Diarrhea found in a cat: what to do to restore normal bowel function. Diarrhea in a cat. Treatment at home. Diarrhea after cat vaccination

Diarrhea (diarrhea) is an emptying of the intestine, accompanied by the release of fecal masses of a liquid consistency. Can be single or multiple. Cause diarrhea in a cat bacterial toxins, other substances that irritate the mucous membrane. Once in the intestines, they increase its peristalsis, which leads to diarrhea. As a result, the amount of liquid excrement increases, as well as the frequency of emptying. Depending on the intensity, acute, chronic and recurrent forms of diarrhea are distinguished, which have characteristic signs.

diarrhea symptoms

• Weakness, apathy, general depression of the body.
• Complete either partial absence appetite.
• Frequent emptying.
• Exhaustion - observed with prolonged diarrhea.
• Dehydration due to fluid loss.
• Liquid stools containing mucus and blood.
• Flatulence of the intestines.
• Excretion of poorly digested food along with excrement.

Causes of diarrhea in cats

1. Incorrectly prescribed diet or intolerance certain types products, feed.
causing disorder intestine products are individual for each animal. Intolerance to dairy products, milk is more common due to the lack of lactose enzyme in the body. There is also an allergy to products such as beef, horse meat, chicken eggs, corn, soybeans, wheat, some varieties of fish, ready-made feed mixtures. Removing such foods from the diet helps eliminate the allergic reaction.

2. Abrupt change in diet.
This reason is most relevant for unnatural breeds of cats (artificially bred - by crossing, hybridization - Sphynx, Devon Rex, etc.). In such pets, diarrhea can occur even with a slight deviation from the usual diet. Also, a change in nutrition, for example, transferring kittens from mother's milk to cow's milk, leads to diarrhea.

3. Binge eating.

Due to the consumption of excessive amounts of food, the liquid contents of the intestines move too quickly and do not have time to be absorbed into the blood. As a result, food enters the rectum in a liquid consistency. Such diarrhea domestic cat manifests itself once and is treated by reducing the size of portions.

4. Pick up.

Helminths and protozoa (giardia, cryptospores, isospores) cause diarrhea. In the stool, mucus and bloody discharge are noticeable.

6. Drug resistance.

7. Poisoning.

Poisoning can be caused by spoiled foods or toxic substances - kerosene, gasoline, cleaning products, insecticides, lime, paint, etc. The likelihood that cats will eat these substances is very small - these animals are picky eaters. But toxins can enter the pet's body from wool, with poor handling of the bowl, tray.

8. Viral or bacterial infection.

It occurs most often in domestic cats that have not been vaccinated. Diarrhea in a cat can develop due to such viral or bacterial diseases like the plague, coronavirus, parvovirus enteritis. In addition to diarrhea, the infection is accompanied by vomiting and fever. If such symptoms are detected, the cat must be urgently shown to the veterinarian, otherwise the death of the animal is possible.

9. Stress.

Diarrhea in a domestic cat can begin with excitement. For example, after going to the veterinarian, participating in an exhibition, when new pets appear in the house, after a trip in transport.

10. Metabolic disorders, bowel disease.

Intestinal diseases include disruption of the digestive secretion glands, damage to the intestinal walls, and inflammation.

11. Oncological disease.

12. Foreign substances in the body.

It can be quite difficult to determine the cause on your own. If you are not sure what caused diarrhea, it is best to contact a veterinary clinic.

At the doctor's appointment, the owner must provide comprehensive information:

• About the state of the cat before the disease.
• About the diet.
• About the dates of the last vaccinations, taking anthelmintic drugs.

For an accurate diagnosis, a number of additional studies are carried out: analysis for eggs of worms; on the occult blood in feces; general urine analysis; blood biochemistry. This allows you to diagnose intestinal obstruction, peritonitis, inflammation and other diseases with similar symptoms. From right established cause diarrhea depends on which type of treatment is chosen.

Treatment of diarrhea in cats and kittens

First, from the diet you need to exclude milk, dairy products, products with great content carbohydrates and starch.

Second, give the animal starvation diet. For an adult pet, the fasting period can last from 24 to 72 hours. If a kitten has diarrhea, you should limit yourself to 12 hours. When fasting, there must be access to clean drinking water. Can be used instead of water solution of rehydron, vetom. For animals in proportions of 1 to 1. If the animal refuses to drink, decoctions and solutions are forced inside - a syringe without a needle is used for this. The interval for introducing liquid portions is 1-2 hours.

Can be used for treatment "Smecta" for children- a quarter of a sachet per day; "Enterosgel", "Bifidum"- one dose per day. All medicines should be given one hour before meals.

In general, the treatment of diarrhea in cats and kittens is the same. With caution, you need to carry out self-treatment if you have a newborn kitten - diarrhea for him can be fatal. Therefore, it is better to immediately consult a veterinarian.

After fasting, the cat can begin to feed. Portions of food at the same time should be less than usual by about half, and it is worth feeding 3-4 times during the day. It is better to choose foods that are easy to digest, low in fat. Broth, boiled chicken breast, boiled yolk, rice - better in broth, canned meat for children (mashed potatoes) are excellent.

