how can you tell if a cat swallowed a needle.?

Question

i'm kinda worried she doesn't seem to eat and i counted my needles they seem to be there. but just i didn't count right what are the signs i'm so worried i can't get to the vet til monday and how much do you think the procedure would cost. I don't know if i can aford the procedure not unless i eat nothing but bread :(...

it was a stitching needle and i ask many vets and they wont' let me do down payments :\ any other sugjest and i need to know the signs just incase she did swallowed one...

Answer 1

first of all are the needles for medication, tattooing, or drugs, or just stitching needles? they are all differnt types and sizes of needles. if you think ur cat has swallowed a needle u should take him or her to the vet. alot of vets will allow you to pay at least a 10 percent of the bill upfront and then the rest at a later date.

edit: i think it is about 90 for a consultation with appointment. an emergency consultation could run anywhere from 150 - 200. plus the cost of surgery if needed.

Answer 2

When you rang the vet, why didn't you ask them what the signs are?

Trust me you'll known something's wrong if she's swallowed a needle, because it's likely to peforate her gut. She'll stop eating, have diarrhoea and probably vomit and become very lethargic as she gets more ill.

Why do you think she's swallowed a needle, anyway if none are missing?! There are many, many, many reasons why a cat might stop eating, as many as there are for humans!! Watch her for other signs - even if she does start vomiting or having diarrhoea, this does NOT mean she has swallowed a needle, but it does mean she is ill and needs to see a vet.

I do not think the cat has necessarily swallowed a needle but I do think you need to keep an eye on her. It is absolutely pointless to give you a price for removal of a foreign object from a cat since prices vary DRAMATICALLY from practice to practice, country to country. I couldn't even give you a price for the surgery I work at since it depends on what drugs are used and how hard the surgery was, it's different for every animal too!

Chalice

Answer 3

Unless the needle somehow became embedded in her food, and she eats like a starving wolf, it's very unlikely that a cat would swallow a sewing needle; generally speaking, cats have too much finesse to make that kind of mistake.

If it's not eating for more than a day, it's more likely she's got a hairball or is otherwise backed up. Is her abdomen hard and bloated?

Answer 4

i would keep it indoors and put a litter tray down, check it's poo, it may pass it, but it should really see a vet something as sharp as a needle could cause internal damage which would cost a lot more in vet fees than what it would if you got it checked out now.

Answer 5

sounds like an abdominal xray is in order. your cat may have a mild bowel obstruction that is something simple to take care of or something that needs surgery. it's best to get it taken care of as soon as you can the longer you wait the worse it could get and more costly.

Answer 6

all they will prolly do at first is an x ray which isnt terribly expensive. then they will go from there.