Many people love cats. Not surprisingly, these graceful, beautiful, fluffy pets bring comfort and peace to any home. Alas, any animal can get sick. And cats are no exception. For example, breeders often wonder why the cat has a swollen cheek. Sometimes a similar problem goes away by itself. And sometimes it requires prompt medical attention to avoid serious complications that are dangerous for the pet. We will analyze the most common cases.
Acne
If you are wondering why the cat’s cheek swells, then the reason may lie in this disease.
On the lips and chin of the cat are large sebaceous glands that produce keratin. If its amount becomes too large (usually due to other diseases or malnutrition), then the element clogs the sebaceous glands, in the place of which acne appears. They look like ordinary cones, leading to swelling of the cat's cheek.
It is usually easy to determine the pathology by eye. The treatment is quite simple, and if you start it on time, then no problems will subsequently arise. It is necessary to treat the skin with an antibacterial cream. In the most advanced cases or re-illness, antibiotics may also be needed. At the same time, therapy becomes more complex and lasts up to three weeks.
Insect bite
Quite often, cats get injured through their own fault. For example, having arranged a hunt for a bee or wasp and having achieved success. Of course, the poison contained in the sting leads to an inflammatory reaction. As a result, the cheek swollen and the eye swam. It looks really creepy. But usually passes in a few days or even hours, without causing unnecessary trouble to either the cat or the owners.
Things are much worse with a few bites or allergies. This can lead to the most sad consequences. To avoid them, you need to use an antiallergic drug - Claritin or Suprastin.
Snake bite
Also, often cats become victims of snakebites. Of course, this is not typical for pets living in an apartment and not facing the street. But for cats that live in the house or come to the cottage in the warm season - quite.
Of course, the bites of poisonous reptiles are the most dangerous. This may well lead to shock and even death of the animal. However, even the bite of non-venomous snakes poses a certain threat. First of all, due to the fact that during the bite a wound forms, in which the infection gets from the teeth of the snake. Because of this, a focus of inflammation occurs, which can lead to sad consequences.
To prevent this from happening, you need to use antibiotics. But there is no particular hurry here - it is enough to take action in the next few hours.
But when bitten by a poisonous snake, you need to act as quickly as possible. Alas, not every home medicine cabinet has an antidote, so it is advisable to visit a veterinarian immediately. Together with the antidote, he can make an injection of diphenhydramine. After removing the shock and eliminating the effects of the poison, the doctor can also prescribe broad-spectrum antibiotics to exclude the possibility of inflammation.
Cancer
One of the most difficult reasons why a cat's swollen cheek is cancer. Moreover, about 3% of tumors appear in the oral cavity. Of course, this leads to difficulties with the consumption of food, and in some cases does not allow the animal to breathe normally. In this case, the cat drool strongly from the mouth.
You need to act quickly and decisively. Otherwise, the risk of lung damage remains - the tumor throws metastases, which makes treatment almost impossible.
Most often, such problems arise in animals living with owners who have the habit of smoking at home. Alas, furry pets are very sensitive to the toxic substances contained in cigarette smoke.
Another factor that increases the risk of malignant tumors is excessive consumption of canned food. Yes, according to veterinarians, if canned food accounts for more than 50% of the diet, but the animal may well develop cancer.
In most cases, similar problems occur in older cats - 10 years and older. But sometimes this can happen with younger animals.
Treatment is determined by the doctor depending on a number of factors. Surgical removal of the tumor with radiation and chemotherapy is usually prescribed.
Abscess
If the cat has a swollen cheek and under the eye, and there is a tumor here, quite hot, but soft, then most likely you are dealing with an abscess. The skin was affected by a bite by an animal or insect, and an infection got into the wound. The body begins the inflammatory process - the wound is filled with pus. In general, such a tumor causes a lot of problems to the animal, reducing immunity and worsening well-being. Sometimes it becomes painful - the cat breaks out when the owner touches the problem area.
In advanced cases, the infection can develop, affecting the entire body, starting with the ears and joints.
An experienced veterinarian will easily clean the wound by removing pus and draining the source of infection. Special drainage will avoid the repeated accumulation of pus. At the same time, antibiotics and pain medication can be prescribed.
Flux
Another problem that can lead to the appearance of swelling on the cat's face is flux or a dental abscess. This phenomenon is quite common, primarily causing problems to cats in age. Usually occurs due to a broken or decayed tooth - harmful bacteria enter the gums through the wound, leading to swelling and pain.
This can be easily avoided with regular hygiene - brushing your cat’s teeth at least several times a month.
At the same time, the animal loses its appetite, the muzzle swells, his health worsens, and a sharp unpleasant odor emanates from his mouth.
Properly selected antibiotics can reduce swelling, at the same time removing pus. But you also need to deal with the cause of the problem. The tooth is usually removed to avoid re-infection.
Conclusion
Our article is drawing to a close. From it you learned about the most common reasons that cause a cat's swollen cheek. And at the same time we found out what needs to be done in such situations to help him.