Unfortunately, cats often suffer various diseases stomach and intestines, which often reduces.

Gastrointestinal diseases in cats

Unfortunately, many pets experience gastrointestinal diseases throughout their lives.

Colitis

Colitis can be a real challenge for your pet.

Inflammatory processes in the large intestine are called colitis. In the thick section, water is absorbed and feces are formed. The inflammatory processes that occur there lead to impaired motor skills, resulting in a failure in the normal absorption of water and the formation of feces.

Causes

There is no single specific cause for this pathology. The following factors are believed to be associated with inflammation:

Diagnosis and symptoms

A cat colonoscopy will help make the correct diagnosis.

Making an accurate diagnosis depends, first of all, on the correct differentiation of other diseases.

Characteristic symptoms:

1. frequent bowel movements,
2. liquid feces,
3. in small portions.

Often present in feces mucus or blood , atypical color, with a pungent odor. False bowel movements occur. Severe abdominal pain is also possible.

Treatment

The course of treatment is prescribed by a veterinarian. Typically, the signs of pathology disappear within a week, with properly selected treatment.

• Shown antibiotics – tylosin.

  Veterinarians often prescribe Tylosin for colitis.

• Recommended use antiprotozoal drugs – metronidazole, furazolidone.
• For microflora preservation – probiotics: linex, bactisubtil, vetom, lactobifid, lactoferon.
• Bloating and require the use of smecta.
• When - corticosteroids in the form of prednisolone.
• Chronic colitis treated with anti-inflammatory drugs - sulfazaline, azathioprine.

  The anti-inflammatory drug Sulfasalazine also has an effective effect on colitis in cats.

Feline constipation

The cat's inability to go to the toilet normally - serious problem, both for the cat and the owner.

Long-term systematic constipation leads to serious disorders in the body and are called obstipation. This phenomenon is difficult and long to treat. There are few reasons leading to this phenomenon.

Most often this indicates. Obstruction may be due to the anatomical characteristics of the animal or acquired through external influences, such as the ingress of hair or other foreign objects.

The main symptoms are difficulty in defecation , feces are hard and dry. , refuses food. In some cases, nausea, depression, vomiting, and pain in the abdominal area may occur.

If you have constipation, you need to give your cat as much water as possible.

Help with constipation involves making sure your cat drinks plenty of fluids and putting your cat on a diet containing fiber. It is possible to use mild laxatives in the form of herbal infusions. In advanced and severe cases, cleansing enemas or surgical assistance are indicated.

Coronavirus enteritis

The disease is contagious and infectious in nature, causing complications in the form of.

Coronavirus enteritis is very dangerous for cats and can be fatal!

Caused by inflammatory processes in the small intestine.

• May leak asymptomatic – the cat is a carrier of the infection, infecting other animals.
• In a mild form – a slight malaise with mild symptoms.
• Severe form – the inflammatory process manifests itself not only in the thin section, but also affects most of the digestive system, accompanied by complications throughout the body.

In most cases it ends fatal. The causative factor is the Coronaviriadea virus. provokes a strain of this type of virus - FECV. The risk zone includes young individuals under two years of age and elderly representatives over twelve years of age.

Signs

A cat's refusal to eat should alert every owner.

Vivid symptoms of the disease are intestinal disorders: diarrhea, loss of appetite, and sometimes vomiting may be present.

Treatment

There is no specific treatment regimen for coronavirus enteritis.

They resort to maintenance therapy in the form of immunomodulators and temporary relief with antibiotic therapy. It is recommended to provide your pet with quality care and balanced feeding. In some cases, ascites fluid is removed, but there is a risk of the disease progressing to a dry stage.

Antibiotics can help with coronavirus enteritis, as well as caring for your pet.

Gastritis

Provoking factors

There are many reasons for the appearance of gastritis and they are all closely related to poor care and inattentive attitude towards the pet. The appearance factors are as follows:

Each individual reason must be dealt with, otherwise it can lead to serious problems.

Symptoms

The nature of the symptoms depends on the form of the disease. There are two of them: chronic form and acute.

