Inflammatory bowel disease in cats

Symptoms of the disease Diagnosis Treatment of intestinal inflammation Prognosis for cats with IBD Nonspecific inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

is a group of gastrointestinal diseases for which the sole cause is unknown. IBD results in inflammation of the intestines, and animals affected by the disease experience chronic symptoms. Siamese cats are the most predisposed to IBD.

The condition of inflammatory bowel disease is characterized by the presence of specific inflammatory cells in the intestinal lining. In IBD, lymphocytes and plasma cells are found, which are directly responsible for the body's immune response. Eosinophils are usually another cell type present at the site of inflammation. Neutrophils are responsible for destroying foreign bacteria or cleaning up damaged tissue. In chronic disease, normal intestinal epithelial tissue can be replaced by scar tissue.

The cause of inflammatory bowel disease is unknown. Genetics, nutrition, infections, and immune system disorders may play a role. IBD may not only be an actual disease, but may be a characteristic response of the body to certain conditions caused by various factors.

Symptoms of the disease:

Symptoms of nonspecific intestinal inflammation in cats:

Diarrhea.
Vomit.
Weight loss.
Stomach ache.
The presence of bright red blood during bowel movements.
Animal passivity.
Rumbling in the stomach, gases.
Weight loss.

Signs may vary depending on the part of the gastrointestinal tract in which the inflammation occurs. For example, vomiting is more common when the stomach or upper small intestine is involved; diarrhea occurs when the colon is involved. At the initial stage of the disease, there is an increase in the volume of bowel movements, but each time the amount of stool is produced less, blood appears in the stool. Diarrhea and vomiting may be intermittent (come and go). In severe conditions, some animals become depressed, stop eating, and an increase in body temperature appears.

Cat digestion

During normal digestive activity, noises are produced by gastrointestinal movements and the corresponding release of gas. After the cat has eaten, you can put your ear on your stomach and listen to a few soft sounds.

However, it is not only when the stomach is full that we can hear these noises. When a cat's belly is empty, a similar gurgling sound is heard. This is because stomach acid and gases are still active, and the emptiness of the organ may be reflected in its sound. Unless you're going to spoil your cat as much as we do, it's unlikely that a domestic cat with easy access to food would end up in this situation.

You eat borborygma sounds that can be amplified if the cat swallows a lot of air while eating. This can happen when we give them their favorite food, which they swallow too easily or anxiously. If this happens regularly, you can prevent it by feeding your cat smaller, more frequent meals.

In addition to the usual gurgling sounds we can expect to hear, there may be some that are cause for concern. This may be when they are stronger than usual for a long period or when they appear along with more symptoms. We'll see in later sections whether this could mean trouble for your cat's insides .

Diagnosis of intestinal inflammation in cats

To make a correct diagnosis, your veterinarian will need to take a detailed medical history of your cat and ask you questions regarding the duration and frequency of symptoms.

In some animals, thickened intestine may be palpable on physical examination.

The test result (urinalysis and clinical, biochemical blood test) is often normal. Some cats may have anemia and a high number of white blood cells (leukocytes) (as with infections). Increases in protein and liver enzyme levels may also be found, as... If the intestines are severely inflamed, the liver and pancreas may also be affected. An increase in the number of eozonophils in the blood is also possible.

X-ray and Ultrasound: There are no consistent radiological findings in a cat with IBD. The intestines may become thickened and contain more gas than normal intestines, but these signs can also occur with other illnesses.

The only reliable way to diagnose bowel disease is to perform a biopsy, but even then it can be difficult to distinguish from some types of cancer. A biopsy will show an increase in the number of inflammatory cells in the intestinal wall. Cell types can help determine what type of bowel disease is present. A biopsy can be obtained through the use of an endoscope or during exploratory laparatomy (surgery). The intestines may appear normal to the naked eye, but changes can be seen under a microscope. In other cases, gastrointestinal lesions are quite obvious.

Other causes of diarrhea or cellular infiltrates should be excluded (fecal protozoan testing, culture to rule out salmonella, for example, blood tests to rule out underlying conditions such as hyperthyroidism, liver disease, or feline leukemia virus (FeLV) infection).

What to do?

If gurgling in the abdomen is not provoked by pathologies, specific therapy for this condition is not required. It is enough for owners to protect the cat from stress. Then you need to change the diet, excluding from it the food that he prepares for himself. It is recommended to feed your cat natural food, but you can diversify the menu with industrial supplements. It is better to entrust the choice in favor of one of them to your veterinarian. Feeding the cat should be done indoors, where no one will disturb her. It is recommended to make smaller portions, but feed the animal more often. In order not to provoke food poisoning from spoiled food, the trash can must be installed in a place inaccessible to the cat.

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Treatment of intestinal inflammation in cats

Typically, treatment for inflammatory bowel disease involves a combination of diet and the use of various medications. A hypoallergenic diet is one of the first steps to verify the diagnosis. The key is to use sources of protein and carbohydrates that the cat has not eaten before, such as duck, potatoes, or use a diet consisting of hydrolyzed proteins.

Eliminate various treats and treats.

If this diet helps, its duration is two weeks.

If a hypoallergenic diet is ineffective, others are involved. Highly digestible, low-fat diets are generally better tolerated by a cat with IBD. Avoid: wheat, rye, oats and barley! You can use homemade diets, but developed by veterinary nutritionists.

Of course, due to such an abundance of diets, you will have to be patient and monitor your pet for a long time until there is a noticeable improvement in the condition.

The most common mistake in treating IBD is stopping treatment too early.

Prednisolone, dexamethasone, budesonide help reduce symptoms.
Azathioprine and cyclophosphamide are alternative immunosuppressants generally used only when other treatments have failed.
Metronidazole is an antibiotic used to reduce the number of bacteria that could cause the disease.
B vitamins
For cats with symptoms of IBD, deworming is recommended, often necessary to treat underlying parasitic infections in the intestines that cannot be diagnosed based on standard fecal examination.

Some studies have shown that diets enriched with fatty acids can reduce inflammation in the GI tract.

Prebiotics help change the intestinal environment and stimulate the growth of beneficial bacteria. Prebiotics are sources of these beneficial bacteria.
In some cases, antispasmodic drugs are used.

What to do?

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Prognosis for cats with VKD

Inflammatory bowel disease can only be controlled, not cured. Usually the prognosis in cases of severe illness is poor.

Be patient with the form of treatment suggested by your veterinarian and strictly adhere to the recommendations. Control depends on the correct selection of diet, dosages of medications, careful monitoring by the veterinarian and owner, and the absence of other concomitant diseases.

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Worm infestations

Mild forms may not be noticed, but severe forms are easily diagnosed by a number of symptoms:

pear-shaped swollen belly;
yellow-green color of stool;
excessive thinness;
frequent diarrhea.

Worms eat food faster than it can be digested. During their life, parasites emit a large amount of gases and toxins, which provoke active seething.

Treatment methods. If this problem exists, the animal must be treated. A veterinarian or a specialist at a pharmacy for animals will help you decide on the best method. Today, many dosage forms are available:

suspensions or pastes - the kit usually includes a syringe with which you can take the required amount and squeeze it over the animal’s cheek;
drops - they are intended for external use to combat fleas, which can significantly worsen the quality of life of a pet;
tablets are a concentrate for preparing a medicinal solution; in their pure form it is difficult to force a cat to swallow them (read more about how to give a cat an anti-worming tablet).

All these means provide quick and complete elimination of parasites. What type of medication to choose depends on the individual characteristics of the pet.

What to do?

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