Dog ate chocolate?

ask a vet

Something in throat?

Species: Cat
Breed: mixed
Age: 5-8 years
Husband won't let me take cat to vet..childrens pet. Cat stopped eating a few days ago. She acts like something is stuck in her throat and keeps trying to hack it up. It sounds worse than trying ot get a hair ball out it's almost a hack with a hiss if that makes sense. Last night blood was coming from her nose and mouth but still with us this morning. No food or water in at least a day. Girls are begging me to help her. I did notice she had been eating birds lately.


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Oh dear, I am sorry to hear that Abbey is having these problems. She really sounds unwell.

Any time a cat does not want to eat it can be a sign of a serious problem.

With the symptoms of hacking and then blood there are a few possibilities as to what is going on. It is possible that she has an upper respiratory tract virus. If so, if we can get her to eat then she may pull through this on her own. Some things you can try in order to get her to eat include:

-heating up some canned cat food.
-making a soup by adding water to canned food.
-placing some food in her mouth to give her the taste
-offering baby food (with no onions or garlic)

However, it's also possible that there is something much more serious going on. When we see blood from the nose and the mouth I wonder about the possibility of a foreign object lodged in the mouth or nose, or an infection affecting the mouth or nose. A tooth root infection can cause bleeding in the mouth and nose. Unfortunately if this is the case, she likely will not improve without vet care and may need to have the tooth removed.

Sometimes when there is bleeding in the mouth and nose this can mean a cancer affecting the nasal cavity. This is a little unusual in a cat of this age, but still possible. Unfortunately there is no good treatment for this.

Will she let you have a good look at her mouth? Try to look as far back as possible on the roof of her mouth to see if you can see any penetrating wound (like a stick stuck in there). Also, if possible see if you can look under her tongue to see if there is any string or thread in that area.

Pneumonia is also possible but shouldn't cause bleeding in the mouth.

Another possibility is exposure to rat or mouse poison. This can cause bleeding from multiple areas.

Ultimately, as we both know, this cat really needs to see a veterinarian. In some areas, the humane society will help out if there are financial concerns. You can also look into some of the following resources:

http://askavetquestion.com/blog/need-help-paying-for-veterinary-bills/

I really hope she is ok!

Dr. Marie.


Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?


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...

Trouble waking and dandruff. My male, neutered cat came from the back alley. I can't remember if we initally had... (7436 views)

Sneezing guinea pig. My guinea pig is sneezing and wiping her nose more frequntly than she did... (24456 views)

Euthanasia difficulties. Well, Kiggy passed away May 21, 2012 after a vet recommended euthanasia. She was 14... (13277 views)

Itchy lump on eyelid. I have a 2 year old Shepherd mix, and he has developed a pink mole/growth on his... (9328 views)

Older dog - bloody diarrhea. My dog is a 12 1/2 yr old cocker spaniel/golden retriever mix. She's had diarrhea... (41546 views)

Small Russian Blue Cat. I have a Russian Blue who has recently turned 4 years old (we have had him since 6... (12156 views)

Feeding chicken liver to dogs. I feed Petey a high quality dry dog food in the morning, but I enjoy cooking his... (70152 views)

Cat with bloody diarrhea iam also a vet from pakistan.i want to ask that if a cat has bloody diarrhoea;wat i... (9015 views)

Stinky skin in pug. My pug is losing his hair and the skin is turning black around his neck. It started... (21218 views)

Best cloth bedding for guinea pigs. I wanted to make a new bed for my guinea pig's house (her "nest"). Are there any... (10296 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.