Blood Loss

When a feline is given an open wound, however bad it may be, it will always spill blood in some way, some worse than others. Although Blood Loss can differ in severity, with the life of a warrior, bloodshed is practically unavoidable. For many open lacerations, the stopping of the spilling of blood is important to a cat’s health and survival and should be treated with the utmost care.

• Severe cases are almost always fatal with long lasting effects on survivors
• Blood Loss drains fluids, cats will very likely be light-headed and possibly faint during or after treatment

Cases in which 15% of blood volume or less is lost are considered “mild”.

In mild cases, the loss of blood in a cat can be easily contained in adequate bandaging and the application of herbs to soak up the wound and ease pain. Cats will typically survive treatment without concern for their wellbeing.

• Pack the wounds and stop/slow bloodflow: To prevent the loss of blood, packing the wounds with appropriate herbs to absorb the blood and pressure on the wound will stop the flow of blood.
• Bandage the patient: An absorbent bandage such as Kit’s Ear should be used to close the wound and prevent further blood loss
• Provide adequate rest: Give the patient a place to rest as moving may increase the blood flow unnecessarily and make the condition worse.
• Keep the patient hydrated: Loss of blood drains patients of their fluid and it can dehydrate the patient, keeping the patient hydrated prevents further problems

• Dehydration is very likely.
• Light-headedness is to be expected.
• Complications are not expected.

A faint lightness of the patient’s head and mild dehydration.

• Dehydration: 75%
• Light-headedness: (d100: Mild: 1-25, Moderate: 26-50, severe: 51-60)

Cases in which 16 to 29% of blood volume is lost are considered “moderate”.

Cats losing a little more than a mild amount of blood should be immediately transferred to the medicine den if not there already, as a moderate amount or blood loss can quickly turn into a severe amount if not treated immediately. After treatment a cat may feel faint or dehydrated, in which it is important to keep them well hydrated and rested.

As per mild case instructions

• Dehydration is to be expected.
• Light-headedness is to be expected.
• Fatigue is to be expected.
  Complications are likely.

• Dehydration: 99%
• Light-headedness: (d100 – Mild: 1-50, Moderate: 51-90, severe: 91-100)
• Fatigue: (d100 – 1 day: 1, 3 days: 2-25, 1 week: 26-75, 2 weeks: 76-100)

Cases are considered “severe” if 30% of blood volume or more is lost.

The worst of the blood loss diagnoses! This is often always fatal and if the patient does survive, will have lasting effects on the cat, as they have not been getting enough blood circulation.

While similar to the Mild instructions, patients suffering from severe Blood Loss might not live long, so speed is key, meaning that this treatment would need to be accomplished as soon as possible.

• Survival is not expected.
• Should the patient survive:
  Complications are very likely.

A severe level of Blood Loss will almost always result in the death of a cat, this level of Blood Loss should always be prevented if possible.

• Death (90%)

In cases where the cat survives:

• Dehydration will be present.
• Light-headedness will be present.
• Fatigue will be present
• Hypothermia (25%)
• Seizures (50%)
• Injury to the kidneys (50%)
• Injury to the lungs (50%)
• Injury to the heart (50%)
• Impairment of the kidneys (50%)
• Impairment of the lungs (50%)
• Impairment of the heart (50%)
• Brain Damage (25%)