Septic Shock in Cats
Septic Shock in Cats - Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, Recovery, Management, Cost
What is Septic Shock?
Cats with impaired immune systems, very young or old cats, or cats with an underlying condition or disease are more susceptible to bacterial infection, sepsis, and progression to septic shock. Septic shock is an emergency requiring urgent veterinary care to prevent fatality. 
Shock due to bacterial infection (septic shock) in cats is a life-threatening complication of systemic bacterial infection (sepsis). Sepsis or septicemia is illness resulting from a bacterial infection that has moved into the animal's bloodstream, spreading the bacterial infection throughout the cat’s body. Once sepsis has occurred it can progress to septic shock rapidly as the immune system responds to the bacterial presence, producing substances to combat the infection, and the bacteria itself produces toxins. Theses substances and toxins cause blood vessels to dilate, resulting in lowered blood pressure and reduced blood flow to vital organs such as the kidneys and brain. The heart increases output to compensate but eventually weakens, lowering blood flow and oxygenation even further. In addition, the heart itself can be compromised by the bacterial infection. The result is organ malfunction and eventually damage due to lack of oxygen to the tissues. If blood vessels are also compromised and begin leaking, fluid builds up in tissues, causing edema. In the lungs, this results in respiratory distress. 
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Septic Shock Average Cost
From 430 quotes ranging from $2,000 - $8,000
Average Cost
$4,000
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Symptoms of Septic Shock in Cats
Initial signs of septic shock include:
  • Disorientation
  • Shaking
  • Fever
  • Rapid pulse
  • Rapid breathing/panting
  • Decrease in urinary output
Symptoms of later stages of septic shock (characterized by organ and organ system failure) include:
  • Rapid or slow heart rate
  • Pale gums
  • Cold extremities
  • Low body temperature
  • Capillary hemorrhaging - small pinpoint red dots on tissues
  • Severe weakness
  • Lactic acid buildup in blood due to poor oxygenization contributes to organ malfunction from acidic blood
  • Kidney failure - kidneys decrease or cease production of urine
  • Respiratory distress as lungs fail
  • Heart failure resulting in edema and swelling
  • Blood clot disorder
  • Bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract
Causes of Septic Shock in Cats
Septic shock is a complication of sepsis, which occurs when localized bacterial infection has moved into the bloodstream (blood poisoning). Some animals seem to have a genetic predisposition to bacterial infection and immune system dysfunction. Genetic predisposition, organ dysfunction, or presence of illness or other medical conditions greatly complicate the progression of bacterial infection to sepsis and septic shock.
Conditions predisposing or causing infection in your cat include:
  • Postoperative infection from surgery
  • Septic pancreatitis
  • Conditions that decrease immune system functioning such as diabetes, Cushing's disease, chemotherapy treatment, high dose steroid treatment
  • Gastrointestinal disorder or disease- compromised GI tract lining or peritonitis
  • Urinary tract infection - common in male cats
  • Bacterial infection of heart lining
  • Pneumonia
  • Meningitis
  • Abscess in liver
  • Abscess from bite wounds.
  • Traumatic injury
Viral infections such as feline leukemia virus greatly complicate bacterial infection. Also, the type of bacteria and location of infection complicates the risk of sepsis and septic shock.
Diagnosis of Septic Shock in Cats
Diagnosis of septic shock is not always straightforward, as bacteria in the blood are not always easily detectable and cultures of tissues and fluids to determine the presence of bacteria take time to develop. Due to the urgency of septic shock your veterinarian may start treatment prior to a confirmed diagnosis of septic shock. 
Your veterinarian will perform a complete physical assessment and take a medical history of your cat, paying special attention to any conditions that would cause bacterial infection or that would predispose your cat to infection, such as immune system compromise.
Your veterinarian will perform a variety of tests to discover any underlying conditions that might cause bacterial infection. Blood count and blood chemistry tests, urinalysis, x-rays, echocardiograms, and ultrasounds will be useful in identifying an underlying cause.
Sepsis diagnosis can be determined by looking for indications in blood samples of abnormal levels of white blood cells, decreased oxygen levels, decreased platelets, increased lactic acid, and increased metabolic waste products in blood samples. In addition, fluid samples from tissues can be taken and cultures performed to determine the presence and type of bacteria. This information can be used to customize treatment specific to the type of bacteria present.
Treatment of Septic Shock in Cats
Treatment of septic shock is urgent as this is a life threatening condition. Hospitalization will be required and supportive therapy for treatment of shock will begin immediately. Intravenous therapy will be administered to increase blood pressure and medication to ensure adequate blood flow to vital organs will be administered. Oxygen will also be administered to your cat to increase oxygenation to tissues and organs. Antibiotic therapy will be started immediately. The type of antibiotic will be tailored to the type of bacterial infection and location, if possible. If this information is not available antibiotics treatment will be initiated and when test results are available the antibiotic treatment customized if necessary to the bacterial infection identified. Vasopressor drugs to constrict dilated blood vessels and improve blood pressure may be administered. Surgery to drain an abscess or remove dead, infected tissue may be required. Blood transfusion will be administered as needed. Septic shock is an urgent life-threatening condition and prognosis is guarded in spite of treatment fatality is a real possibility.
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Recovery of Septic Shock in Cats
Prognosis and recovery of septic shock depends on the successful treatment of the underlying cause. Extensive follow-up intravenous therapy and specialized diet to ensure return to correct blood chemistry will be needed. Additional treatment for respiratory, heart, and organ damage that may have occurred may be required. Tests to check blood chemistry and urine and organ functioning will be performed until system functioning returns to normal. Depending on the procedures required during treatment, pain management may also be necessary.
