Chantelle, a 1 year old cat got a nasty shock when she swallowed her owner's 'Codral' tablet. She became quite unwell with diarrhoea and ended up in Pascoe Vale Veterinary hospital for several days.

'Codral' contains Paracetamol which is a life-threatening toxin to cats. It can upset the stomach and intestines causing diarrhoea. It also affects the body's ability to use oxygen. As a result, Chantelle's nice pink gums started to turn a nasty purple-blue colour. This is life threatening and can start causing problems anywhere from 2-7 days after being ingested.

Chantelle was admitted into Pascoe Vale Veterinary hospital. She started medication to protect her stomach and intestines, and to stop them absorbing the paracetamol. She was placed on intravenous fluids, and had a blood test to check her liver and kidney function. She was also given the Paracetamol antidote into her bloodstream.

After 24hrs, Chantelle's diarrhoea had stopped, and her gum colour became a healthy pink colour again. The blood tests showed that her liver and kidneys had not been damaged by the paracetamol. She started to feel much happier and developed a healthy appetite again, and demanded lots of attention and cuddles. She was healthy enough to be sent home the following day and is now feeling happy and healthy again. She is sticking to eating cat food now, and avoiding any strange looking tablets!!