Common symptoms and treatments for colitis in cats. Stomach diseases in cats: diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, symptoms and treatment Inflammation of the intestines in a cat

Cats and humans have an almost identical structure of the digestive system. Therefore, it is not surprising that diseases that are inherent in humans can often be found in pets. An improperly formulated diet and the genetic predisposition of a mustachioed pet to diseases of the gastrointestinal tract can lead to various pathologies. Colitis in cats is one of them. The article will detail what are the causes and symptoms of this disease, what are the forms of colitis and how to treat it effectively.

In veterinary medicine, colitis is commonly understood as an inflammatory process that occurs in the large intestine of a pet. The peculiarity of localization makes colitis in a cat one of the most dangerous ailments associated with the digestive system. And this is no coincidence, because it is the large intestine that is responsible for the absorption of water and the fermentation of fiber. In it, digested food is transformed into a defecation product.

The structure of the colon provides for the presence of a special mucous membrane in it, thanks to which feces can move without obstacles to the rectum for future emptying of the pet. In the case of an inflammatory process, the normal functioning of the large intestine becomes difficult, as a result, the formation of food gruel is difficult, and the suction of water from it slows down. It is for this reason that a mustachioed pet begins to suffer from chronic diarrhea and constipation. Owners who do not pay proper attention to the symptoms and subsequent treatment of colitis in cats in the future face the fact that their animal will develop ulcers and cancerous growths in the intestines.

Types of disease

Experts distinguish three separate classifying groups to determine the type of colitis. Their separation occurs according to the origin, the course of the disease and according to where the focus of inflammation is localized. Let's consider each group in more detail.

Origin:

1. Viral. An infection enters the intestine, provoking an inflammatory process.
2. Toxic. The animal eats poison or chemicals that cause poisoning.
3. Ulcerative. Due to the development of ulcers inside the digestive tract.
4. Ischemic. Pathology occurs against the background of inflammation of the pet's abdominal aorta.
5. Bacterial. Bacteria, such as Salmonella or Yersinia, that have entered the colon, provoke pathological reactions.

According to the localization of the inflammatory focus:

1. Proctitis is an inflammatory process in the rectal mucosa.
2. Typhlitis - occurs due to irritation of the mucous membrane of the caecum.
3. Pancolitis is an extensive lesion of the entire large intestine of a pet.

According to statistics, acute or chronic pancolitis is most common among cats, leading to constant diarrhea and general weakness.

Causes

Colitis in cats occurs due to many different causes, so it is not surprising that in most cases its exact etiology remains unclear. We list the most basic of them:

Each of these factors can potentially cause the inner linings of the intestinal tract to become damaged. In this case, the lesions will be filled with destroyed lymph and cells, and this contributes to the development of pathogenic microflora. Bacteria and microbes, releasing toxic waste products, further disrupt the digestive process. The colon tries to soften the inflammatory processes with the help of abundant mucous secretions, but this is not enough. Therefore, it is important to understand that at the first symptoms of colitis in a cat, you should immediately show it to a specialist.

Characteristic symptoms

Colonic diarrhea is the first sign of the onset of pathological processes. The owner may find foul-smelling animal feces in the pet's litter box. They differ from the usual feces in that they contain a lot of mucus, and there are also blotches of blood. The emptyings themselves are extremely irregular, the pet does it often, but in small portions. Often they are accompanied by painful sensations, so the cat can meow loudly and plaintively.

An attentive owner can hear a loud rumbling in the pet’s stomach, in addition, it can be inflated like a ball. Sometimes there are opposite signs - flatulence, the animal is tormented by strong gases. With colitis, the cat's appetite remains the same, it does not lose weight, and at first glance it looks quite healthy. For primary diagnosis, at home, the owner can try to gently feel the belly of a mustachioed friend, if touching causes him pain, then you should start to worry.

All substances that enter the intestines are poorly absorbed, the body tries to get rid of them, which leads to diarrhea. This creates a vicious circle where poorly digested food provokes diarrhea, which, in turn, interferes with proper digestion. In a particularly acute form, colitis can be expressed in vomiting, fever, significant weight loss.