It is also recommended to use medicinal canned food - if the cat eats prepared feed. The most efficient of them are Royal Canin Gastro Intestinal, Eukanuba intestinal, Hills Prescription Diet i/d, which can be purchased at veterinary pharmacies. In the case of uncomplicated diarrhea, antibiotics and sorbents (for example, activated charcoal) should not be used. But it is necessary to follow a long diet - this will avoid relapses.

With diarrhea of ​​​​an infectious nature, provoked by poisoning or helminths requires the intervention of a veterinarian and a more serious approach to treatment. Depending on the severity of the process, an individual treatment regimen is selected. Commonly used antibiotics– within 5-7 days. Also used sorbents, intravenous injections detoxifying substances. In parallel with the treatment, the cat is prescribed vitamins, immunostimulants, enzymes.

Treating diarrhea in a pregnant cat

If there are no signs of infection, diarrhea can be treated with decoctions. rice or oats, use infusion from oak bark or St. John's wort(5-10 ml three times a day), rehydron.

Most non-viral or non-viral causes of diarrhea oncological diseases, can be eliminated in advance if you follow the rules of feeding and hygiene.

Prevention of diarrhea in cats

Prevention measures include:

• Ensuring cleanliness in keeping cats.
• Regular sanitization trays, disinfection of dishes.
• Use of quality feed.

Etiology
Table 1 presents the possibilities of differential diagnosis of chronic diarrhea (diarrhea) in cats. More details on this issue can be found in the works listed in the list of references (1-3).

Food hypersensitivity has been reported in one study (4) to be the cause in approximately 30% of cases. This cause is very difficult to differentiate from IBD because most affected cats have histologic changes consistent with chronic inflammatory bowel disease (4) and because definitive diagnosis requires initial diet testing, which owners often refuse to perform. Unlike most cases of IBD, the severity of clinical signs in this disease decreases within 2-3 days after changing the composition of the diet in feed-sensitive cats (4).

Table 1. Differential diagnosis of chronic diarrhea in cats:

History and clinical examination
History of deworming, characterization of the type of diarrhea (small or large intestine, see Table 2) and full story feedings are key points in the history taking. Prior therapy should be documented, especially the use of antibiotics, as it may be associated with bacterial disturbance and secondary chronic diarrhoea. If there was vomiting, then this fact should also be noted. The clinical examination should be complete, including palpation of the abdomen and careful examination of the ventral surface of the neck, in particular the thyroid gland.

Table 2. Characteristics of diarrhea of ​​the small and large intestines:

Basic laboratory tests include a complete blood count and biochemistry, including a test for total thyroxine especially in older cats. The goal is to rule out metabolic disorders and identify any possible consequences of the primary intestinal disease such as hypoalbuminemia, hypocholesterolemia, or any electrolyte imbalance. Moderate increase in alanine aminotransferase levels and alkaline phosphatase often seen in hyperthyroidism and chronic inflammation intestines.

The next step in the case of indeterminate previous test results should be to identify pancreatic diseases, including exocrine insufficiency and chronic pancreatitis, respectively, by measuring fTLI (feline trypsin immunoreactivity) or fPLI (feline pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity) in the blood. Serum folate and cobalamin concentrations should also be measured to diagnose possible malabsorption of these vitamins and initiate replacement in case of cobalamin deficiency. To look for internal changes, especially in the liver, pancreas, intestinal wall and abdominal lymph nodes using ultrasound. Puncture of observed abnormalities with a fine needle may help in making a diagnosis of cancer or pancreatitis. If liver failure is suspected, a determination is recommended bile acids before and after feeding. Deviation of the results from the norm is an indicator for a liver biopsy.

After this stage, if a definitive diagnosis is still not made, intestinal biopsy helps to differentiate between chronic inflammation and neoplasia. If abdominal ultrasonography reveals any focal (focal) lesion, a full-thickness biopsy and mass extirpation is recommended.

Because cholangitis (cholangiohepatitis), pancreatitis, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are often associated in cats, liver and pancreas biopsies should be performed simultaneously (5). All three segments of the small intestine are recommended for biopsy. If ultrasonography shows no focal lesions, an endoscopic biopsy may be performed. In this case, it is likely to be more efficient to sample the stomach and duodenum by upper endoscopy, but also the colon and ileum by colonoscopy, in particular because intestinal inflammation and neoplastic lesions may be unevenly distributed.

Three clinical cases are presented below to illustrate treatments for chronic feline diarrhea.

Case 1 - giardiasis
An 8-month-old domestic ovariectomized Shorthair cat presented with chronic diarrhea lasting 4 months.
The cat was treated with: deworming (including praziquantel/pyrantel and milbemycin), dietary changes (including easily digestible foods and a diet with previously unused protein sources), and one month of metronidazole (10 mg/kg twice daily) . These measures proved to be ineffective. The history of diarrhea seemed to be of a mixed type (small and large intestine), with increased stool volume, sometimes with severe diarrhea and mucus.
The owner did not notice any change in the cat's behavior, no vomiting was observed, but polyphagia has been noticed in the last few weeks.
The animal was mostly in the house and walked in the courtyard, always under the control of the owner. On clinical examination, the cat was alive, alert and sensitive, the weight was below normal, with a body index of 2-3/9, and was 2.5 kg. Abdominal palpation showed that gas/liquid filled the bowel loops without pain or significant dilatation. Further examination revealed no abnormalities.

Figure 1. Giardia trophozoites in a fresh faecal smear.