1. Chronic course characterized by decreased appetite, drowsiness, decreased cat activity, and aching abdominal pain. With this type of course, the symptoms last only a few days, then disappear.
2. Acute form manifests itself in sharp pain, stench from oral cavity. Visible on the tongue white coating, my stomach is growling. Alternation and constipation are possible, with the remnants of undigested food coming out. Vomiting is present, often foamy, less often yellow. Emaciation, dull coat, pale or yellowish mucous membranes.

Treatment of acute form

The acute form is treated with the use of anti-inflammatory drugs and enveloping agents.

Severe course to relieve intoxication and replenish lost fluid. Antiemetics, antispasmodics and analgesics are prescribed. The use of sedatives is recommended. Along with this, a strict diet is indicated.

Based on materials from www.merckmanuals.com

If possible, it is necessary to identify and eliminate the cause of the inflammation. When treating, strictly follow your veterinarian's dietary recommendations. For example, it may be suggested that you don't feed your cat for 24 hours to rest the cat's digestive system. When feeding is resumed, it is often recommended to add soluble fiber to the diet. Gradually, the amount of fiber can be reduced or fiber can be completely eliminated from the diet. In the first time after resuming feeding, it may be recommended to replace the protein source with one that the cat has not previously eaten, for example, mutton, lamb, venison or rabbit. This is done to determine which foods are causing your cat's food allergies. For some types of inflammation, it may be enough to change the diet for treatment (for example, switch to lamb and rice food, or other ready-made medicated foods). To quickly eliminate the symptoms of the disease, in addition to changing the diet, anti-inflammatory medications may be prescribed. Some cats require additional short-term medication to thicken the stool until the inflammation is under control.

Constipation in cats.

Constipation are a common problem in cats. Constipation is generally quite easy to deal with. However, in more serious cases, symptoms can be severe. The longer fecal matter remains in the colon, the drier and tougher it becomes and the more difficult it is to pass. Obstipation- This is systematic constipation, difficult to treat.

Long-term constipation can be caused by obstruction within the intestine, narrowing of the intestine from external influences, or neuromuscular problems in the colon itself. Obstruction is the most common cause, usually due to the inability to move indigestible, often hard substances (eg, hair, bones) that become mixed with fecal matter. Some cats with long-term constipation or constipation may experience megacolon, an enlargement of the intestines due to weakened intestinal muscle strength. The cause of megacolon often remains unclear. Some medications may cause constipation, among their side effects.

Symptoms of constipation include difficulty defecating and hard and dry stool. Some cats experience lethargy, depression, loss of appetite, nausea, and abdominal discomfort.

Cats suffering from constipation should drink more water. Mild constipation can often be relieved by placing the cat on a high-fiber diet, providing constant access to water, and using (usually short-term) appropriate laxatives. It is clear that laxatives should only be used as prescribed by a veterinarian, as human medications for cats can be extremely dangerous. In severe cases, veterinarians may remove feces with an enema or other means while the cat is under general anesthesia. At chronic constipation or megacolon that does not respond to conventional treatment, surgery is performed to remove the affected section of the colon.

You can read more about constipation in cats in a separate article.

Coronavirus enteritis in cats.

Coronavirus enteritis cats are a highly contagious disease transmitted through close contact. The disease is very closely related to the virus that causes the more serious disease feline infectious peritonitis. Infection with feline enteritis coronavirus causes inflammation in the small intestine, which fortunately is usually not fatal.

The virus spreads through the feces of infected cats. Transmission requires close contact between cats, although the possibility of infection through contaminated objects also remains. In nurseries, the virus can cause intestinal inflammation (of varying degrees of severity) in kittens from 6 to 12 weeks of age. Newly weaned kittens may develop fever, vomiting, and diarrhea for 2 to 5 days. In more severe cases, kittens may refuse to eat for 1 to 3 days. In adult cats, the disease often occurs without visible signs.

The feline enteritis virus is extremely widespread, and many recovered cats remain carriers of it. Coronavirus infection can only be prevented by minimizing cat contact with feces. Most cats develop an effective immune response after infection that persists after recovery. With the intestinal form of the disease, there are no symptoms of feline infectious peritonitis. However, if signs of the disease develop in cats with feline infectious peritonitis, the disease becomes fatal. Currently, there are no specific methods to combat the disease; cats should receive supportive treatment and, if necessary, fluid infusions.

Inflammation of the stomach in cats.