It is important to understand that the treatment of colitis in cats requires promptness. The quick reaction of the owners and the qualified help of a doctor will help reduce the cure time for colitis to one week. In advanced form, this disease is no longer amenable to medical treatment and leads to the death of the pet.

Diagnostics

All this will help to determine exactly what caused the inflammatory processes of the intestinal tract. Remember that a correct diagnosis is the key to a future full recovery.

Treatment and prevention

The main therapeutic effect is carried out with the help of two things - medications and an individually tailored diet for the pet. In many ways, the prescribed injections and tablets will depend on the reasons that caused the onset of the disease.

Colitis can be treated in the following ways:

1. Taking probiotics, which will restore the full functioning of the intestines, for example, Linex or Lactobifida.
2. Complete deworming in several stages.
3. With severe diarrhea, you need to treat the cat with enveloping preparations (Smecta).
4. Restoration of the animal's immunity (taking vitamins A, B, E).
5. If the colitis is caused by an allergic reaction, then Prednisolone is perfect.
6. Bacterial colitis should be treated with antibiotics (Tylosin).
7. Compliance with the diet for 1-2 months. The diet should contain foods rich in fiber (bran), they improve the pet's digestion.
8. Unfortunately, ulcerative colitis can only be treated with surgery.

If we talk about preventive measures that help avoid the appearance of colitis, then they are not so difficult to implement. These include:

1. Proper nutrition. When composing the diet, use high quality food, include vegetables in the cat's food, avoid giving cheese, liver and lamb too often. Try not to change the usual menu for no reason, this leads to intestinal disorders. Teach your cat to eat only at home. Make sure your pet always has access to fresh water.
2. Lack of stress in the life of a pet.
3. Regularly conduct a routine examination of the cat at the veterinarian.
4. Be sure to vaccinate the cat and carry out timely deworming.

Nonspecific inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in cats is a group of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. IBD causes inflammation of the intestines, in which pets experience a range of chronic symptoms.

The most common diseases of IBD are enteritis, enterocolitis in cats, which are characterized by inflammation of the small or large intestines, the mucous membrane of the digestive tract, caused by the penetration of inflammatory cells into the digestive tract.

These cells include lymphocytes and plasmocytes, which are responsible for the body's immune reactions, as well as neutrophils, eosinophils, which are responsible for cleaning damaged tissues.

In the chronic course of the disease, the following occurs: the normal tissue of the intestinal epithelium is replaced by cicatricial (fibrous).

Causes of IBD in Cats

The exact cause of nonspecific intestinal inflammation in veterinary medicine has not yet been determined. The development of the disease can be provoked by infections, fungi, helminths, disorders of the immune system, nutritional imbalance, genetics.

In addition, IBD can be the body's response to certain conditions caused by various factors, such as stress, improper or unprofessional treatment. It is believed that intestinal inflammation in cats is most common in representatives, as well as in middle-aged and elderly individuals.

Symptoms

The owner should be alerted by the following signs that appear in a four-legged pet:

• vomiting (sometimes with frothy, yellowish bile);
• uncontrolled diarrhea;
• bright red blood in the stool;
• sudden weight loss;
• lack of appetite;
• pain on palpation of the abdomen;
• fever;
• low mobility, cat apathy.

The initial stage of the disease is characterized by an increase in the number and volume of bowel movements, as the disease develops, the stool becomes rarer, blood appears in the feces of a cat or kitten.

If vomiting and diarrhea continue for more than 24 hours, the animal becomes dehydrated, which in turn leads to problems with the heart and excretory system.

Symptoms can vary depending on which part of the gastrointestinal tract is inflamed. So, if the upper part of the small intestine or stomach is affected, then the pet has uncontrollable vomiting, if the large intestine is affected - severe diarrhea, and the animal may refuse to go to the tray.

In the case of the development of hemorrhagic enterocolitis and severe internal bleeding, the likelihood of death is high.

Diagnostics

The diagnosis is preceded by a thorough history, which includes the study of the duration and frequency of symptoms, feeding patterns, medications used, possible contact with pesticides, household chemicals, and sick animals. This is necessary in order to exclude the possibility of other diseases, as well as in order to prescribe adequate therapy and for the prognosis of the disease.

With inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract - the so-called inflammatory cells penetrate into the stomach and intestines - cells that form in the body when - lymphocytes and plasmacytes responsible for the body's immune responses, eosinophils, neutrophils responsible for cleaning damaged tissues. In chronic inflammation, normal tissue may be replaced by fibrous tissue.

Causes of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in cats. The exact causes of this kind of pathology in cats are unknown. Genetic predisposition, nutrition, various pathogens, and malfunctioning of the immune system can all play a role. Inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract may not be a disease per se, but a characteristic reaction of the body to certain conditions caused by various factors.

The types of cells that invade the intestine determine the form of the inflammatory disease.

What are the clinical signs of gastrointestinal inflammation in cats? Characterized by diarrhea and arising depending on the area of ​​​​the lesion of the gastrointestinal tract. Damage to the stomach and upper small intestine causes vomiting, and damage to the large intestine causes diarrhea. Sometimes the stool becomes more frequent, but each time it becomes less and less. Mucus and blood often appear in the stool. In severe cases, the animal is depressed, refuses to feed, loses weight, and has a fever. In some cats, the only symptom of intestinal inflammation is bloody stools. Others stop using during defecation.

A veterinarian may suspect inflammation of the stomach or intestines if the animal has vomiting, diarrhea, mucus or blood in the stool for a long period of time. On examination, the animal is emaciated; in some cats, a thickened intestine can be felt.

Laboratory studies, as a rule, show nothing. With very serious inflammation, the lesion can affect neighboring organs - the liver and pancreas. As a result of this, the content of liver enzymes and amylase, which is produced by the pancreas, increases in the body. There may be a decrease in protein levels in the blood, and with severe vomiting, there may be a decrease in the level of electrolytes, especially potassium.

In most cases, the blood test is normal, although anemia can sometimes develop. Some animals have eosinophils in their blood.

X-ray and ultrasound usually do not give any data. Sometimes thickening of the intestines and accumulation of gas can be noticeable, but this happens with various diseases.

Treatment of inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Treatment usually consists of various diets and medications.

Diet. At the first stage of treatment, a food test is needed - the use of hypoallergenic products, sources of protein and carbohydrates that the animal has not previously eaten, for example, duck. The animal should not eat anything else and should not take any medication. Such a test should continue for 2-3 months.

If the health of the animal does not improve with such a diet, then you need to try other foods.

If the disease affects mainly the large intestine, then it is useful to give food rich in fiber. You can add oat bran to the feed. If the lesion has affected the small intestine, then some animals may benefit from a well-digestible, low-fiber diet. Low gluten carbohydrates are also helpful.

Do not give food containing wheat, oats, rye and barley. Sometimes the animal is fed natural homemade food, but this is rarely balanced and commercial food is therefore preferable for a long period of time.

It is clear that you can try a large number of different diets before the animal comes to a visible improvement in health. This requires a lot of patience from the owner.

Fatty acid. A diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids has been shown to help reduce gastrointestinal inflammation. Eicosapentanoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (fatty acids derived from fish oil) are beneficial in humans, but further research is needed to determine if they also have beneficial effects in cats.

Medication treatment. To reduce the number of inflammatory cells, various are used. Azathioprine and cyclophosphamide: These medicines suppress the immune system and are usually used only when other treatments have failed or in combination with corticosteroids. These drugs can have a negative effect on bone marrow function, so careful monitoring of health and regular blood tests are recommended when using them.

Metronidazole: Metronidazole may be used alone or in combination with corticosteroids. This drug also suppresses the functions of the immune system.

Constituents sulfasalazine and mesalamine: They are used in medicines for dogs that are used for lesions of the small intestine. Sulfasalazine belongs to the salicylates (which also includes aspirin), and these substances are very toxic to cats.

Many owners mistakenly believe that if a cat has nine lives, then they should worry about the appearance of minor (at first glance) symptoms of the disease,

not particularly worth it. Cats, indeed, have great survival in the most incredible situations. But that doesn't mean she can't die,

without waiting for help from the person she loved .....

Be alert for any symptoms of illness in your pet.

So, any owner should be able and know what needs to be done if ....