Relapse after the first treatment could probably be explained by contamination of the environment and the other cat with cysts. The persistence of cysts has also been explained by their transfer to the fur of cats (2). But this relapse could also be due to resistance to metronidazole. The study of feces at the end of the course of treatment was not carried out, but, nevertheless, it was decided to cancel the drug used and to prescribe fenbendazole. Even though fenbendazole in this case proved to be effective, the 'drug of choice' for feline giardiasis is metronidazole, which has recently been reported to be very effective in stopping spore production in a group of chronically infected cats (10). Fenbendazole is not approved for use in cats and stopped the spread of cysts in only 4 of 8 cats co-infected with Giardia and Cryptosporidium (11).

In healthy adult cats, doses up to 5 times the recommended dose of fenbendazole can be safely administered in one study (12), but a severe hypersensitivity reaction (idiosyncrasy) has recently been described in a cat (13). Giardia are sensitive to humidity levels and die in a dry environment. But the main problem is the persistence of cysts in the places where the animal is kept. Cysts die at temperatures above 55°C. The best are disinfectants containing tetravalent ammonium compounds. Chlorine-containing products are also effective (2).

At this stage, for this cat with chronic diarrhea and a concomitant increase in liver enzyme levels, the following hypotheses have been put forward:

• chronic liver disease,
• chronic pancreatitis,
• IBD or intestinal neoplasia and hyperthyroidism.

Presence of hypertension without any symptoms kidney failure allowed to take for the main version of hyperthyroidism. The total plasma thyroxine was at the level of 75 nmol/l (normal values: 15-52 nmol/l), and after that the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism was made. Urine was cultured on nutrient media, as infection is known to be frequent. urinary tract in cats with hyperthyroidism (14). The results were negative. The cat was prescribed Mercazolil 2.5 mg twice a day and at the same time amlodipine 0.625 mg once a day to relieve hypertension, because the blood pressure was high enough and there was a threat of organ damage. A week later, systolic blood pressure was 166 mm Hg. Art., the stool improved, but was still soft. Echocardiography showed no signs of hypertrophy. 3 weeks after the start of treatment, the level of total plasma thyroxine was 30 nmol/l, so the initial dosage of Mercazolil was maintained. An increase in the levels of creatinine and urea was not observed, the parameters of biochemistry, alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase were normal. The chair returned to normal. Systolic pressure- 156 mm Hg Art., and the animal was maintained on amlodipine.

This case shows that metabolic disorders should never be excluded from the list. possible diagnoses with chronic diarrhea in cats and that hyperthyroidism should first be ruled out - and only then continue with differential diagnosis, especially in cats older than 7 years with reduced body weight.

Case 3 - Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
An eight-year-old ovariectomized domestic shorthair cat was admitted with a complaint of recurring diarrhea for 8 months, with concomitant weight loss. Appetite was inconsistent, vomiting was sometimes observed, but not more than three times a week. Occasionally the stool contained fresh blood and mucus. There were no attempts and sudden diarrhea, on average there were 2-3 stools per day, occasionally with some difficulty. Tests for FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) and FLV (Feline Leukemia Virus) were negative. The cat, on the recommendation of a veterinarian, was dewormed twice a month with praziquantel and pyrantel pamoate without any changes. Monthly course of metronidazole clinical condition the cats did not improve, nor did the change in diet.
Clinical examination revealed no pathology, dehydration was absent. Abdominal palpation revealed a slight thickening of the intestinal loops.

A complete blood count revealed no changes, except for mild non-regenerative anemia, which was considered a symptom of a chronic illness. A coagulation test performed due to a report of fresh blood in the stool was normal. Triple flotation and reaction to Giardia antigen were negative. With the exception of reduced plasma albumin (20 g / l, norm - 25-38 g / l) with normal globulin and a slight increase in alkaline phosphatase (110 u / l, norm - 12-85 u / l), blood biochemistry, including total thyroxine , was normal.

Urinalysis showed no proteinuria, specific gravity - 1.038. Thus, in this cat, diarrhea was accompanied by hypoalbuminemia. Therefore, the main possible causes could be: liver disease, possibly associated with chronic pancreatitis, loss of protein through the gastrointestinal tract (due to chronic inflammation or primary intestinal neoplasia), and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Determination of bile acids before and after feeding made it possible to exclude liver failure. ultrasound abdominal cavity showed no changes in the liver or pancreas, but the small intestinal mucosa was abnormal (Figure 2), and the mesenteric lymph nodes were enlarged.

Figure 2. Abdominal ultrasonography of case #3. Loop image of the middle of the jejunum showing wall thickening (3.1 mm). There is a thickening in the outer muscular layer, the entire outer serous membrane has an irregular structure.

Serum trypsin immunoreactivity did not go out of the normal range, which made it possible to exclude exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, but serum cobalamin was significantly reduced (190 ng/l, normal - 290-1499 ng/l). Serum folate concentration without abnormalities. Due to the severity of the clinical picture and the presence of mixed diarrhea, gastroduodeno- and colonoscopy was performed. Abnormal, due to increased heterogeneity and friability, only the duodenal mucosa was recognized (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Endoscopy view of the duodenum in Case #3. Note the altered, grainy texture of the mucosa.

