there is something stuck in his mouth. One possibility is if there is a thread or strong of some sort stuck under his tongue. This can be hard to see though and equally hard to fix and would likely require veterinary care.

I have not seen many cats have the symptoms that you have described. One cat that I saw with similar symptoms had a small piece of plastic stuck to the back of his tongue. Fur balls, or an insect sting should not cause these symptoms.

I wish I could give you some more helpful information, but if he is continuing to be this distressed then a vet visit is definitely necessary.

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Questions about an older dog. I have a female Shih Tzu, turning 5 this coming July. To let you understand the... (19600 views)

Sick kitten We recently found this kitten last week outside, when we found him we estimated that... (8360 views)

Bassett hound neck pain, etc. Our dog Lola came to us as a stray about 3 yrs ago. She is about 7 years old and... (12385 views)

Tug of war caused hernia? Can playing tug of war with a male dog cause a... (4845 views)

Anxious cat - medicine? Hello, My Cat Guen shows MANY attention seeking behaviors. She chews chords,... (20202 views)

Bladder surgery showed no cancer or stones. I am sorry in advance this is a little long. I just wanted to get the right... (10242 views)

Front leg and neck pain. Hi, I noticed last Thursday my dog being uncomfortable and by Saturday he started... (12116 views)

Dog drank a mug of hot chocolate. what should i do my dog is 2,7 kg and she might die because she is SO small please... (29441 views)

Cat scratch fever. We have had our cat Zeus for over a year. He is up to date on his vaccines and is an... (5070 views)

Good chew toys for dogs. Hi Dr, I have a 9 month old dog who is part Golden and part Canadian beaver. He... (14559 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.