If the cat has had diarrhea or vomiting. Of course, this is not a reason to immediately run to the doctor. Unless you are sure that your cat has inhaled or ingested some poisonous substance. Inhalation poisoning can be caused by carbon monoxide, the smell of paints and varnishes, the use of insecticides when treating a room, and so on and so forth.

Well, getting poison inside ... it can be anything, ranging from any household chemicals, which are in abundance in every modern home, to taking ordinary, it would seem, food .... ...

So vomiting or diarrhea...

With a one-time vomiting or not prolonged diarrhea (no more than two days), any owner can quite independently cope with the situation that has arisen. But! Remember - diarrhea itself is not an independent disease, it is often a symptom of another, possibly very dangerous disease. If diarrhea with mucus, with blood, very strong, with vomiting, accompanied by a strong fever, if vomiting becomes indomitable - RUN to the doctor! Do not be like those owners who spend hours sitting at the computer typing phrases like this in search engines: “The cat has not eaten for five days, breathes heavily, does not move, vomiting, diarrhea, what should I do?”

Diarrhea

Diarrhea in cats is quite common. Contrary to popular belief, cats are happy to dig in the bin. And even adult cats can try and swallow small objects that can be inedible and even poisonous (do not believe it, but right now, while I am writing, my small one pulled the remote control towards him, grabbed the film from it with his teeth and dragged it towards him in the mouth. Well, I'm nearby, I took it. Here they are with us - they need constant supervision)))). The cause of diarrhea can also be a change in food. But the cause of a prolonged disorder can already be viral infections and liver diseases, and inflammatory processes of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as tumors. Do not forget that with severe, prolonged diarrhea, there is a large loss of water, this leads to dehydration, and this, in turn, leads to a very rapid death of your pet …..

So diarrhea...

What can you do? Put your cat on a daily starvation diet. When the first symptoms of the disease appear, it is necessary to give the cat 1-3 tablets of activated charcoal, be sure to give it plenty of fluids, you can brew grass: a decoction of chamomile, a decoction of flax seeds. In a day, start feeding the cat with rice water, boil the chicken, buy Vetom 1.1, add it to food. Until the stool returns to normal, stick to the rice-chicken diet. It is also recommended to serve the homeopathic remedy Nux vomica-homaccord. It is good for diarrhea to give a cat n Smektu. Dilute 1/2 of the sachet with water. How much water, in fact, is not so important - water is just a solvent, I dissolved it in 1/4 cup. And drink a teaspoon every three hours. It is impossible to get poisoned by Smecta, but still be careful - do not give the drug if the diarrhea has stopped. Constipation for a cat is also useless.

If the diarrhea is severe, does not stop and lasts more than two or three days, and moreover, mucus or blood appears in it, immediately, without hesitation, go to the doctor!!!

Failure to help a cat when SUCH symptoms appear leads to rapid dehydration of the body and death of the pet.

Constipation

If the cat cannot go to the toilet "in a big way" for more than two days, it's time to sound the alarm. Most often, constipation occurs when a large amount of woolen lumps enter the stomach, swallowed by a cat when washing, but it can also occur when a cat swallows small, indigestible objects.

What to do first: The best remedy is to give the cat regular vaseline oil (one tablespoon). Vegetable oil must not be used! It is also impossible to do an enema with constipation - it is not known for what reason this trouble happened.

If the constipation does not stop, it is necessary to take the cat to the veterinarian.

The main thing with constipation is to exclude intestinal obstruction.

Intestinal obstruction

Intestinal obstruction can develop in cats due to constipation (coprostasis), as a result of helminthic invasion, and also due to swallowed objects (often this is a Christmas decoration in the form of "rain" or thread) or intestinal torsion. Distinguish mechanical ileus, in which intestinal transit is blocked, and ileus functional or paralytic, caused by atony of the intestinal wall. Functional ileus can be observed in case of peritonitis, dystonomia (disturbance of the autonomic nervous system), or after general anesthesia.

Symptoms: the cat is in a depressed state or, on the contrary, does not find a place for itself, it refuses food, an unpleasant odor comes from the mouth, vomiting appears. The stomach swells, the cat meows plaintively, rolls on the floor, trying to stretch the stomach, looks back at the stomach.