Gastritis(or inflammation of the stomach) in cats often begins due to the ingestion of objects that violate the integrity of the lining of the stomach. A common symptom of gastritis is nausea. With long-term gastritis, vomit may contain food debris (such as grass), bile, foam, fresh blood, or digested blood (looks like coffee grounds). Often inflammation is accompanied by diarrhea. Short-term or single vomiting usually does not cause the development of any additional disorders. On the contrary, nausea that continues for a long time, can lead to weakness, lethargy, weight loss in the cat, dehydration and imbalance of salt balance in the body. The prognosis for recovery depends on the cause of nausea and the success of treatment of the primary disease.

Cat intestinal cancer.

Bowel cancer It is very rare in cats, accounting for less than 1% of all cancers. Typically, cancers develop in the small intestine, most often in older cats. For most intestinal tumors, specific causes have not yet been identified. It is believed that the nutritional form of lymphoma (even with a negative test result for the virus) is caused by the feline leukemia virus. Intestinal tumors in cats are usually cancerous and grow and spread quickly.

Symptoms of tumors depend on the size and location of the tumor. These may include nausea (sometimes with blood), diarrhea (also with blood), weight loss, constipation and difficulty defecating, abdominal pain, bloating, and abdominal infections associated with intestinal damage. Cats with intestinal tumors may show signs of anemia, such as pale gums.

Diagnosis is based on the results of physical examinations and medical history. To confirm, a biopsy of tissue samples is performed. The preferred method of treatment is surgical removal of the tumor. The prognosis of treatment depends on the prevalence of tumors of their type and the possibility of removal, so it can be either very good or bad.

Gastrointestinal obstruction in cats.

The inability of food to pass from the stomach develops due to tumors, foreign objects, polyps and excessive growth of stomach tissue.

Intestinal obstruction may be complete or partial. Causes include foreign objects, intussusception (a condition in which one part of the intestine invades another), strangulation (or incarceration, such as compression from a hernia), or tumors. Long thin objects (threads, yarn, fibers) can get stuck at the base of the cat's tongue. If the object is long enough to reach the intestines, its normal movements cause tearing and cutting effects on the walls, leading to intestinal perforation and increasing the risk of abdominal infections.

Symptoms of small intestinal obstruction include lethargy, poor appetite, nausea, diarrhea, pain in the abdominal area or when swallowing, fever or reduced temperature, dehydration. To make a diagnosis, the veterinarian needs all possible information about the cat's eating habits. It is important to know whether the cat had access to threads, needles, etc., and whether any objects (for example, toys) went missing. Palpation of the abdominal area (gentle palpation internal organs hands) sometimes allows experienced veterinarians to determine the enlargement of some parts of the body, thickening of intestinal loops or the presence of gases. X-rays, ultrasound or endoscopy are also used to identify the problem.

Cats with generalized signs of illness, such as depression or fever, benefit from intravenous fluids. If the obstruction cannot be eliminated using an endoscope, surgery is necessary. Cats with sudden onset of abdominal symptoms for which the cause is unknown and whose condition worsens may also require surgery. Many cats recover well after surgery.

Intestinal ulcers in cats.

Intestinal ulcer are wounds in the stomach or intestinal surface caused by gastric juice or digestive enzymes. Causes that can cause ulcers to form include certain medications, tumors, infections, and general illnesses.

Cats with intestinal ulcers may not show visible signs of illness. In other cases, there may be episodes of nausea, sometimes with blood, and abdominal discomfort that may go away after eating. Dark, tarry stool means the presence of blood in it, pale gums (a sign of anemia). Symptoms of the diseases that led to the formation of the ulcer (for example, signs related to kidney failure) may also be observed.

If your cat has nausea, abdominal discomfort, loss of appetite, or unexpected weight loss, veterinarians will use special tests to determine the cause. An abdominal ultrasound or x-ray is used to confirm the diagnosis. In cases where the cause remains unclear or in cases of obvious illness gastrointestinal tract, endoscopy and biopsy of the stomach and intestines are often used for diagnosis.

To treat intestinal ulcers, it is very important to determine the cause of the disease in order to then eliminate or control it. It is critical to provide your cat with supportive care. Medicines in the treatment of ulcers serve to reduce the acidity of the stomach, which prevents further destruction of its surface tissues and promotes healing of the ulcers. Typically, treatment lasts from 6 to 8 weeks. During treatment, you should follow a light diet (for example, with cottage cheese and rice or chicken and rice).

