Cats, just like people, can experience diarrhea from time to time. There are several reasons for this phenomenon: consumption of low-quality food, bad water, infection. Not only is diarrhea in a cat an unpleasant phenomenon in itself, both for her and for the owner, the question often arises: how to treat it? You need to clearly understand the following: excessive loss of fluid in the body can cause dehydration, so you should be able to provide competent care to the animal. first aid. If there are no positive changes, you must urgently take your pet to the doctor, otherwise you may not be able to save him.
Diarrhea remedies for cats
The first thing to do is to limit the cat's food and constantly water it. The ideal drink would be a 5% glucose solution, which is administered using a syringe without a needle. A good folk remedy is dried and crushed walls of chicken stomachs. The fact is that these stomachs have digestive enzymes that help cope with and are a good first treatment for normalizing digestion. This folk remedy can be found in villages, where it is quite common and is used for people. The pharmacy sells its analogue - Enterosan in capsules. The powder of this drug or chicken stomachs must be diluted in a small amount of water and given to a sick animal.
What else can you give your cat for diarrhea? Activated carbon, Smecta, and rice water help. Sweet tea, chamomile decoction also work well, chokeberry, yarrow, others. Another remedy - raw quail egg, just be sure to be fresh. You need to beat it, add a little sugar and give it to the cat to drink.
Medications to help fight diarrhea in cats
If none of the above helps, all that remains is to give the animal medicine, and if it does not have an effect, take it to the doctor. Fthalazol helps a cat with diarrhea; the tablet is divided into 4-6 parts and given to the pet 2-3 times a day. Diarrhea can be treated with drugs that help normalize intestinal microflora. These are Bifikol, Lactobacterin, Probifor, etc.
If the disorder is a consequence of any infection, antimicrobial and antibacterial agents. For example, Nifuroxazide or Linex, which are sold in regular, not veterinary pharmacies. Furazolidone, which is often prescribed to cats for diarrhea, will help kill the bacteria. However, it is not recommended to do this on your own, because this is an antibiotic that can both help and harm. The Furazolidone tablet should be divided into 6 parts and given to the cat twice a day for no more than three days.
Sometimes it happens that you simply cannot do without serious medications. In this case, they should be given, but in order for them to be beneficial, they, as well as the necessary dosage, are prescribed exclusively by a veterinarian. 
These drugs include Metronidazole and Levomycytin, which have certain side effects, and their dosage is extremely dangerous for the life of a cat.
Of course, give me something to drink pet Taking medications can be even more difficult than for a small child. After all, he does not understand that the owner wants to help him, and perceives everything that happens aggressively. A good assistant would be a syringe without a needle, which makes it easier to pour the necessary liquid into the cat’s mouth. If you don’t have the strength to cope with the animal, it is better not to delay, but to take it to the clinic so that the results of dehydration are not irreversible and fatal to the pet’s life.
Question “What should I give my cat for diarrhea?” sooner or later it occurs in all owners, since cats are capricious animals and the cause of diarrhea in them can be anything, from stress to complex intestinal disorder. In some cases, you can do nothing - just let the animal starve for a day. Others require a diet, the use of sorbents, or even a quick visit to the veterinarian.
It is better to understand when and what measures should be taken in more detail.
Reasons and color
For the most part, the reasons that can cause diarrhea in a cat can be divided into two large groups.
Physiological
This unites all the reasons that can be called conditionally safe - if you approach the treatment at home correctly, the result is visible quickly and the cat becomes better. A veterinarian's intervention may not even be necessary. Among them:
- Stress. Cats are sensitive and nervous creatures. If an unfamiliar animal comes into the house, a beloved owner leaves or moves with the cat, diarrhea may become a natural reaction. This is how small children's stomachs sometimes get upset when they are nervous. The color is usually the same as normal stool, bad smell no 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 expelled from the stomach, resulting in either vomiting or diarrhea. It has the color of normal feces and the same smell.