What to do. Without hesitation, deliver the cat to the doctor! In case of intestinal obstruction, urgent intervention of specialists is necessary. She needs to undergo an X-ray examination (differential diagnosis is supplemented by the method of contrast radiography using barium).

Acute gastritis

Causes: poor-quality food, change of food, poisoning with certain drugs, overfeeding, not regular feeding, giving cold (from the refrigerator) or hot food, helminthic invasion.

Symptoms: the main symptom of acute gastritis is the appearance of sudden vomiting. The cat refuses food, hunches over when moving, groans, soreness in the stomach, a grayish-white coating on the tongue is possible. Temperature increase is possible, feces are often unformed, with mucus. Constipation is often replaced by diarrhea.

What to do: On the first day of illness, you can give Cerucal (antiemetic). Do not feed the cat for the first day, then give it mucous decoctions (rice), boiled chicken meat, always for 3-5 days. In the future, if the food is digested, the diet can be gradually expanded, but in any case, you must adhere to a sparing diet for a month. It is advisable to switch to dietary feeds for some time (for example, use the Royal Canin or Hill's therapeutic line). Most often, if you follow these recommendations, the manifestations of acute gastritis disappear already on the third or fifth day.

Chronic gastritis.

Chronic gastritis may be a consequence of acute. Also, the causes of chronic gastritis can be a stressful situation (exhibitions, change of housing, change of owner, nervous situation in the family where the cat lives), endocrine diseases (diabetes, hyperthyroidism), inflammatory processes (cholecystitis, pancreatitis, etc.) .

Symptoms: In chronic gastritis, the cat loses weight, bad breath appears, vomiting is usually single, diarrhea or constipation, belching, flatulence, pain in the epigastric region.

Treatment of chronic gastritis will be long and individual.

What to do: Diet - Meat and fish only boiled, slimy decoctions. Meals 5-6 times a day in small portions. Eliminate fiber, fatty foods. A good help to the general scheme of treatment is the use of a homeopathic remedy - nux vomica-homaccord.

After a one-day fasting of the pet, it is necessary to serve decoctions of herbs such as chamomile, yarrow, St. John's wort, flax seed.

It is advisable to take the cat to the veterinarian.

Gastroenteritis.

Gastroenteritis is inflammation of the stomach and small intestine. Has much in common with acute gastritis. It occurs due to excessively greedy food intake and overfilling of the stomach, and can also be observed in some infectious diseases, such as panleukopenia, salmonellosis.

Symptoms: It flows quite sharply. There is a complete refusal of food, vomiting, diarrhea, rapid weight loss, the mucous membranes of the oral cavity are reddened, the nose is dry and warm, fever, severe thirst can be observed.

Feces in catarrh are thin, watery, offensive, mixed with undigested food and mucus.

What to do: Diet. During the first day, do not feed the cat, give only water, but rather herbal decoctions and infusions. It is advisable to give an injection of gamavit, buy at the pharmacy Vetom - 1.1, add it to the cat's food. The first 3-5 days after a daily fast, serve mucous decoctions, it is recommended to give raw, low-fat meat.

Necessarily show the cat to the vet.

Every cat lover knows that diarrhea in pets appears for a reason. This is either indicative of poor nutrition, or something more serious, including cancer or more "harmless" intestinal infections in cats. This article is devoted to the description of their manifestations, as well as the main varieties. Note that all these diseases can be divided into several large groups: viral, bacterial, protozoal (i.e., caused by pathogenic protozoa). Each of them is dangerous in its own way.

And further. There is such a disease as an infectious viral. The virus that causes it may exist in two varieties: FECV and FIPV. The first type is safe for the animal. The second is often deadly. But the most unpleasant thing is that the first type can spontaneously turn into the second. And today, many veterinary infectious disease specialists suggest that this may be due to not completely cured infections. Those. if your cat “picked up” something intestinal, but you didn’t really treat it, FECV (and it may well be in the body of any cat) can mutate.

Remember! Any viral (and not only) gastrointestinal tract must be treated immediately and until the complete disappearance of not only the symptoms, but also the pathogen from the body of your pet!