Ideally, the healing process of ulcers should be monitored using endoscopy. If the ulcers do not respond to medications, the next step is to take biopsy samples from the stomach and small intestine. The prognosis for cats with peptic ulcers and benign tumors is good. For ulcers associated with renal or liver failure, as well as with stomach carcinoma or gastrinomas - bad.

Inflammatory bowel disease in cats.

Idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease- this is a group of diseases of the digestive system for which stable symptoms are defined, and inflammation begins for no clear reason. Forms of intestinal inflammation are classified according to location and type of cells involved.

Inflammatory bowel disease can occur in cats of any age, gender, or breed, although it is somewhat more common (and perhaps more often treated) in purebreds. On average, the disease begins in cats over seven years of age. Symptoms often last for a long time, sometimes disappearing periodically - nausea, diarrhea, changes in appetite and weight. Inflammation can be difficult to diagnose because its symptoms are common to many other diseases.

Your veterinarian may recommend switching your cat to hypoallergenic or eliminated food. This means that the cat will eat food with a protein source that it has not eaten before. Foods with this composition are usually available in veterinary clinics, pharmacies, stores, or can be prepared at home. The cat should eat only this food for at least 4 - 6 weeks and not take any medications not prescribed by a doctor. This type of diet is effective in controlling symptoms in some cats with inflammatory bowel disease, but is not effective for food sensitivities or food allergies. Only adding fiber to a cat's diet rarely works in severe cases.

Although inflammatory bowel disease in cats can often be controlled with a combination of diet and medications, the disease is rarely completely cured, so relapse is always possible.

Malabsorption in cats.

Malabsorption- this is poor absorption nutrients due to disturbances in digestion, absorption, or both. Digestive disorders in cats are usually caused by a lack of certain pancreatic enzymes (pancreatic insufficiency), and most cases of poor absorption are caused by diseases of the small intestine.

Symptoms of malabsorption are mainly related to insufficient absorption and loss of nutrients through feces. Typical symptoms include prolonged diarrhea, weight loss, and changes in appetite (decreased or increased). However, diarrhea may be absent even in severe cases. Weight loss can be significant despite a good appetite. Cats with malabsorption usually remain otherwise healthy unless they have severe inflammation or cancer. Nonspecific signs include dehydration, anemia, and fluid accumulation in the abdomen or other tissues. Thickening of the intestinal loops and enlargement of the lymph nodes of the abdominal cavity are possible.

Diagnosing malabsorption in cats can be difficult, as prolonged diarrhea and weight loss are common symptoms in many diseases. Specific laboratory tests can help determine whether symptoms are caused by an underlying multisystem or metabolic disorder (eg, hyperthyroidism).

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

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

never getting help from the person she loved.....

Be attentive to any symptoms of illness in your pet.

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

If your cat has diarrhea or vomiting. Of course, this is not a reason to immediately run to the doctor. Unless you are absolutely sure that your cat has inhaled or ingested some kind of toxic substance. Poisoning by inhalation can be caused by carbon monoxide, the smell of paints and varnishes, the use of insecticides when treating the room, etc., etc.

Well, if poison gets inside... it can be anything, from any household chemicals, which are found in abundance in everyone modern house and before taking seemingly ordinary food......

So, vomiting or diarrhea...

In case of one-time vomiting or short-term diarrhea (no more than two days), any owner can cope with the situation independently. But! Remember - diarrhea itself is not an independent disease; it is often a symptom of another, perhaps very dangerous disease. If diarrhea with mucus, with blood, very severe, with vomiting, is accompanied by a strong increase in temperature, if vomiting becomes uncontrollable - RUN to the doctor! Don’t be like those owners who spend hours sitting at the computer typing phrases like this into search engines: “The cat has not eaten for five days, is breathing 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 rummage through the trash can. And even adult cats can try and swallow small objects that may be inedible and even poisonous (you won’t believe it, but right now, while I’m writing, my little one pulled the remote control towards him remote control, grabbed the film from it with his teeth and dragged it into his mouth. Okay, I'm nearby, I took it. This is how we have them - they need constant supervision)))). Diarrhea can also be caused by a change in food. But the cause of a long-term disorder may 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 of the body, and this, in turn, leads to a very rapid death of your pet.....

