What Does It Mean if My Cat Is Throwing Up Blood?
Vomiting blood, or hematemesis, is a condition that requires immediate medical attention. There may be several different reasons for this, whether minor or life-threatening. Vomit that contains blood may have a coffee-grounds appearance.
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Hemorrhage
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A hemorrhage in the stomach or intestines can cause vomiting blood. A hemorrhage can affect the heart and cause a heart murmur and low blood pressure. A severe hemorrhage can result in rapid breathing.
Gastrointestinal Disease
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A cat may vomit blood when suffering from ulcers or an inflamed bowel. An inflamed bowel is common in cats with inflammatory bowel disease.
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Infection
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A cat suffering from a respiratory or viral infection may have occurrences of hematemesis. Other metabolic or neurological infections can contribute to this as well.
Critical Illness
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A cat that is critically ill will likely throw up blood. Drugs such as NSAIDs can increase the risk of vomiting blood.
Trauma
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A cat may experience vomiting blood after a traumatic incident. This could include a burn, major surgery or snake bites. Toxic plants, pesticides and heartworm can cause vomiting blood.
What to Do
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Call the vet right away if you notice any blood in your cat's vomit. A vet will perform blood, urine and fecal tests and possibly an X-ray or ultrasound to determine the cause.
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- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Alessandro Valli
