![]() Spontaneous Abortion and Termination of Pregnancy in CatsTreatment
For owners looking for safe options, either to prevent an unwanted pregnancy or to terminate a possible pregnancy, there are several medical alternatives to consider. To permanently prevent pregnancy in your cat, spaying (ovariohysterectomy) is the best option. For pregnancy termination, these are the most common medical options:
Injectable Estrogens- A medical professional can administer these to prevent a pregnancy from progressing. The estrogen must be injected shortly following copulation to be effective. However, there are several potential side effects to take into consideration, including bone marrow suppression and pyometra (i.e., infection of the uterus).
Oral Estrogens - These are not usually recommended because they are ineffective and may cause pyometra in animals.
Prostaglandin F2 alpha - This is a natural hormone that has been shown to induce a safe abortion for cats when monitored by a health professional. Most side effects are often mild, if present at all. Some of the drug's known side effects include panting, trembling, nausea and diarrhea.
Dexamethasone - This is also a viable option to induce an abortion for pets. The injection is usually followed by side effects, such as panting, excessive drinking (polydispia) and urination (polyuria).
Living and Management
It is important to note that despite the myths surrounding the method, post-coital douches do not effectively terminate an unwanted pregnancy in a cat.
Following either a planned or spontaneous abortion, there can be a great deal of discomfort and/or some vaginal bleeding or abnormal discharge. You will need to carefully observe the behavior of your cat to ensure that more serious problems do not develop as a result.
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