Biopsies were taken from the stomach, descending duodenum, colon, and, blindly, into ileum. The cat was placed on a soy protein hydrolysate elimination diet and metronidazole 10 mg/kg twice daily for 4 weeks was administered. Due to the reduced serum cobalamin concentration, therapy was supplemented with injections of vitamin B 12 (250 µg/kg once a week subcutaneously for 6 weeks).

The histopathologist's report indicated severe lymphoplastic inflammation of the small intestine with very strong infiltrations and architectural changes, but the biopsy was considered unreliable. The pathologist reported that he could not rule out the possibility of lymphoma due to the very superficial manner in which the biopsy was performed. Immunohistochemical staining of biopsies (15) also failed to distinguish between the two possibilities. The stomach and colonic mucosa were considered normal. Considering the possibility of lymphoma, it was decided to perform full-thickness biopsies of the intestinal wall before starting immunosuppressive therapy. Three segments were studied small intestine, tissues of the enlarged lymph node, pancreas and liver. The liver and pancreas were considered healthy, and the version of severe chronic inflammation of the small intestine was confirmed (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Histopathology of a full thickness jejunal biopsy (case #3). The architecture of the villi is destroyed, there is blunting and, in some places, fusion of the tips moderate expansion central papilla and prominent smooth muscle fibers. The assimilation layer is diffuse and saturated with increased numbers of mature lymphocytes and plasma cells, which blur the crypts in 7-9 cells of the thick layer. There is also an increase in the number of intraepithelial lymphocytes. The epithelium of the mucous membrane is slightly thinned, with cuboidal enterocytes, which often reduces the clear brush border of the epithelial tissue.

After these procedures, lymphoma was ruled out. The cat was definitively diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Treatment consisted of the administration of prednisone following scheme: 2 mg/kg twice a day for 5 days, during next week 1.5 mg/kg twice daily and 1 mg/kg twice daily for the second week. After 3 weeks, the animal was presented for re-examination. The stool was semi-formed, but still moist, and there was no evidence of blood or mucus. During this time, weight gain was 0.4 kg. After 6 weeks, the serum cobalamin concentration returned to normal. Therefore, the cat was given 250 micrograms of cobalamin subcutaneously every 4-6 weeks. The dosage of prednisolone was progressively reduced and after 3 months the animal was clinically well. Thereafter, steroid administration (1 mg/kg every other day) and an elimination diet were continued for another 6 weeks. Minor annual relapses are treated with a course of metronidazole or prednisolone and cobalamin. Therapeutic diet applied on an ongoing basis.

It can also develop due to a decrease in intestinal tolerance. immune system to the following factors:

In IBD, dietary changes are usually recommended, such as the use of an elimination diet, a diet based on a previously unused protein, or a diet with increased digestibility. By her own therapeutic diet, as a rule, is ineffective, and therefore it is recommended, according to at least at the first stages, supplement with antibiotic therapy. A recent study in cats demonstrated a relationship between the number of bacteria attached to the mucosa and the severity of tissue lesions in IBD (17). Moreover, the number of attached Enterobacteriaceae, E. Coli and Clostridium spp. correlated with the severity of clinical signs and the level of cytokine mRNA production (17). These results increase the likelihood of bacterial involvement in the pathogenesis of feline IBD and justify the use of antibiotics in such cases.

With the ineffectiveness of the above measures, immunosuppressants are used. It is recommended to start with steroids and then add or apply another drug if they do not work well (Table 3).

Table 3 Drugs used to treat IBD in cats:

Cobalamin deficiency is common in cats with gastrointestinal diseases in the USA, especially in IBD and alimentary lymphoma (18,19). However, the prevalence of hypocobalaminemia may be lower in other countries such as the UK (20).
Since it indicates a serious metabolic disorder, cobalamin levels need to be monitored and adjusted to normalize metabolism and improve clinical picture (18).

This case of IBD is unusual due to the possibility of a diagnosis of lymphoma based on endoscopic biopsies - and hence the need for a full-thickness biopsy for further investigation. There are reports that it is not possible to reliably differentiate between IBD and lymphoma based on endoscopic biopsies of the small intestine (21). In this case, the lymphoma needed to be ruled out before steroids could be used because of the risk of possible secondary resistance to chemotherapy.

