A case of haemoglobinuria in a cat after near‐drowning

The aim of this study is to describe a case of haemoglobinuria in a cat after near‐drowning. A 6‐year‐old male neutered domestic short hair cat weighing 6.5 kg with a pre‐existing seizure disorder presented to an emergency hospital after near‐drowning in a swimming pool during a seizure episode. On presentation, the patient was obtunded, dyspnoeic, bradycardic and hypothermic. Imaging revealed evidence of severe bilateral pulmonary infiltrates. Treatment with intravenous diazepam, amoxicillin, fluid therapy, active warming and oxygen therapy was administered. The cat developed haemoglobinuria approximately 6 h after nearly drowning. Despite improvements in mentation, pulse quality and heart rate, respiratory compromise and poor oxygen saturation persisted, prompting euthanasia approximately 10 h after admission. To the author's knowledge, this is the first reported clinical case of haemoglobinuria following near‐drowning in veterinary medicine. A 6‐year‐old male neutered domestic short hair cat presented to an emergency hospital after near‐drowning in a swimming pool. The cat was treated for increased intracranial pressure, hypothermia and severe respiratory compromise as a result of the near‐drowning. It then developed haemoglobinuria approximately 6 h after admission. The proposed pathophysiology is the absorption of freshwater through the lungs, with rapid local haemodilution in the left heart resulting in osmotic erythrolysis.