Immediate Actions:
-
Call your veterinarian immediately. Caladiums contain calcium oxalate crystals, which can be toxic to cats. Symptoms may include:
- Drooling
- Oral pain and irritation
- Difficulty swallowing
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
-
Induce vomiting: If instructed by your veterinarian, you may induce vomiting using 3% hydrogen peroxide solution. Give 1 teaspoon per 10 pounds of body weight orally. Repeat after 10 minutes if no vomiting occurs.
Veterinary Treatment:
- Examination and detoxification: Your veterinarian will assess your cat’s condition and administer activated charcoal to absorb the toxins.
- Pain management: Oral or topical pain relievers may be prescribed to alleviate oral irritation.
- Supportive care: Your cat may require intravenous fluids and antibiotics to support recovery.
Home Care:
- Monitor symptoms: Observe your cat for any signs of improvement or worsening symptoms.
- Withhold food and water: For 12-24 hours after inducing vomiting, withhold food and water to prevent further irritation.
- Feed bland diet: After 12-24 hours, start offering small amounts of a bland diet (boiled chicken or fish with white rice).
- Provide comfort: Provide a quiet and comfortable space for your cat to rest.
Prevention:
- Keep caladiums out of reach: Ensure that all caladiums are placed where your cat cannot access them.
- Educate children: Children should be taught to never feed or allow pets to eat caladiums.
The article was created by AI.
We received responses from Google Gemini to the following questions.
My cat ate an “caladium”. What should I do? Answers should be in English.
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