Literature

1. Hall EJ, German AJ. Diseases of the small intestine. In: Ettinger SJ, Feldman EC, eds. Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine, St. Louis: Elsevier-Saunders; 2005; 6: 1332-1377.
2. Marks SL, Willard MD. Diarrhea in kittens. In: August JR, ed. Consultations in Feline Internal Medicine. St. Louis: Elsevier-Saunders; 2006, pp.133-144.
3. Washabau RJ, Holt DE. Diseases of the large intestine. In: Ettinger SJ, Feldman EC, eds. Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine, St. Louis: Elsevier-Saunders; 2005; 6: 1378-1407.
4. Guilford WG, Jones BR, Markwell PJ, et al. Food sensitivity in cats with chronic idiopathic gastrointestinal problems. J Vet Intern Med 2001; 15:7-13.
5. Weiss DJ, Gagne JM, Armstrong PJ. Relationship between inflammatory hepatic disease and inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatitis, and nephritis in cats. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1996; 209:1114-1116.
6. Hill SL, Cheney JM, Taton-Allen GF, et al. Prevalence of enteric zoonotic organisms in cats. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2000; 216:687-692.
7. McGlade TR, Robertson ID, Elliot AD, et al. High prevalence of Giardia detected in cats by PCR. Vet Parasitol 2003; 110:197-205.
8. Mekaru SR, Marks SL, Felley AJ, et al. Comparison of direct immunofluorescence, immunoassays, and fecal flotation for detection of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia spp. in naturally exposed cats in 4 Northern California animal shelters. J Vet Intern Med 2007; 21:959-965.
9. Tzannes S, Batchelor DJ, Graham PA, et al. Prevalence of Cryptosporidium, Giardia and Isospora species infections in pet cats with clinical signs of gastrointestinal disease. J Feline Med Sutg 2008; 10:1-8.
10. Scorza AV, Lappin MR. Metronidazole for the treatment of feline giardiasis. J Fe(me Med Surg 2004; 6: 157-160.
11. Keith CL, Radecki SV, Lappin MR. Evaluation of fenbendazole for treatment of Giardia infection in cats concurrently infected with Cryptosporidium parvum. Am J Vet Res 2003; 64:1027-1029.
12. Schwartz RD, Donoghue AR, Baggs RB, et al. Evaluation of the safety of fenbendazole in cats. Am J Vet Res 2000; 61:330-332.
13. Jasani S, Boag AK, Smith KS. Systemic vasculitis with severe cutaneous manifestation as a suspected idiosyncratic hypersensitivity reaction to fenbendazole in a cat. J Vet Intern Med 2008; 22:666-670.
14. Mayer-Roenne B, Goldstein RE, Erb HN. Urinary tract infections in cats with hyperthyroidism, diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease. J Feline Med Surg 2007; 9:124-132.
15. Waly NE, Gruffydd-Jones TJ, Stokes CR, et al. Immunohistochemical diagnosis of alimentary lymphomas and severe intestinal inflammation in cats. J Comp Pathol 2005; 133:253-260.
16. Jergens AE, Crandell JM. Clinical staging for inflammatory bowel disease. In: August JR, ed. Consultations in Feline Internal Medicine. St. Louis: Elsevier-Saunders; 2006, pp. 127-132.
17. Janeczko S, Atwater D, Bogel E, et al. The relationship of mucosal bacteria to duodenal histopathology, cytokine mRNA, and clinical disease activity in cats with inflammatory bowel disease. Vet Microbiol 2008; 128:178-193.
18. Ruaux CG, Steiner JM, Williams DA. Early biochemical and clinical responses to cobalamin supplementation in cats with signs of gastrointestinal disease and severe hypocobalaminemia. J Vet Intern Med 2005; 19:155-160.
19. Simpson KW, Fyfe J, Cornetta A, et al. Subnormal concentrations of serum cobalamin (vitamin B12) in cats with gastrointestinal disease. J Vet Intern Med 2001; 15:26-32.
20. Ibarrola P, Blackwood L, Graham PA, et al. Hypocobalaminaemia is uncommon in cats in the United Kingdom. J Feline Med Surg 2005; 7:341-348.
21. Evans SE, Bonczynski JJ, Broussard JD, et al. Comparison of endoscopic and full-thickness biopsy specimens for diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease and alimentary tract lymphoma in cats. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2006; 229: 1447-1450.

Olivier Dossen,
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Illinois, USA

What should I do if my cat has diarrhea? — this question is asked by thousands of cat owners around the world.

The fact is that diarrhea is one of the most unpleasant symptoms various diseases (often of an infectious nature), disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and other problems in the body. It is extremely important to realize that diarrhea is never the cause of health problems. pet– but always becomes their “accompaniment”.

What is diarrhea and how does it happen

Diarrhea (or, as it is popularly known, diarrhea) is a symptom that is characterized by very frequent (up to 10 times a day with a defecation rate of 1-2 times in an adult animal and up to 5 times in a kitten) bowel movements, and feces in this case, most often liquid.

Diarrhea develops as a result of intestinal irritation by various pathogenic bacteria, toxins, etc. Peristalsis increases, which leads to frequent defecation.

Sometimes the so-called false diarrhea in cats occurs - this is a small amount of feces squeezed out uncharacteristically thin, very often with mucus. Most often, this is a condition that is caused by previous constipation.

Diarrhea is usually of three types:

• acute (the condition lasts from 1 to 5-6 days, rarely - a little longer);
• recurrent (i.e. regularly recurring);
• chronic (such a diagnosis is made if diarrhea lasts longer than 2 weeks).

It is important to understand that despite the fact that this is a common phenomenon in cats, diarrhea is not an ordinary “incident” - it cannot be ignored, since often neglect of a pet can provoke serious problems with the animal’s body, and in severe cases leads to death. exodus.

How does diarrhea manifest itself?

Skip it unpleasant phenomenon extremely difficult, but it is very important to be able to detect the symptoms of diarrhea and address them as early as possible.

How does diarrhea manifest?:

• the cat often empties the intestines;
• at prolonged diarrhea pet is losing weight
• often the animal suffers from bloating;
• the cat becomes less active, may lose appetite;
• feces have a liquid consistency, often with various impurities (mucus, blood, etc.).

One of the most dangerous symptoms (and consequences) of diarrhea for cats is dehydration! It is especially dangerous for small kittens, which are distinguished by an extremely small supply of vitality. That is why dehydration of the body should not be allowed - it is necessary to contact a veterinarian as soon as possible or start treating diarrhea in a cat at home.