- Switch to new food. If your cat has been eating the same food for a long time, you need to carefully switch it to another, 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.
- Poor nutrition. Cheap food, trying to feed a cat from a human table is too fatty food or too much plant fibers- all this can lead to digestive upset. Cats are predators. They need to be fed either raw meat and fish, which is expensive, or food recommended by veterinarians.
- Poisoning. This is what owners think about when they see that a cat has diarrhea. And they are looking for a remedy for it, wondering 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 is why it differs from other options. In the stool you can usually notice pieces of incompletely digested food, the smell is unpleasant and pungent.
All of these options are not particularly dangerous for the cat's health if he has access to clean water, and the owners are responsible enough to, upon noticing diarrhea, eliminate its cause.
If this is not done, sooner or later the cat will develop problems with the stomach or intestines - treating them is much more expensive than buying them good food, avoid stress or prevent the cat from overeating.
Diarrhea with physiological reasons does not differ in color from normal feces and its smell is not putrid or ammonia-like.
Pathological
These reasons threaten serious health problems or even fatal. If physiologically1 diarrhea is caused, as a rule, by malnutrition in one form or another, then pathologically it is somewhat more varied. It can be:
- Infection. Inflammation is also dangerous for people, let alone cats. Precisely from various intestinal infections cats die quite often if help is not provided in time. In this case, the diarrhea is greenish, with a putrid odor, the cat’s temperature rises, it becomes lethargic and weak.
- Kidney diseases. Due to an unbalanced diet that is too fatty, a cat may develop kidney disease, which will eventually lead to diarrhea. It is usually watery and accompanied by pain.
- Liver diseases. The liver also suffers from poor nutrition. The diarrhea is yellow, with a pungent odor of ammonia. If you look closely at the cat, you will notice that her diarrhea is not only yellow, but also mucous.
- Gastrointestinal diseases. Hereditary predisposition or poor nutrition can cause stomach or intestinal ulcers in a cat. Pain, lack of appetite, diarrhea with a pronounced odor, streaks of blood can be seen in it. The cat has no appetite, is weak, lethargic, and strives to hide from sight.
- Tumor. Malignant or benign - it doesn’t matter. If it is formed in the stomach or intestines, it will not affect their work in the best possible way. At the same time, the cat’s appetite decreases and it becomes lethargic. Vomiting and weight loss may occur.
All diseases are fraught with complications. Allergies can cause swelling and suffocation. Worms - to great weight loss, imbalance nutrients in the body and problems with internal organs. Infections are contagious, painful and have an extremely negative impact on the body. When sick, the kidneys, liver and gastrointestinal tract cause suffering to the cat and can lead to its death.
Even diarrhea itself can lead to dehydration.
Treatment
To give the right pills from diarrhea in a cat, you need to know what causes the 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 kidney stones, or an ulcer in the gastrointestinal tract, or an advanced 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 traditional methods don't help;
- the cat goes to the toilet more than five times a day - such a frequency is fraught with dehydration, which is very difficult to compensate for at home, because it is unlikely that you will be able to give the cat an IV on your own;
- the cat has started to become dehydrated - the mucous membranes are dry, the tongue is covered with a white coating, the temperature rises, the cat reacts poorly to its surroundings, does not go to the toilet, cannot get up, faints;
- the cat obviously serious illness - heat, which is combined with vomiting and diarrhea requires mandatory medical intervention;
- The cat’s health does not suffer, but diarrhea occurs periodically throughout the month in the absence of obvious external causes.
If your cat has diarrhea about five times a day, there is no blood in it and she feels generally fine, you can try to cope on your own.
Diet
The first thing to do is not to give the cat pills, but to provide it with proper diet during the illness and make sure that she is provided with everything she needs.
The instructions are as follows:
In most cases, such simple actions will be enough to make the cat feel better and come to life. But sometimes you can play it safe and supplement the regimen with medications.
