Can cats get concussions

The word concussion seems to be often associated with people.
For example, being hit by a car, falling, fighting, being hit on the head by something, and a series of other reasons may cause a person to suffer from a concussion.
In fact, the same is true for cats, who in many cases suffer concussions as well.

▍Reason

The direct cause of concussion in cats is usually direct trauma to the head.
There are many such situations, but I summarize the more common ones as follows:
Falling from high places, such as from books, shelves, windowsills, window edges, etc.
Hit by a car, or HBC for short.
Being hit by something from a high place
Being shaken violently by a dog or person
Generally speaking, most of the causes of concussions are related to the outdoors, so cats must be firmly controlled indoors. In addition, the installation of gold steel mesh windows in homes with cats cannot be overemphasized.

▍Signs

It may be difficult for a layperson to tell that your cat has a concussion.
Generally speaking, when you know that your cat has suffered a serious head injury, do not deal with it yourself at home, but take it to the doctor as soon as possible.
The doctor will perform a thorough physical examination and neurological examination of your cat.
An experienced doctor will determine whether the cat has a concussion by observing eye twitching, pupil size, and its reaction to light. Especially if retinal hemorrhage is found, the possibility is relatively high.
Other symptoms of a concussion include drowsiness, swaying, vomiting, seizures, confusion, and even shock.

▍Long-term consequences

After a head trauma, primary damage to the brain may occur, which causes immediate symptoms and is irreversible.
Of course, secondary damage can also occur, usually in the brain, where there may be swelling or bleeding in the brain.
Secondary injuries often occur minutes or hours after the trauma and can lead to new complications such as paralysis, behavioral changes, coma, and even death.
This is why, when you know your cat has suffered a head injury, it’s important to go to the hospital immediately for evaluation and treatment.
The longer you delay, the easier it is to cause secondary damage to brain tissue.
Especially if you fall from a height, don’t believe the nonsense that “cats have nine lives”.

▍Treatment

Pain relief for minor injuries is enough. But sometimes it may be necessary to scan the head to determine the extent of the problem.
Some cats may need to be hospitalized and receive intravenous fluids, anti-inflammatory, pain relief, and medications specific to neurological problems.
While treating the head injury, there may be other injuries that need to be treated at the same time, so the veterinarian may take X-rays, do blood tests, and even do a CT scan.
If you suspect your cat has a concussion, be sure to see a doctor immediately.
If your veterinarian suspects swelling in the head, he may prescribe mannitol as soon as possible to relieve the swelling. The sooner, the greater the cat’s chance of survival.
Also, sometimes, you may not realize right away that your cat is injured. Therefore, if your cat plays outdoors, you must pay close attention to its behavior and movement changes.
The signs of a concussion are sometimes very vague and subtle, but if you also find that it is injured elsewhere on its body, then it is logical that you have reason to suspect that it may have a concussion.