Is It Really Normal For A Cat To Bleed Easily?

[terestrife]

my cat elsa just got a dental cleaning. i think shes had issues with her teeth since i adopted her. she sometimes only eats half her food. when i started brushing her teeth she started finishing all her food.

i took her for a checkup and she had a tooth that was loose. and smelled so bad! i took her for a cleaning and she lost a few teeth. the vet commented that she bled easily, but her blood clotted normally. he didnt seem concerned. but i dont like to just listen to the word of one person.

should i worry?

 

[Mamanyt1953]

OK...I just spent about 30 minutes digging through articles about bleeding in cats. Half of them, I had to look up words, and in a couple, I had to look up words from the definition of the original word I wasn't familiar with, but if I have it right, it is no big deal if a cat bleeds easily so long as it clots normally, which the vet says your cat does! I think you are in the clear, here!

 

[terestrife]

OK...I just spent about 30 minutes digging through articles about bleeding in cats. Half of them, I had to look up words, and in a couple, I had to look up words from the definition of the original word I wasn't familiar with, but if I have it right, it is no big deal if a cat bleeds easily so long as it clots normally, which the vet says your cat does! I think you are in the clear, here!

thank you so much! that makes me feel a lot better.
also, it was so kind of you to spend time researching to help me. im really grateful to this website for all the amazing members that are a part of it.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

That's what we are here for! We laugh together, cry together, support each other, help each other however we can. It is the reason that I LOVE this site!

 

[terestrife]

That's what we are here for! We laugh together, cry together, support each other, help each other however we can. It is the reason that I LOVE this site!

i completely agree. =) i'll never forget all the support i have gotten in this site.

 

[sweetpea24]

my cat elsa just got a dental cleaning. i think shes had issues with her teeth since i adopted her. she sometimes only eats half her food. when i started brushing her teeth she started finishing all her food.

i took her for a checkup and she had a tooth that was loose. and smelled so bad! i took her for a cleaning and she lost a few teeth. the vet commented that she bled easily, but her blood clotted normally. he didnt seem concerned. but i dont like to just listen to the word of one person.

should i worry?

Just be careful that she doesn't get any lacerations. My cat also bleeds a lot and almost died from a tiny cut on his paw. He was in the hospital for 10 days. His PCV (packed cell volume or volume of red blood cells) was down to 10%. I could test him for a coagulation disorder but there's nothing you can do other than prevent any injuries. If she does injure herself, I would suggest wrapping the injured area in a maxi pad and bringing her to the vet to have it sutured and maybe some IV fluids.

 

[Antonio65]

Have you seen her blood test report about clotting time and platelets count?
My cat has clotting problems. Every time she has a blood draw we have to make pressure on her vein to stop her blood from kep running out.
Her platelets count is at the low limit and her clotting times (PTT and aPTT) are rather high.
She was put on vitamin K for 6 months, nothing changed...

 

[terestrife]

Just be careful that she doesn't get any lacerations. My cat also bleeds a lot and almost died from a tiny cut on his paw. He was in the hospital for 10 days. His PCV (packed cell volume or volume of red blood cells) was down to 10%. I could test him for a coagulation disorder but there's nothing you can do other than prevent any injuries. If she does injure herself, I would suggest wrapping the injured area in a maxi pad and bringing her to the vet to have it sutured and maybe some IV fluids.

thanks for letting me know, i will make sure to do that =)

Have you seen her blood test report about clotting time and platelets count?
My cat has clotting problems. Every time she has a blood draw we have to make pressure on her vein to stop her blood from kep running out.
Her platelets count is at the low limit and her clotting times (PTT and aPTT) are rather high.
She was put on vitamin K for 6 months, nothing changed...

i dont know if that was shown on her blood test? should i request it?

 

[Antonio65]

thanks for letting me know, i will make sure to do that =)
i dont know if that was shown on her blood test? should i request it?

It does show the platelets count
Platelet 189 [155 - 641 K/μL]
it doesn't show PTT and aPTT, usually done on request and with a different cost.

I noticed a quite low WBC and Neutrophiles. Is it being addressed already?

 

[di and bob]

Dental/gum problems cause easy mouth bleeding in humans too. This should clear up once her dental issues are taken care of, once more just like humans. As long as she is clotting normally everything should be fine. I would recommend, (after consulting with your vet) putting a dental water additive in the drinking water. The one my cats accept the best is Oratene, I have tried others but they can detect it in the water and won't drink. Since I have started it a few years ago, all of my cats have had good dental reports, and their breathe and the whiteness is better too.

 

[terestrife]

It does show the platelets count
Platelet 189 [155 - 641 K/μL]
it doesn't show PTT and aPTT, usually done on request and with a different cost.

I noticed a quite low WBC and Neutrophiles. Is it being addressed already?

no, the vet said elsas numbers were fine. the vet i saw that day has left, i will print out elsas report and take it with me when i do elsas checkup in a week.
ill mention the numbers then, just in case. thanks for letting me know. =)

Dental/gum problems cause easy mouth bleeding in humans too. This should clear up once her dental issues are taken care of, once more just like humans. As long as she is clotting normally everything should be fine. I would recommend, (after consulting with your vet) putting a dental water additive in the drinking water. The one my cats accept the best is Oratene, I have tried others but they can detect it in the water and won't drink. Since I have started it a few years ago, all of my cats have had good dental reports, and their breathe and the whiteness is better too.

thats what i thought when he was mentioning the bleeding to me. i once went through dental issues, and would bleed easily, floss, and good dental care got rid of it.
thank you! i have a check up with the vet early next week, i will discuss the additive with him.

EDIT: I have been "brushing" her teeth this past year. ive just been sticking my finger in her mouth with cat toothpaste. lol the vet was surprised that half her mouth had healthy teeth. he was also surprised that her teeth werent so dirty, which is why he only gave an antibiotic on the day of the extractions. i didnt have to take any antibiotics home. i really think the toothpaste made a huge difference. it was even helping with her rancid breath. but i dont think all the brushing in the world was going to fix the loose tooth that came off during the vet visit. the vet said that she had teeth that appeared healthy, but were rotting in the inside.

she lost a lb in one year, she would eat half the amount of food that Kitty eats. i never understood why she would sometimes run after starting to eat. but i see now that she was in pain. =(