Medicines
Very often people ask questions like “Can I give my cat Imodium if it has diarrhea?” or “Can a cat be given Loperamide for diarrhea?”
- Loperamide. A remedy that is used directly to treat diarrhea - but the treatment is very specific. Thanks to the product, the intestines begin to move less, progress 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 can become poisoned and die. Therefore, Loperamide is recommended to be used after activated carbon has had its effect.
- Levomycetin. Antibiotic. Very bitter, very active, affects 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.
The medications must be prescribed by a doctor, then they will definitely be suitable for the case of a particular cat.
The owner is required not to feed the animal for 24 hours, provide it with access to clean water and monitor its 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.
Diarrhea, also scientifically known as diarrhea, is a symptom of many diseases, often fatal, and should be taken seriously. Abnormally frequent and unshaped chair with or without a change in color can occur as a result of simple overeating, viral or bacterial infection, accompanied by increased intestinal motility.
Normal stool in cats Brown. With diarrhea, the frequency of bowel movements, color, consistency and smell of the discharge changes. Using these indicators, the localization of the disease can be determined.
Frequency
Defecation several times an hour in small portions, with straining, suggests inflammation of the colon (colitis);
Color
- Yellow or greenish diarrhea speaks of rapid passage, the cause may be defeat small intestine.
- Black tar-like stool indicates bleeding in the upper digestive system.
- Bloody stool(or streaks) indicates bleeding in the large intestine.
- Light dough-like indicates liver disease.
- Gray discharge with a rancid odor indicate impaired digestion or absorption of food.
Consistency
- Large volume soft stool indicates overeating or too much fiber in the food.
- Watery stool indicates irritation of the walls of the small intestine by toxins or infection (for example, acute enteritis).
- Foamy bowel movements suggest a bacterial infection.
- AND rich chair suggests malabsorption and damage to the pancreas (malabsorption).
Smell
The more watery the stool, the more unpleasant the odor:
- The smell of sour milk or rancid food occurs when an animal is overfed.
- The smell of rot is usually accompanied by infections, such as panleukopenia.
Duration of diarrhea
A single unformed stool caused by overfeeding does not require treatment, but a starvation diet for 24 hours and a reduction in food portions subsequently.
Diarrhea that lasts more than a day requires emergency veterinary care, as it causes greater loss of moisture and dehydration of the body.
Treatment at home
The usual one-time diarrhea caused by overeating is stopped by a daily fast, after which the amount of food must be reduced by approximately 2 times over the next 3 days.
Watery stools, indicating a bacterial infection, require immediate consultation with a veterinarian, testing, after which appropriate therapy will be prescribed.
Diarrhea with simultaneous vomiting usually indicates poisoning and requires professional treatment.
Diarrhea with blood or mucus can be caused by irritation of the large intestine from eating plants, inappropriate foods, other irritants, as well as serious chronic diseases. If there is a small amount of blood, you can change the diet with a preliminary daily fast.
If there is a large amount of blood (black diarrhea), the help of a specialist is necessary to determine the cause and prescribe treatment.
Yellow diarrhea indicates increased bilirubin levels, orange - problems with liver function and jaundice. Yellow one-time diarrhea can be caused by overeating or drinking milk, in which case a starvation diet is indicated.
Orange diarrhea for several days requires checking the condition of the liver and prescribing treatment at a veterinary clinic.
White diarrhea indicates a lack of bilirubin in the stool - a blockage bile ducts and problems with the formation of bile in the liver, which indicates serious chronic disease requiring professional help.
Diarrhea with greens indicates putrefactive processes and fermentation in the intestines after eating carrion or stale food. In this case, for treatment, it is advisable to induce vomiting and give the cat a hepatoprotector, and then take it to an appointment with a veterinarian before the animal begins to become intoxicated.
After a daily fast, before returning to the usual diet, it is recommended to feed the cat wet diet food for a couple of days, and increase the number of feedings to 3-4 times.