It should be borne in mind that diarrhea itself is already a symptom, and various diseases, in which this unpleasant phenomenon occurs, can manifest itself in different ways, for example, accompanied by depression, as well as vomiting, lack of appetite, or, conversely, an excessive need to eat.

Causes of diarrhea in cats

There are many causes of diarrhea in cats. Diarrhea can be caused by both ordinary stomach disorders associated with malnutrition, and serious diseases of an infectious and non-infectious nature. Most often, the reasons due to which the cat vilifies are the following factors:

1. intolerance to the food that the cat eats (first of all, we are talking about dry food), as well as improperly selected food, in particular, too fatty food;
2. low quality of dry food that the animal eats;
3. a sharp transition to another dry food or a different type of food, unusual food;
4. overfeeding a cat;
5. helminthic invasion;
6. food poisoning;
7. general or intestinal infection of a different nature;
8. gastroenteritis;
9. metabolic problems.

Also, diarrhea can often develop while taking various medications that the body does not tolerate for one reason or another.

It is important to consider that diarrhea can also indicate other serious pathologies in the body of a pet: for example, serve as a symptom of tumors, including malignant ones, pancreatitis and other diseases.

What is diarrhea like?

Fecal masses with diarrhea in cats can often have various impurities, different consistency, color and smell. When contacting the clinic, the veterinarian will certainly ask you to describe the nature of the bowel movements, their appearance and other features that will help facilitate the diagnosis process, as well as serve as the key to finding the cause of such a disorder.

The main types of feces for diarrhea:

• yellow stool. If it's not too bright yellow color, which speaks of liver damage, then this is evidence of the usual indigestibility of food.
• green feces. This is a more serious symptom. Most often, green diarrhea in a cat is the result of decay processes inside the stomach, most often caused by the animal eating stale or even rotten foods.
• White feces- a sign that bile does not enter the intestines at all, which may indicate a variety of problems with gallbladder or, for example, about blockage of the biliary tract.
• Mucus in stool most often it becomes a symptom of very strong intestinal irritation caused by various reasons. It often speaks of inflammatory processes there.
• The presence of blood clots can indicate erosion in the intestines, tumors and other serious pathologies or diseases, and therefore, in this case, a visit to the doctor should never be postponed!

When a visit to the doctor is not required

Sometimes diarrhea can be managed without the involvement of a doctor. These are cases of "normal", non-threatening diarrhea that has the following symptoms:

• diarrhea of ​​a normal color (feces of a healthy cat should be brown), without impurities;
• defecation is not too plentiful;
• the frequency of bowel movements does not exceed 3-4 times a day.

In this case, it is not particularly necessary to treat the cat for diarrhea - it is enough to provide her with a starvation diet for a day and access to clean drinking water. If there is no improvement the next day, then you should not postpone the visit to the doctor.

Diarrhea in a pregnant cat is always a bad sign, since there is a possibility of pregnancy complications, and therefore future mother, as well as small kittens, whose body cannot yet cope with various problems, it is necessary to show the doctor even with "normal" diarrhea.

Treatment of diarrhea

Only a doctor can prescribe the correct treatment for diarrhea! He will study the cause of the problem, assess the duration of diarrhea, its severity and prescribe treatment.:

• At simple diarrhea applied symptomatic treatment, which was mentioned above: daily fasting, etc. It is very important not to disturb the animal during the day!
• With a slight dehydration, the cat should be gradually fed with Regidron's solution, a slightly salty decoction of medicinal chamomile or salted boiled water. In more complex cases, an injection with Ringer's solution or a dropper is used.
• If diarrhea is provoked by an infectious or other disease, apply specific treatment such as antibacterial or anthelmintic drugs. In cases of diarrhea caused by intestinal obstruction, surgery may be required.

After alleviating the condition of the animal, the food is introduced gradually so as not to provoke a new round of the development of the disease!

The question "What to give a cat for diarrhea?" sooner or later it occurs in all owners, since cats are capricious animals and anything can become the cause of diarrhea in them, from stress to complex intestinal disorder. In some cases, you can do nothing - just give the animal a day to starve. Others require a diet, the use of sorbents, or even a rush visit to the veterinarian.

It is better to understand when what measures should be taken in more detail.

Reasons and color

For the most part, the causes that can cause diarrhea in a cat can be divided into two large groups.

Physiological

Here all the reasons that can be called conditionally safe are combined - if you approach the treatment at home correctly, the result is visible quickly and the cat feels better. The intervention of a veterinarian may not even be necessary. Among them:

• Stress. Cats are sensitive and nervous creatures. If an unfamiliar animal enters the house, a beloved owner leaves or moves with the cat, diarrhea can become a natural reaction. So sometimes the stomach is upset in small children when they are nervous. Color is usually like normal stool, the unpleasant smell is not worse than usual.
• Binge eating. Cats should not overeat - veterinarians believe that eating less than they need is not as destructive for them as eating more. Accordingly, if a cat is overfed, excess food is thrown out of the stomach and either vomiting or diarrhea occurs as a result. The color of his normal feces, the smell too.

