Discharge in cats after childbirth: causes, symptoms, treatment if necessary, postpartum recovery

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Discharge in cats after childbirth can be normal. Thus, the body of the animal is restored after pregnancy. However, in many cases, exudate leakage from the loop is a sign of pathology. How to distinguish a sick cat from a he althy one? And when is urgent veterinary attention needed? We will consider these issues further.

What is normal

Discharge from a loop in a cat after childbirth is not always associated with pathology. After all, after bearing kittens, the uterus should recover. This usually happens within 7-10 days. But often the recovery period is delayed up to three weeks. This is usually noted in older animals. And during all this time, discharges are observed. If their number is small, then this should not be a cause for concern.

Normal discharge in cats after childbirth in the first days may have a different color. If over time the colorthe discharge becomes transparent, then you should not worry about the he alth of the cat. It comes out of the uterus particles of the placenta and excess epithelium. This phenomenon is considered normal and does not indicate a disease.

When you need vet help

However, in many cases, postpartum discharge is one of the symptoms of serious pathologies. You should contact your veterinarian immediately in the following cases:

1. If not all afterbirths came out of the animal during the birth process. For example, a cat gave birth to five kittens, but at the same time three or four placentas came out. This condition threatens the pet with a dangerous disease - purulent inflammation of the uterus. This severe pathology often has to be treated surgically.
2. If a large amount of discharge comes out of the loop, then this most often indicates a disease.
3. If an animal comes out with pus, it always indicates severe inflammation or swelling. In this case, the pathological process does not always develop in the genital organs. Such discharge may be a sign of bladder cancer.
4. It is necessary to contact the veterinarian if the discharge was observed during pregnancy.
5. If an animal has profuse and prolonged bleeding, then this should always be a reason to immediately contact a specialist.
6. If a cat suffers from poor blood clotting, and after giving birth, the animal has red discharge, then this is a very formidable sign. With hematological pathologies, any damage received during childbirth can bleed for a very long time. ATin severe cases, the animal may die from blood loss.
7. Urgent referral to a specialist is also necessary if discharge is observed after a difficult birth that proceeded with mucosal ruptures. In such cases, cats often develop inflammation of the vagina - vaginitis.
8. In rare cases, in primiparous animals, a fistula forms between the intestines and the genitals. This is an extremely dangerous pathology that can be complicated by sepsis. In this case, not only blood is released from the loop, but also a small amount of feces.
9. If a cat has had chronic urinary incontinence in the past, then you need to be examined at a veterinary clinic. In this case, the urine constantly leaks and irritates the loop area. Over time, inflammation develops, accompanied by discharge.

Next, we will look at the different types of postpartum discharge and the possible causes of their occurrence.

Blood from the noose

Bleeding in a cat after childbirth may be normal for the first 4-5 days. If the animal is he althy, then the discharge acquires a pinkish color over time, and then becomes transparent. At the same time, bloody mucus should not have an unpleasant odor.

Sometimes veterinarians use Oxytocin to induce labor. This hormonal medicine increases contractions. It is considered obsolete, but some experts continue to use it. The consequence of such rapid delivery can be tissue rupture. Profuse bleeding thatlasts more than 10 minutes, may be a sign of serious birth injuries of the internal genital organs. In this case, the cat needs emergency care. Even if Oxytocin was not used during childbirth, but subsequently there is severe uterine bleeding, an urgent need to contact a veterinarian.

Sometimes there is a thick bleeding in cats after childbirth, outwardly resembling a red paste. Often this mass contains a greenish impurity. The cause of this symptom is most often inflammation of the walls of the uterus. This means that during childbirth, an infection got into the genitals or the placenta did not come out. It is urgent to consult a specialist and undergo a course of antibiotic treatment. In severe cases, the uterus has to be removed.

Brown highlights

Brown discharge in cats after childbirth is the norm only in the first 3 weeks. At the same time, they should not have an unpleasant odor and impurities.

In a he althy animal, the amount of discharge should not be excessively abundant. The owner of the cat should pay attention to the nature of the discharge and the behavior of the pet. The following signs should alert:

1. If the cat lies down after giving birth and the brown discharge has an unpleasant "putrid" smell, then this is usually a symptom of bacterial infections in the genitals. At the same time, the animal looks lethargic and apathetic, often there is an increase in temperature.
2. Pink admixture in brown exudate may indicatefungal infection.
3. Greenish inclusions indicate that purulent inflammation develops in the genitals or bladder.
4. If an animal has an admixture of cream or black in brown discharge, then most likely the cat suffers from pyometra. This is a purulent inflammation of the uterine mucosa, which often requires urgent surgical intervention.
5. If the brown mass comes out of the loop immediately after childbirth, then this is one of the signs of chlamydia. In this case, the infection is often found in newborn kittens, as they become infected from the mother in utero.
6. In some cases, cat owners mistake feces for brown discharge. If the animal has fecal masses coming out of the loop, then this is a sign of a fistula between the rectum and the vagina. You can identify such discharge by a specific unpleasant odor.