So, diarrhea...

What can you do? Place your cat on a daily fasting diet. When the first symptoms of the disease appear, you need to give the cat 1-3 tablets activated carbon, be sure to give her plenty of fluids, you can brew some herbs: chamomile decoction, flax seed decoction. After a day, start feeding the cat rice water, boil the chicken, buy Vetom 1.1, add it to the food. Until your stool returns to normal, stick to the rice-chicken diet. It is also recommended to serve the homeopathic remedy Nux vomica-Homaccord. It’s good to give your cat Smecta for diarrhea. Dilute 1/2 of the sachet with water. How much water is actually 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 be poisoned by Smecta, but be careful - do not give the drug if the diarrhea has stopped. A cat doesn't need constipation either.

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

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

Constipation

If a 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 number of hairballs are ingested by the cat when washing itself, but it can also occur when the cat swallows small, indigestible objects.

What to do first: The best remedy is to give the cat regular Vaseline oil (one tablespoon). Vegetable oil cannot be used! It is also impossible to do an enema if you are constipated; it is unknown for what reason this trouble happened.

If constipation continues, you should take your cat to the veterinarian.

The main thing for constipation is to exclude intestinal obstruction.

Intestinal obstruction

Intestinal obstruction can develop in cats due to constipation (coprostasis), as a result of helminthic infestation, as well as due to swallowed objects (often a Christmas tree decoration in the form of “rain” or thread) or volvulus. 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 cases of peritonitis, dysotonomia (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, it comes from the mouth bad smell, vomiting appears. The stomach swells, the cat meows pitifully, rolls on the floor, trying to stretch its stomach, and looks back at its stomach.

What to do. Don't hesitate to take your cat to the doctor! In case of intestinal obstruction, urgent intervention by specialists is required. She needs to undergo an X-ray examination (differential diagnosis is supplemented by contrast radiography using barium).

Acute gastritis

Causes: poor quality food, change of feed, poisoning by certain medicines, overfeeding, not regular feeding, giving cold (from the refrigerator) or hot food, helminthic infestation.

Symptoms: The main symptom of acute gastritis is the appearance of sudden vomiting. The cat refuses food, hunches over when moving, groans, pain in the stomach area, and a grayish-white coating on the tongue is possible. There may be an increase in temperature, stool is often unformed, with mucus. Constipation is often replaced by diarrhea.

What to do: On the first day of illness, you can give cerucal (an antiemetic). Do not feed the cat for the first day, after which serve it mucous infusions (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 gentle diet for a month. It is advisable to switch to dietary food for a while (for example, use the medicinal line from Royal Canin or Hill’s). Most often, if you adhere to these recommendations, the manifestations of acute gastritis disappear already on the third to fifth day.

Chronic gastritis.

Chronic gastritis can be a consequence of acute gastritis. 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: With 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-term and individual.

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

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

It is advisable to show the cat to a veterinarian.

Gastroenteritis.

Gastroenteritis is inflammation of the stomach and small intestine. Has much in common with acute gastritis. Occurs as a result of excessively greedy food intake and stomach fullness, and can also be observed with some infectious diseases, such as panleukopenia, salmonellosis.

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

Feces with catarrhal inflammation are liquid, watery, fetid, mixed with undigested food and mucus.

What to do: Diet. During the first 24 hours, do not feed the cat, give only water, or better yet, herbal decoctions and infusions. It is advisable to give an injection of Gamavit, buy Vetom-1.1 at the pharmacy, add it to your cat’s food. For the first 3-5 days after a daily fast, serve mucous decoctions; it is recommended to give raw, fat-poor meat.

Necessarily Show the cat to the veterinarian.

Domestic cats sometimes experience disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. Most often, these troubles are caused by poor quality food, but sometimes diarrhea indicates something more serious. For example, for enterocolitis in cats. This is a rather dangerous pathology that has a very negative impact on the health of the animal.

Enterocolitis is an inflammation of the small and large intestines. It should be noted that in some cases the pathology may also affect the stomach. In fact, here we can talk about damage to almost the entire digestive tract. Of course, the body tolerates this condition extremely difficult.