• Switching to a new food. If the cat has been eating the same food for a long time, it is necessary to transfer it to another carefully, according to the instructions on the package. If you give it to her suddenly, in full, the body may react inadequately and then diarrhea will occur.
• Wrong nutrition. Cheap food, trying to feed a cat from a human table, food that is too fatty, or too much plant fiber can all lead to indigestion. Cats are predators. They need to be fed or raw meat and fish, which is expensive, or food recommended by veterinarians.
• Poisoning. It is about him that the owners think when they see that the cat has diarrhea. And they are looking for remedies from him, thinking about what to give the cat for diarrhea. Poisoning is also possible, especially if the cat goes outside or has a habit of digging through garbage. Accompanied elevated temperature and vomiting, which makes it different from other options. In the feces, you can usually notice pieces of incompletely digested food, the smell is unpleasant, pungent.

All of these options are not particularly dangerous to the health of the cat if he has access to clean water, and the owners are responsible enough to, having noticed diarrhea, eliminate its cause.

If this is not done, sooner or later the cat will start having problems with the stomach or intestines - treating them is much more expensive than buying good food, avoiding stress, or preventing the cat from overeating.

Diarrhea with physiological causes does not differ in color from normal feces and the smell is neither putrid nor ammoniacal.

Pathological

These causes threaten serious health problems or even lethal outcome. If physiologically1 diarrhea is caused, as a rule, by malnutrition in one form or another, then the pathological one is somewhat more diverse. It can be:

• Infection. Inflammation is dangerous for people, not just for cats. It is from the various intestinal infections cats die quite often if help is not provided in time. The diarrhea in this case is greenish, with putrid smell, the cat's temperature rises, it becomes lethargic and weak.
• Kidney diseases. Due to too fatty unbalanced diet, a cat can develop kidney disease, due to which, over time, diarrhea will occur. Usually it is watery, accompanied by pain.
• Liver diseases. The liver also suffers from malnutrition. The diarrhea is yellow, with a strong smell of ammonia. If you look closely at the cat, you will notice that yellow is not only diarrhea, but also mucous.
• Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. hereditary predisposition or malnutrition can cause stomach or intestinal ulcers in cats. Pain, lack of appetite, diarrhea with a pronounced odor, you can see streaks of blood in it. The cat has no appetite, it is weak, lethargic, tends to hide from sight.
• Tumor. Malignant or benign, it doesn't matter. If it was formed in the stomach or intestines, it will not affect their work. in the best way. In parallel, the cat's appetite decreases, it becomes lethargic. Vomiting may occur, weight loss may occur.

All diseases are fraught with complications. Allergies can lead to swelling and choking. Worms - to great weight loss, imbalance of nutrients in the body and problems with internal organs. Infections are contagious, painful, and extremely damaging to the body. The kidneys, liver and gastrointestinal tract cause suffering to the cat during the disease and can lead to her death.

Even diarrhea itself can lead to dehydration.

Treatment

To give right pills from diarrhea to a cat, you need to know what causes diarrhea and remember that in some cases self-medication is unacceptable. The cat should be taken to the veterinarian immediately if:

• blood clots are visible in diarrhea - this indicates a serious illness, either these are kidney stones, or an ulcer in the gastrointestinal tract, or a far-reaching infection with worms;
• the cat suffers from diarrhea for the second or third day, despite the fact that measures have been taken - the lack of improvement indicates that folk methods do not help;
• a cat goes to the toilet more than five times a day - such a frequency is fraught with dehydration, which is very difficult to compensate at home, because it is unlikely that a cat will be able to put a dropper on its own;
• the cat began to dehydrate - the mucous membranes are dry, the tongue is covered with a white coating, the temperature rises, the cat reacts poorly to the environment, does not go to the toilet, cannot get up, faints;

• the cat obviously serious illness - heat, which is combined with vomiting and diarrhea requires the mandatory intervention of a doctor;
• the cat does not feel well, but diarrhea occurs periodically for a month in the absence of obvious external causes.

If the cat has diarrhea about five times a day, there is no blood in it, and she feels generally good, you can try to cope on your own.

Diet

The first thing to do is not to give the cat pills, but to provide her with the right diet for the duration of the disease and make sure that she is provided with everything she needs.

The prescriptions are as follows:

In most cases, such simple actions are enough to make the cat feel better and come to life. But sometimes you can play it safe and supplement the scheme with medications.

Medications

Very often people ask questions like "Is it possible to give Imodium to a cat with diarrhea?" or “Can I give a cat Loperamide for diarrhea?”.

• Loperamide. A remedy that is used directly for the treatment of diarrhea - but the treatment is very specific. Thanks to the remedy, the intestines begin to move less, the movement of feces slows down and the diarrhea stops. But nothing happens in the body just like that. Diarrhea removes toxins, cleanses the intestines, if it is stopped earlier than necessary, the cat may become poisoned and die. Therefore, Loperamide is recommended to be used after activated charcoal has an effect.
• Levomycetin. Antibiotic. Very bitter, very active, hits the liver and kidneys, has many contraindications. It is better not to use it at home, as there is a chance of getting serious problems with cat health.

Medicines must be prescribed by a doctor, then they will definitely fit the case of a particular cat.

The owner is required not to feed the animal for a day, provide him with access to clean water and monitor the condition. It is important to know how many times the cat went to the toilet, it is important to remember what color the discharge was. The veterinarian will need this information.

However, there is a great chance that after a day of hunger strike the cat will return to normal.

What causes diarrhea in cats? When to worry if you find liquid stool? How to cure diarrhea at home?

Normally, adult cats defecate no more than 2 times a day. Fecal masses are moist, formed, have a soft texture and dark brown color.

