Allergic shock is actually an emergency cat condition, which happens when a cat is being exposed to a specific allergen after getting an exposure to it heretofore. In the extreme situations, this particular reaction may be so fatal. This condition is so unpredictable, like almost any constituent may theoretically cause allergic reactions. The anticipated result is frequently good when the reaction is being detected in an early stage and the treatment is being administered promptly. In this article, we will discuss some more important facts about this condition, including the causes, symptoms, prognosis and treatments for allergic shock in felines or cats. Read on to learn more about these!
What is Allergic Shock in Cats?
Allergic shock is actually the term vets use in describing a tremendously severe allergic reaction. The anaphylaxis state is due to IgE antibodies, which bind to the antigen, thus causing the discharge of cytotoxic granules, coming from the mast cells and basophils. The histamine and serotonin are then being released, thus causing clinical symptoms of gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and respiratory distress in a short amount of time.
Allergic shock in cats is, in fact, life threatening and an immediate allergic reaction to whatever is consumed or injected. This austere kind of respond may be due to food, medication, vaccination, and possible insect stings or bites. If your cat’s suffering from this condition, it might develop symptoms of rapid heart rate, difficulty in breathing, vomiting, weak pulse, diarrhea, and / or facial swelling.
The clinical indications of allergic shock may appear in just minutes after the allergen gets into the body, leading through an exacerbated symptoms of pale mucus membranes, cold extremities, shock, coma, seizure, as well as death. There’s no way to know if the cat may experience allergic shock if it’s exposed to a rather harmless agent, yet cats, which have some other known allergies are at a higher risk. The condition is always a dangerous emergency situation, which may result in the rapid death. Hence, seeking for a vet care is necessary.
Causes
This cat condition is due to an extreme overreaction of the cat’s immune system to a certain allergen. At one point in cat’s li9fe, it came in contact with an allergen element and it’s at this point in time that the immunity perceive the harmless substance being a threat. The immunity made IgE or antibodies, in order to bind the antigen and terminate them when the substance enter the body the next time.
In the next time that the cat is vaccinated, consumes that certain food, stung, the antibodies will trigger the mast cell receptors and basophil. The immunity cells get to respond through the releasing of cystotoxic granules, which contain histamine and serotonin, thus creating a response that we see being an allergic reaction.
Prognosis
The indications a cat is showing as it’s been presented in a clinic might give the vet a direct prognosis of the condition. The cat may also be admitted to emergency life support care straightaway. When the cat has become stable, the doctor may then proceed to conducting diagnostic tests in determining the cause of the austere allergy –if it isn’t known yet. Looking for the source of an austere allergy may need a review on the medical history of the cat and pay a close attention to medications that it’s currently on and whatever vaccinations it has received recently.
It’s at this time that you need to report whatever changes there is in the cat’s diet, including whatever table scraps or treats given in a period of 24 hours. In order to diagnose an allergic shock in cats, the vet might use intradermal skin testing for the allergen. Nonetheless, in anaphylaxis cases, the routine testing may prove inefficient in comparison to the clinical findings.
Treatments for Allergic Shock in Cats
Allergic shock in felines is actually an immediate situation and it is treated on the dot with life support intravenous fluids, together with oxygen. The epinephrine is also a common drug, which is used in this kind of situation, in order to increase blood pressure and open the cat’s airways. Contingent to the condition of the cat, the vet might also choose to utilize a bronchodilator inhalant, glucocorticoids, and antihistamine medications, in order to attend to the allergic reaction symptoms. The cat may need some monitoring for the next days in the clinic and may be released when it’s already stable.
For the cats that has received immediate emergency care before the allergic shock reaction causing the cat to go into coma, the diagnosis is reasonably positive. Furthermore, there is also no way to know or prevent allergic shock in cats. However, if the cat has allergies before, the pet owners may take some precautions. Talk to your veterinarian regarding the allergies of your cat, as well as what some other cat owners in the similar situation have done in preventing the condition from happening again.