Causes

The disease can be caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi or helminths. Reactions to medications or even new foods should not be ruled out. In some cases, the predisposing factor may be severe stress experienced by the animal. In veterinary practice, there are also often cases of the development of enterocolitis against the background of thoughtless and unprofessional treatment, which is practiced by some cat lovers. Believe me, paracetamol or aspirin are not at all suitable for cats; using them, you risk simply killing your pet.

Clinical signs

The most common, bacterial enterocolitis, most often causes uncontrollable vomiting in cats, and sometimes there are cases of uncontrollable vomiting. Vomit may contain foamy, yellowish bile. It can be seen especially often after the stomach has been empty for a long time, but the animal still bends over from powerful vomiting spasms. As soon as the cat takes a couple of sips of water or eats a small piece of food, everything eaten immediately comes out. As for diarrhea, the diarrhea may not stop at all: it happens that the cat spends the whole day on the tray, in the end collapsing on it from weakness.

Read also: A cat has a nosebleed: causes and treatment options

Feces may have a mushy consistency and faded color (in the initial stages). When you try to palpate the abdomen, your cat will probably not be delighted with your idea and will begin to struggle and scratch, meowing loudly or growling in pain. Most cats with enterocolitis immediately lose their appetite and appear extremely lethargic. Intermittent fever is common. If vomiting and diarrhea persist for more than 24 hours, severe dehydration occurs, which can lead to problems with the excretory system and heart. It’s really bad when hemorrhagic enterocolitis develops: in cats, with their low body weight, such a pathology can easily lead to death from severe internal bleeding.

How is the presence of enterocolitis detected in an animal?

Read also: Cutaneous horn - growths on the skin of cats

Your veterinarian may suggest other pathologies based on observed symptoms and/or his or her own experience. The first step to identifying the source of vomiting, diarrhea, and coma is obtaining a comprehensive medical history. The following factors should be in the doctor’s field of vision:

• Your cat's regular food, as well as the frequency of feeding and the amount of food the cat eats at one time.

• He should know everything your pet has eaten or drank over the past 48 hours.

• Any new products, care products and even toys.

• Contact, even possible, with pesticides, medications, cleaning agents or other household chemicals.

• Recent contacts with alien animals or even people.

• Previous episodes of vomiting and diarrhea (including their cause and treatment).

• Recent illness (within the past month).

• Any chronic pathologies of your pet.

• Any medications or supplements you have given your cat within the past month.

After obtaining a medical history, your veterinarian will perform a complete medical checkup animal. He will look for signs of dehydration, abdominal pain or bloating, or any other abnormality. Your cat's body temperature and other vital signs will be checked first. On at this stage Your veterinarian may recommend diagnostic tests, which may include:

• Microscopic examination of a blood smear.

• Identification of chemical parameters of blood serum and electrolytes. The information obtained will help the veterinarian prescribe the correct replacement therapy.

• A urine test performed to detect urinary tract infections, kidney disease, dehydration, and glycosuria (glucose in the urine). The latter may indicate the development of diabetes mellitus, the symptoms of which may be similar to enterocolitis.

• X-rays of the abdomen to look for intestinal obstruction and other pathologies.

• Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity, performed for the same purposes.

One of the most commonly diagnosed digestive system diseases in domestic cats is gastric ulcers. The disease is a pathology of the mucous membrane of an organ, characterized by the formation of ulcers and the development of necrosis.

The main cause of the disease is an error in feeding the animal, but there are other negative factors. A dangerous complication of an ulcer is bleeding and perforation of the gastric mucosa. Treatment requires patience from the owner and strict adherence to the veterinarian’s recommendations.

Read in this article

Causes of stomach ulcers

The etiology of diseases of the digestive system is well studied in veterinary medicine. Experienced breeders and general practitioners rightly believe that the following unfavorable factors lead to stomach ulcers in furry pets:

Illiterate feeding

This broad group of reasons includes, first of all, the owner’s inclusion of the wrong foods in the animal’s diet: food from the table, sausages, salty, spicy and canned foods, smoked meats and fatty foods. Feeding with cheap ready-made mass market foods (Whiskas, Kitekat, Friskas, etc.) can lead to stomach ulcers.