Septic Shock Average Cost
From 430 quotes ranging from $2,000 - $8,000
Average Cost
$4,000
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Septic Shock Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
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mixed
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Buddy
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8 Years
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My pet has the following symptoms:
Vomiting
Vomiting, Seizures, Hiding
My cat was diagnosed with this and given a shot but is hiding and having seizures. He survived the night but am terribly worried about the outcome despite the vet saying not to write him off. What do you think his chances of survival are at this stage? I can't take him back to the vet until the morning.
June 17, 2018
0 Recommendations
It may take some time before you see any improvement, however it is not possible for me to give a prognosis without examining Buddy and determining the overall severity. You should return to your Veterinarian in the morning for a follow up examination and if he is seizing during the night, it may be worth admitting him for observation. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
June 18, 2018
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DOMESTIC
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Freya
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7 Years
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2 found this helpful

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My pet has the following symptoms:
Not Eating
Not Drinking
My older cat has had an infection in her eye that we have treated multiple times. It's been over the course of a few years. Now she has pus coming from her vagina. What can we do?
May 7, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
2 Recommendations
Freya's eye infection and current problem are not likely related. If Freya is not spayed, she probably needs to be, as cats are prone to uterine infections. If she is spayed, she may have an infection or problem with her bladder or urogenital tract. Either way, she should be seen as soon as possible by your veterinarian to determine what might be going on, and how to go about treating her.
May 7, 2018
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Tabby mixed
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Coco
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8 Years
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3 found this helpful

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3 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Breathing Difficulty
I have a 8 year old female, I noticed a lump on the right side of her face....2 days later she stoped eating then she went missing for 2 days...I found her hiding in the shrubs...When I picked her up she had a very smelly mouth, abscess??...I called the vet as soon as I found her but they couldn't come out due to Easter holidays...She isn't eating or drinking..
April 3, 2018
3 Recommendations
Without examining Coco it is difficult to confirm the cause but it is possible that there is an abscess present; you should keep her indoors and try to keep her hydrated by using a syringe and possibly mix some smooth wet food with water and syringe it slowly to the mouth. If your Veterinarian will not come out, you should visit an Emergency Veterinarian for an examination. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
April 3, 2018
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Black cat
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Kikki
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16 Months
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My pet has the following symptoms:
Lethargy
Vomiting
Wheezing
Rapid Breathing
Abscess
29 August swollen paw 4sept draining stinking white fluid from paws with infection ..not eating or drinking or sleeping- vet did dressing gave antibiotic painkiller 5sept dressing changed after 24 hours still stinking a bit .. 6sept dressing removed after 12 hours uncovered for another 12 hours until dressed again was considerably dry during which cat licked it a bit ..cat started eating itself and slept too no more smell from the injury became active 7sept pus developed again ..dressing done , very active, ran away and did a lot of jumping and hanging around with the covered paw which wasn't removed when we got him back 8 sept dressing twice in morning and evening too ..ate a lot 9 sept ate normally, restless ..mewing in stress ..vomitted late night at12 undigested food and at 5-6 in morning 10 sept restless , couldn't mew, ate nothing ,had little water, cat on drip IV , peed a bit , ate little after the drip 11 sept didn't eat, had a bit milk.. cat on drip IV + Subcutaneously due to water deficiency, after which cat struggled to even stand couldn't move at all started breathing heavy Syringed fluid after 1 hour when the cat had a laying posture through side jaw and cat tried swallowing it everytime 12 sept 3am drip again, panted a lot salivating , peed a lot , heavy breathing continued till 9:17am in the morning .. foamed white,vomitted, struggled hard and collapsed. Stiff body. What killed it 😢
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Unknown
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Sam
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9 Years
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My pet has the following symptoms:
Bite Wound
Bite Wound Difficulty Urinating
Bite Wound Infected
We have an outdoor cat that seems Ferel. We have had him for years. I have tried to bring him inside several times and he flips out. He doesn’t understand a litter box and prefers outside. He wandered to our house one day and never left. We recently moved and brought him with. He was attacked by a vicious cat. He has horrible punctures on both sides of his head and ears. Several marks on his neck. He is lethargic, feverish, not drinking, eating wet food. He is trying to urinate frequently with no output. When he was attacked he disappeared for 3 days and I was a mess searching the woods. He finally wandered up the step. He didn’t look that bad but had clearly been through something bad. He was letting me apply animax cream and bacitracin, but now he will not let me apply cream. He seems to be septic. He is my best friend. He is also old and very sick. I can’t bring him inside to care for him he won’t allow it. We can’t afford a vet for this especially being unable to keep him inside. I’m not sure what to do. I have prayed so much but don’t know what to do. The wound is horrific and he keeps scratching it making it bleed. We never saw any cats here until now. I saw the cat on trail cam which is how I figured out it was a cat fight. He keeps coming to our property and eating dead mice from the fire pit. The cat is savage. Our cat doesn’t eat mice or act ferel like that. This cat tried to kill him and I’m afraid that’s going to happen. Has anyone had a cat with sepsis? Can I give him anything for pain? How much is he suffering? If he’s going to die....how long :(
Septic Shock Average Cost
From 430 quotes ranging from $2,000 - $8,000
Average Cost
$4,000
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