Impurities in secretions are not always visible to the naked eye. Therefore, if a pathology is suspected, it is necessary to take the cat to the veterinarian. In the laboratory, a specialist will conduct a microscopic examination of the discharge.

White and transparent highlights

White discharge in a cat after childbirth is most often a sign of an inflammatory process in the bladder (cystitis) or in the vagina (vaginitis). These diseases pose a great danger to the animal, since the body of the pet is weakened after the birth of kittens. In addition, vaginitis is often complicated by pyometra. If a cat comes out of the loop whitemass, then this should be a reason to contact the veterinarian.

Clear discharge in cats after childbirth is usually not indicative of danger. This symptom is noted at the end of the recovery period. In the first week after the birth of the cubs, colored mucus is separated from the animals, which subsequently becomes transparent.

Purulent discharge

Purulent discharge from a cat after childbirth is especially dangerous. They have a thick texture. The color of the exudate can be different: from yellowish to gray. Most often this is a sign of pyometra. In such cases, urgent examination and treatment by a veterinarian is necessary. Purulent inflammation of the uterus can lead to the death of the animal. In addition, purulent discharge can be a sign of endometritis or tumors of the genitourinary system. These diseases are extremely dangerous, as they can cause blood poisoning.

General symptoms in pathological discharge

If the discharge from a cat after childbirth is associated with pathology, then they are always accompanied by general malaise. You can notice the following changes in the well-being and behavior of the animal:

• sluggishness;
• temperature increase;
• constant licking of the loop area;
• refusing to care for cubs;
• thirst;
• abdominal pain accompanied by meowing and restlessness;
• frequent urination.

If an animal's temperature has dropped, this does not always indicate an improvement in the condition. It is important to remember that a decrease in fever incombined with lethargy and apathy may be a sign of sepsis.

Diagnosis

Pathological postpartum discharge in animals can be caused by various reasons. To identify the etiology of such a symptom, the following examinations are prescribed:

• general and biochemical blood tests;
• clinical and bacteriological analysis of urine;
• vaginal swab test;
• examination of the genital tract with a colposcope;
• Ultrasound of the abdominal organs;
• kidney x-ray with contrast agent;
• blood clotting test.

Treatment

If a cat has abnormal postpartum discharge, the choice of treatment will depend on its cause. It is necessary to carry out therapy of the main pathology:

1. When the placenta is incomplete, the veterinarian gives an injection of Oxytocin. This remedy causes uterine contractions and helps to remove the placenta.
2. In infectious diseases, antibiotics are indicated.
3. If a cat has severe uterine bleeding, coagulants should be used.
4. Surgical treatment is indicated for fistulas and advanced cases of pyometra.

During the course of therapy, the owner must provide the pet with good nutrition. The diet of the animal must be designed in such a way that it is rich in vitamins and other useful substances. This will strengthen the cat's immune system and promote recovery.

Recovery afterchildbirth

The birth of a cat is a very crucial moment. If the owner of the animal does not have special knowledge about obstetrics, then it is better to invite a veterinarian to the house. This is especially necessary for older animals, their births often proceed with complications.

It is necessary to maintain cleanliness in the room where the cat gives birth. This will help to avoid infectious complications and the appearance of pathological discharge. Carefully observe sanitary standards should be in the first week after childbirth. During this period, the cervix of the cat is open, and the infection can easily get inside.

Immediately after giving birth, you need to monitor the well-being of the animal. It is necessary to pay attention to the color and frequency of the discharge. To determine the nature of the discharge, it is useful to lay a sheet on the cat. Allocations will be clearly visible on light fabrics. The bedding should be changed 2 times a day or as it gets dirty.

If you experience profuse bloody or purulent discharge, you should immediately contact your veterinarian. In such cases, the animal needs emergency help.

The diet of the animal after childbirth should be complete. This will help strengthen the immune system. Particular attention should be paid to cats that have given birth to large kittens. These pets are most likely to have postpartum complications, and the animals should be periodically shown to the veterinarian in order to prevent pathologies.

Pet owners need to be aware that cats with inflammatory diseases of the genital organs may go into heat soon after birth. Under no circumstances should mating be allowed.sick cats with cats. Following this rule will help prevent the spread of infection and intrauterine infection of future kittens.