Monotonously feeding a cat only meat or only fish is a common cause of this insidious disease. Feeding your pet bones from fish and poultry also leads to the development of gastric ulcers. Microtraumas received by the mucous membrane of the cat’s digestive system lead to deep tissue damage and the appearance of ulcers in the thickness of the organ.

Hot, cold, excessively rough food also provokes stomach diseases. Experts also believe that the cause of the development of the disease is non-compliance with the pet’s feeding regime.

Mass market cat food

Medicines

The use of steroidal and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs often provokes the development of gastritis and then gastric ulcers in domestic animals.

Entry of foreign objects into the digestive canal

Damage to the gastric mucosa by sharp foreign bodies leads to deep tissue damage and the development of an ulcerative-necrotic process. Common cause Veterinary experts consider the disease to be an accumulation of hair balls in a cat’s stomach. They constantly irritate the mucous membrane of the organ, provoke the development of microtraumas and damage, including ulcerative-erosive ones.

Advanced gastritis

A seemingly harmless disease associated with inflammation of the mucous membrane leads to the development of an ulcer at the site of the superficial lesion, affecting the deep layers of the organ.

Endocrine diseases

Hypoadrenocorticism or Addison's disease in cats is the reason why gastric ulcers develop against the background of gastroenterological lesions.

Problems with internal organs

The cause of the development of the disease is often a variety of pathological processes in the pancreas (, liver (fatty degeneration, cirrhosis), and kidneys.

Stress

Long-term exposure to a negative psycho-emotional factor on an animal provokes the development of gastric ulcers.

Poisoning

Intoxication of the body domestic cat salts of heavy metals (lead), household acids and alkalis, petroleum products and organic solvents leads to the development of erosive and ulcerative lesions of the stomach.

Neoplasms

Lymphosarcoma, adenocarcinoma and other oncological tumors lead to the formation of erosions and ulcers in the digestive canal, including the stomach.

Many veterinary specialists consider the detection of Helicobacter Pylori microorganisms in sick animals to be a provoking factor for the disease in domestic animals. A colony of bacteria weakens the protective properties of the mucous membrane and contributes to the development of ulcerative processes in the organ.

Symptoms of a problem in a cat

In veterinary medicine, it is customary to distinguish between acute and chronic forms of the disease. The chronic course of the disease is often asymptomatic; it is difficult for the owner to suspect the presence of a stomach ulcer in a pet. In the first phase of the development of the disease, the symptoms resemble a stomach disease such as gastritis. In the future, the picture of the pathology becomes more pronounced.

Clinical signs of the acute form of the disease are more pronounced and are characterized by the following symptoms:

Veterinarians distinguish between simple and progressive ulcers. In the first case, the owner may experience a chronic course of the disease and periods of exacerbation when the clinical picture becomes pronounced. With a progressive ulcer, clinical signs increase.

When perforation of the stomach walls or intragastric bleeding occurs, the animal’s condition sharply worsens and pain shock is observed. The progressive form of the disease often leads to peritonitis, sepsis and death of the animal.

Diagnosis of a cat

If, based on the clinical picture, you suspect that your beloved pet has stomach problems, the owner should not hesitate to visit a veterinarian. A set of diagnostic measures will be carried out in a specialized institution.

First of all, a clinical blood test is important for diagnosis. The study will show the presence and degree of anemia in case of gastric bleeding, the state of the blood coagulation system (based on the number of platelets). For this purpose, a coagulogram may be prescribed.

A biochemical blood test will give an idea of ​​the functioning of the internal organs (liver, pancreas) and is an important method in the differential diagnosis.

A fecal occult blood test can detect gastric bleeding in an animal.

The most informative diagnostic method, including differential, is an x-ray examination of the digestive organs for the presence of a foreign object.

In order to identify ulcerative lesions and the presence of perforation of the stomach wall, X-ray contrast studies with barium are used in veterinary practice.

According to indications for diagnostic purposes, the animal is ultrasonography stomach, as well as abdominal organs (liver, pancreas, lymph nodes).

The most informative research method is gastroscopy. The manipulation is carried out in a specialized institution under general anesthesia. During gastroscopy, the localization of ulcers is established, the shape and nature of the disease is determined, and a piece of the organ is biopsied for subsequent histological examination.

