carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms skin color

#Carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms skin color skin#

These signs can be delayed in 10 – 30% of affected humans, and it is thought that the same may apply to affected cats.ĭiagnosis of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in Cats This can vary from deafness, drowsiness and dullness to excitement, agitation, hallucinations, difficulty moving normally, collapse, loss of consciousness, coma, and sometimes seizures.

Neurological signs can present in different ways, depending on which part of the nervous system is affected.

#Carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms skin color skin#

The mucous membranes (the gums and tongue are easiest to see) and the skin tend to have a bright pink color, which can help to differentiate this condition from other causes of difficulty breathing, when the mucous membranes may appear bluish or purplish (cyanotic) or pale (anemic).

Respiratory signs are essentially caused by the shortage of oxygen in the body’s tissues, resulting in difficulty breathing, rapid breathing, and general distress.

In humans, signs of carbon monoxide poisoning start with headaches, nausea, and fatigue, so that people commonly mistakenly believe that they have a viral infection like flu.Īnimals cannot explain to their owners that they have these feelings, but owners may notice their animals becoming dull or behaving in a different way to their normal pattern of activity.Īs the clinical signs progress and the toxicity develops in full, the two main groups of signs are respiratory and neurological. Their symptoms may go unnoticed without careful attention. The symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning in cats are similar to those in humans, but cats have more difficulty showing how they feel. Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in Cats

Cat carers may find it helpful to read this information in detail, as the same broad principles apply to our furry friends as to humans. The resulting reduction in the oxygen carrying capacity of red blood cells leads to hypoxemia (low oxygen levels in the blood) and tissue hypoxia which causes the signs of illness and, if not addressed death.ĬO poisoning is explained in detail on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, as it is a common issue for humans. CO has a far greater affinity (over 200 times) for the hemoglobin in the bloodstream compared to oxygen (O2), displacing O2 from blood cells, leading to oxygen starvation in the body’s tissues.Ī complex called carb-oxyhemoglobin (COHb) is formed instead of the normal oxyhemoglobin (OHb). The mechanism of CO poisoning is the same in pets as in humans. CO poisoning can be seen in isolation, or in conjunction with other complications such as smoke inhalation and burns. It can also develop in house fires, as a result of poorly controlled combustion. Typically, CO poisoning is caused by faulty heating equipment (boilers, furnaces, propane heaters, gas appliances, other heating systems, water heaters, etc). In humans, it is known as the “silent killer” because it is so difficult to identify, even when it is happening. CO is an odorless, colorless gas, which makes it impossible to detect without the use of technical equipment.ĬO usually accumulates because of incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons in poorly ventilated rooms.

About Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in CatsĬarbon monoxide (CO) poisoning develops because of increased concentrations of carbon monoxide in the atmosphere breathed by the cat. Home Remedies: If carbon monoxide exposure is suspected, immediate removal to fresh air is first line of care.