How to Treat Feline Rectal Bleeding

Cats may be very independent, but they require you to care for them and spend some money. At least twice a year they should be taken to see their veterinarian for regular check-ups. Doctor bills are not cheap and if something goes wrong, such as rectal bleeding, it is very important to get it treated right away.

Instructions

1. Observe how often your cat has rectal bleeding. If it is more than once a day, then check the stool for parasites. If the cat has worms it is the probable cause for the bleeding and the cat will need an antibiotic to kill the parasites. If there are no parasites visible then you will need to take further action.

2. Notice if your cat is struggling when moving its bowels. The cat could have hemorrhoids or needs a change in its diet. Straining can cause hemorrhoids and waiting to address it will only increase the problem. Take your cat to your veterinarian as soon as possible in order to help treat it with the right antibiotics.

3. Gather a sample of the cat's feces. The stool should be put in a plastic bag and sealed. Take the cat and the stool sample to your veterinarian. A fecal test will be done with the stool in order to determine for certain if there's a parasite problem. The doctor will examine your cat in order to find the cause.

4. Determine the problem. You will need to know the cause of the bleeding before you can treat it. If the bleeding is from allergies, bowel problems or colitis then the veterinarian will offer antibiotics to help treat the problem. The most common antibiotic is metranidazole, which will treat bowel inflammatory disease. For colitis you will give the cat corticosteroids.

5. Give your cat its prescribed antibiotics. If the problem continues longer than two days then bring the cat back in for another checkup. The cause could be cancer in the lower bowels, which will require immediate surgery.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not wait any longer than two days to take your cat to your vet upon noticing the blood.

Resources

• http://www.carefreepet.com/health/cat_bleeding.html
• http://www.hdw-inc.com/felinefirstaid.htm