Gastroscopy

In rare cases, laparoscopy is used as a diagnostic method with the collection of material for research.

Differential diagnosis is carried out primarily with gastritis, pathological processes in the pancreas and liver, and poisoning.

To see what a stomach ulcer in a cat looks like during gastroscopy, watch this video:

Treatment of stomach ulcers

In the treatment of the disease, the form and nature of the ulcerative lesion of the organ is taken into account. First of all, the animal is prescribed painkillers and antispasmodics (Spazgan, Papaverine, No-Shpa). In order to reduce production of hydrochloric acid a sick cat is prescribed a course of stomach medications: Omeprazole, Ranitidine, Cimetidine, etc. The drugs protect the gastric mucosa from the aggressive effects of hydrochloric acid in gastric juice.

If dehydration occurs, the cat is given a course of infusion therapy. If anemia develops due to bleeding, the sick animal is given a blood transfusion.

In case of severe vomiting, antiemetics are used with extreme caution. Such drugs can cause stomach bleeding. If necessary, Metoclopramide and Chlorpromazine, which have an antiemetic effect, are prescribed.

Sucralfate and bismuth subsalicylate, atropine sulfate, papaverine hydrochloride, Methyluracil, Almagel, magnesium trisilicate, Scopolamine are used as anticides and sorbents. The drugs envelop the gastric mucosa, protecting against the action of gastric juice, and promote tissue regeneration.

If Helicobacter Pylori is detected, the veterinarian prescribes a course of antibiotic therapy. If there are symptoms of gastric bleeding, measures are taken to stop it. For this purpose, the animal is prescribed coagulant drugs. In emergency cases, a gastrotomy may be performed to stop bleeding.

Vitamin therapy is aimed at restoring the body’s immunity and enhancing the regeneration processes of damaged tissues. For this purpose, vitamin A, E, ascorbic acid, and vitamin B6 are used.

Treatment of gastric ulcers should be based on eliminating the provoking factor. That is why important place Diet therapy and stress management play a role in the treatment of the disease. The animal is assigned a special therapeutic nutrition. For decreasing negative influence stressful situations sedatives and sedatives are used.

The owner of a sick pet should undergo regular examinations by a veterinarian to prevent relapses.

Peculiarities of animal nutrition during treatment

Diet therapy for stomach ulcers is one of the important conditions recovery of the cat along with drug treatment. The animal should be given slimy porridges, rice broths, and weak meat broths.

It is useful to season porridge with butter. It is necessary to include dairy products in your pet's diet: kefir, low-fat cottage cheese and cream. Dietary nutrition for ulcers are chicken and quail eggs. It is useful to give boiled vegetables: carrots, turnips, broccoli.

If the animal is accustomed to ready-made food, then the veterinarian will prescribe therapeutic food from manufacturers such as Hills, Eucanuba, Royal Canin. In this case, preference is given to canned food. Dry medicated food must be soaked in water until it becomes mushy before feeding. A sick pet is fed often, but in small portions.

We recommend reading about why. You will learn about the reasons for the appearance of blood in feces, the actions of the owners, diagnosis of a possible disease in a veterinary clinic, treatment depending on the cause.
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Prevention of ulcers

In veterinary medicine, the prevention of diseases of the digestive system is of no small importance. Therapists recommend that owners adhere to the following recommendations and tips when keeping pets:

• Balanced, nutritious nutrition. Feeding food from the table, canned, smoked, and fatty foods is strictly prohibited. It is also not recommended to constantly feed the animal with industrial dry food. Mixtures should only be premium and super-premium.

Super premium food

• Feeding regimen. Frequent, small meals. Food should be warm, not rough.
• Treatment of concomitant diseases, in particular gastritis.
• Prevention of stressful situations, keeping your pet in comfortable conditions.
• The use of sedatives and sedatives when the animal is exposed to negative psycho-emotional factors.

Gastric ulcers in domestic cats are most often caused by gross violation of the rules of feeding the animal, as well as ignoring the symptoms of gastritis and lack of treatment for inflammation of the gastric mucosa. Ulcerative processes can lead not only to indigestion, but also to such dangerous complications as gastric bleeding, perforation of the stomach, peritonitis and death of the animal.

Timely diagnosis and thorough adherence to doctor’s recommendations will ensure to a pet comfortable existence.