Diarrhea or diarrhea - frequent bowel movements, with increased water content in feces.

Diarrhea is not an independent disease. This is a violation of the normal activity of the intestine, which accompanies many diseases and pathological conditions both the intestine itself and other systems and organs of the body.

Acute diarrhea causes dehydration, which is life threatening.

Chronic diarrhea leads to exhaustion and weakening of the immune system. At chronic diarrhea food is digested poorly as a result, the body is deficient in essential nutrients, vitamins and trace elements.

The causes of diarrhea are varied. Stool disorders are accompanied by both mild food indigestion and serious diseases of the whole organism or its individual organs.

Alimentary diarrhea

Associated with animal nutrition, these include:

Infectious diarrhea

Diarrhea is accompanied by many infectious and parasitic diseases:

1. Bacterial infections- colibacillosis, salmonellosis, etc.
2. Viral infections- panleukopenia, leukemia, etc.
3. Invasive diseases(caused by helminths and protozoa).
   With infections and invasions, in addition to diarrhea, general depression, fever, vomiting, conjunctivitis (inflammation of the mucous membranes of the eyes) can be observed.

Dyspeptic diarrhea

Occurs when there is a lack of digestive secretions necessary for the digestion of food. Such diarrhea is accompanied by diseases of the stomach, liver, pancreas.

Neurogenic diarrhea

Occur in stressful situations, under the influence of excitement or fear. Bound to infringement nervous regulation intestinal peristalsis, central nervous system. Nervous diarrhea occurs when a change of scenery, moving, the appearance of a new animal or person in the house.

Medical diarrhea

Long-term use of antibiotics and other antibacterial drugs mows down the natural intestinal microflora, resulting in dysbacteriosis.

Toxic diarrhea

Occur in case of poisoning with arsenic, mercury and other pesticides, toxic medicines. Often such poisoning in cats occurs when they eat poisoned mice or rats, with an overdose of anthelmintic drugs.

Diarrhea after cat spaying

Diarrhea in a cat after spaying surgery has the following explanation:

• Firstly, the operation itself and preparation for it (transportation, doctor's examination, etc.) are stressful factors for the cat. As mentioned above, diarrhea can occur on a nervous basis.
• Secondly, during the operation, anesthetics are used to relieve pain, and antibacterial agents are used to prevent postoperative complications, which can also cause diarrhea.

Diarrhea after cat vaccination

Vaccination itself does not cause diarrhea. The cause of diarrhea may be a stress factor or vaccination coincided with the incubation (initial, latent) period of the disease.

green diarrhea

Color, texture, presence of impurities in the feces (blood, gas bubbles, undigested food residues) help in preliminary diagnosis diseases.

With active putrefactive processes in digestive tract, stool color, may acquire green tint and a foul odor. This happens when a cat eats rotten meat, fish, or carrion picked up on the street.

yellow diarrhea

Yellow diarrhea is accompanied by various digestive disorders. Bright, saturated to orange color of feces, may indicate violations in the functioning of the liver.

White diarrhea

The white-gray color of diarrhea indicates that it does not enter the intestines bile. Lack of bile in the intestines can occur when there is a blockage bile ducts stones or liver failure.

Diarrhea with mucus in a cat

Mucus is a natural protective secret. which is produced by the intestines. The increased content of mucus in the feces indicates inflammatory processes in the large intestine.

Diarrhea with vomiting

1. Diarrhea and vomiting are bright signs various poisonings. With the help of these reflex acts, the body is freed from toxins. And usually at first there is vomiting, and then diarrhea develops.
2. Diarrhea with vomiting is accompanied by many serious infectious diseases.

Frequent diarrhea in cats

Frequent diarrhea is a reason to see a doctor for examination and to establish the causes, which can be very diverse.

What to do if a cat has diarrhea with blood

Blood in the feces can be detected in gastric and intestinal bleeding, invasive and infectious diseases.

Severe bloody diarrhea diagnostic sign requiring urgent examination by a specialist.

Treatment at home

The first thing to do is find out and eliminate the cause
diseases.

Analyze all recent events and try to establish why diarrhea appeared. Perhaps you gave the cat some product of suspicious quality, spoiled milk etc.

In any case, if diarrhea occurs, give the cat activated charcoal, at the rate of 1 tab. per 10 kg of animal weight. Crush the tablet and mix with a small amount water.

The suspension can be poured with a pear or a syringe without a needle. To do this, raise the cat's head and slowly pour the solution from the side of the mouth. Charcoal tablets can be given twice a day.

Very good, in the treatment of digestive disorders, helps a decoction of chamomile. You can give it 10-20 grams depending on the size of the cat.

If you have recently treated your animal with antibiotics or other antibacterial agents, the cause of diarrhea may be dysbacteriosis. In this case, you need to drink the cat with drugs that normalize the intestinal microflora - Vetom, Smecta, etc.

If you suspect a worm infection, deworm.

In more severe cases, with worsening general condition should contact the veterinarian.

Diet

AT initial stage treatment of diarrhea, you need to arrange a starvation diet, skipping one or two feedings. At the same time, provide free access to drinking water.

In the next few days, feed in full, easily digestible foods: liquid mucous porridges (rice or oatmeal) cooked in low-fat chicken broth, low-fat poultry meat, an egg. The diet should be followed during treatment and a few days later.