Cyanosis is a bluish to red-purple tinge of the tissues, seen best in the gums and skin, and typically accompanying respiratory distress (i.e., difficulty breathing). When cyanosis is seen in dogs and cats, it’s an indicator of a severe lack of oxygen in the blood (called hypoxemia). It typically means that hemoglobin in the red blood cells doesn’t have enough oxygen or isn’t able to carry oxygen at all. Cyanosis can be classified as central or peripheral. There are several factors that may hinder you and your veterinarian from being able to detect physical signs of cyanosis. For example, the red blood cell (RBC) count can affect signs of cyanosis-a pet with severe anemia and a low number of RBCs may never show signs of cyanosis. The lower the hemoglobin concentration in a pet, the more the oxygen levels must fall before cyanosis can be clinically detected. Also, patients with shock, carbon monoxide poisoning, or those with abnormal hemoglobin may not show cyanosis well during a physical exam.
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