Risk of Cat Poisoning from Tick and Flea Medication
A standard emergency in most veterinarian centers is accidental cat poisoning caused by pet owners who had the good intentions of taking care of their precious pets. For instance, some owners will put dog flea medications on their cats, without carefully reading the label or consulting their veterinarians, which results in dangerous cat poisoning.
Which medication causes cat poisoning?
The drugs originating from the pyrethroid and pyrethrin family are the primary medication that causes poisoning in pets. They are found in topical medications, sprays, and household insecticides. While these chemicals can be safely used on dogs, you must never use them on cats.
The mum or chrysanthemum flower is the natural source of pyrethrin, while the synthetic derivatives are called pyrethroids. Some of the common pyrethroids include:
• Cypermethrin
• Allethrin
• Cyphenothrin
• Permethrin
• Deltamethrin
Most of these chemical ingredients make up the largest concentrations in tick and flea spot-on treatments for dogs and do not cause any problems. Nevertheless, in specific species, such as fish and cats, high levels of concentrated pyrethroids will lead to severe poisoning. Cats have a unique liver metabolism, which means they are unable to handle pyrethroids in high concentration.
Signs of Cat Poisoning
• Vomiting and drooling
• Agitation
• Lethargy
• Twitching of the face and ears
• Gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhea
• Impaired walking
• Muscle tremors
• Seizures
• Increased body temperature
Since cat poisoning could even result in death, make sure you contact a veterinarian immediately. Fortunately, if it addressed quickly, the less chance the poison will affect your cat and also the cheaper it will be to treat safely.
Treatment of Cat Poisoning
Wash your cat
Remember that cats do not really like bathing at home. However, you must try and wash your cat to remove the oily tick and flea medication. You can also add a bit of mild dish soap to wash away the pyrethroid medication.
Go to your veterinarian.
If you are not confident about washing your cat, then you need to seek veterinary attention immediately. Your vet can efficiently and quickly decontaminate your pet to eliminate the harmful chemicals.
Cat hospitalization
For cats with clinical symptoms like seizures and tremors, then a brief stay at the hospital is necessary to address those issues. The vet will administer various medications like antiseizure drugs and muscle relaxants along with monitoring the blood pressure, blood sugar and temperature of the cat.
Conclusion
To avoid accidentally poisoning your cat, you should never give any medication to your cat without first scrutinizing the label.