In addition, doctors have recently suspected that (almost the main causative agent of viral infections of the gastrointestinal tract in cats) can be transmitted from animal to human. Young children and the elderly are at risk. It is for this reason that all suspicious cats must be immediately isolated from other pets, infants, young children and people with weakened immunity. Considering the incredible contagiousness of viral pathologies and the "superluminal" speed of their spread in a crowded environment, we strongly do not recommend taking cats from dubious catteries. You will not only become a regular customer of the veterinarian, but you yourself can become infected with something unpleasant.

Clinical picture

Viral bowel diseases appear quickly and "brightly", in the form of severe, profuse diarrhea. Most often, feces are watery, pale or greenish. Characteristic "stroke" - disgusting smell, developing when the affected intestinal epithelium begins to literally "slide" from the walls of the digestive organs. If the cat is young and strong enough, there may be no clinical signs. Again, the symptoms in kittens are more than obvious:

• Fast, progressive.
• Full or partial .
• Pain in the abdomen, when trying to probe it, the cat either resists or tries to run away, howling and scratching people within reach along the way.
• Dehydration.
• permanent or intermittent type.
• . A very alarming symptom, indicating the development of a strong animal.
• Cloudy.
• Sudden occurrence.

Read also: Inflammation of the lungs in cats - symptoms and treatment

Therapeutic methods

Alas, viruses are unpleasant “types”. Only in some cases there is a specific therapy: if the exact type and strain of the pathogen is known, autoimmune sera help a lot. That's just such a subtle analysis, which is the definition of the species of the virus, can not be performed always and everywhere. So the therapy is symptomatic.

Relieve dehydration, intravenous injection of buffer compounds, sedatives, analgesics and antipyretics are administered to alleviate the general condition of the pet. In order to help the cat's body cope with the virus, veterinarians often use regular (human) interferon. Also apply antibiotics, but their goal is not to destroy the pathogen (viruses are completely insensitive to them), but to prevent the development of secondary bacterial infections caused by pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic microflora.

Protozoal infections

These pathologies are far from being fully studied and described. In particular, over the past few years, there have been increasing reports that intestinal pathologies in cats are often caused by pathogenic amoebae and ciliates. But studies are still episodic, there are no exact data. But the invariable "classic" of protozoal intestinal diseases in cats is giardiasis, as well. Their manifestations and course are largely similar, and the therapy is almost the same.

So the triggers are Giardia and coccidia, respectively. In adult animals, the course of the disease is most often asymptomatic. Young and older pets develop diarrhea. The feces are watery, have numerous mucous impurities, color is greenish. The smell of feces is extremely unpleasant. Due to the mass death and degradation of the epithelial cover, dehydration and malnutrition quickly develop: the damaged intestine cannot properly absorb either liquid or food. In more than 70% of cases, after a couple of weeks, the signs of the disease subside. But you should not flatter yourself: in this case, the pet becomes a lifelong carrier of infectious agents. At the slightest problem with immunity the disease may reappear.

Read also: What causes diarrhea in a 4 month old kitten

The therapy is rather "hard": sick animals are prescribed Fenbendazole in combination with Metronidazole (the latter can be used as an independent remedy). Because both drugs are quite toxic and have a bad effect on the liver and kidneys of animals, they are used only after the appointment of a veterinarian and under his constant supervision. Please note that some of the side effects of these medications include vomiting, flaky white foam at the mouth etc. If they occur, you must immediately stop the supply of funds and immediately contact the treating specialist.

I would like to note that veterinarians and doctors are still not sure whether Giardia and coccidia can be transmitted from animal to person. But many of them believe that this is quite likely. Therefore, when caring for a sick or recovering cat, you need to strictly follow the basic rules of personal hygiene and, if possible, strictly isolate the animal from children and the elderly. If possible, do not just throw away the contents of the sick cat's litter box, but collect everything in tight plastic bags. The ideal option is burning faeces. Cysts of coccidia and giardia are very stable in the external environment, so do not help the pathogen to spread.

Pathologies of bacterial origin

Perhaps the most numerous and "blurred" group. These diseases can be caused campylobacter, helicobacter, clostridia, pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli, etc. Moreover, with many diseases of bacterial etiology, even if not directly related to damage to the intestine itself, diarrhea and others are an offensively frequent phenomenon, so there can be a lot of reasons.