Emergency medications
Feeding during diarrhea
There is no need to feed the animal on the first day if diarrhea occurs; you just need to stimulate fluid intake and give some kind of enterosorbent. If the diarrhea has stopped, gradually switch the cat to its usual food.
If diarrhea is caused by an allergic reaction, after a daily fast you need to switch to a special hypoallergenic food, if natural feeding- give dietary meat - lamb, rabbit or turkey.
It is very good to feed an animal with diarrhea rice water, add boiled rice to food, and give egg whites. For food in the first days, wet diets are preferable for dietary nutrition.
Kitten has diarrhea
Diarrhea in a kitten can be caused by the same reasons as in an adult animal, plus a transition to adult food or artificial feeding.
If you pick up a kitten on the street with foul-smelling diarrhea and bloated belly, most likely there is a helminthic infestation plus panleukopenia. In this case, an urgent consultation with a veterinarian is required, who will assess the condition of the underbelly and prescribe urgent treatment.
Antibiotics and anthelmintic drugs will be required, but whether they can be prescribed at the same time is decided by a specialist. The use of such folk remedies, like drinking vodka, will bring nothing but a burn to the kitten’s mucous membranes.
When purchasing a purebred kitten, its age should not be less than 3-4 months, he must have veterinary passport with vaccination records from viral diseases and rabies.
However, even vaccination does not provide a 100% guarantee against subsequent infection with enterovirus, therefore, at the first signs of illness - grayish watery diarrhea with a disgusting odor, refusal to drink water, weakness and dehydration, it is necessary to give an absorbent, drink a glucose solution and inject calcium chloride to maintain water balance body and immediately consult a doctor.
Causes of diarrhea
Most common reasons the occurrence of diarrhea becomes:
- intestinal diseases;
- infection;
- stress;
- allergy;
- binge eating;
- eating irritants;
- poisoning;
Bowel diseases
Diarrhea in a cat can be caused by three various diseases accompanied by intestinal inflammation - eosinophilic ecterocolitis, lymphocytoplasmic enterocolitis and granulomatous enterocolitis.
All these diseases are chronic and lead to weight loss, anemia and decreased appetite. They can be diagnosed using a biopsy; treatment is prescribed by a veterinarian; recovery is problematic.
Infections
Acute enteritis or infectious diarrhea Most often caused by parvovirus, the cause of feline panleukopenia. Kittens and young animals under the age of one year are especially seriously ill; the mortality rate among them reaches 90%.
It must be borne in mind that the best vaccines protect against 3-4 different viruses that cause diarrhea, but more than 40 of them circulate in nature, and therefore even best vaccine will not give a 100% guarantee against the disease.
Stress
Stress that occurs in an animal as a result of finding itself in an unfamiliar environment or uncomfortable conditions (exhibition, change of owner or place of residence, travel, appointment with a veterinarian) can also cause diarrhea.
Allergy
Intolerance to certain animal products or plant origin, such as beef, pork, chicken (especially skin), horse meat, eggs, spices, soybeans, corn, wheat can cause allergic reactions not only the skin, but also in the form of diarrhea.
The cause of diarrhea in an adult cat can be regular milk, since after 4 months of age they stop producing the enzyme lactase, which curdles milk and helps the body absorb it normally.
A sudden change in food or food that is unsuitable for a particular animal can also cause diarrhea.
Binge eating
Overeating after a long fast or as a result of improper eating habits cat causes accelerated passage of undigested food (chyme) into the lower parts of the colon and increased peristalsis, as a result - unformed loose stools.
Eating irritants
For free-ranging cats, carrion, rodents, birds, garbage and spoiled food can become dangerous.
For domestic cats - fatty foods, table food, spices, salt, sauce, vegetable oil or animal fat. For any cats - wood chips, rags, fur, grass, paper or plastic, some types of indoor plants.
Poisoning
Toxic to cats are:
- petroleum distillation products;
- coal tar derivatives;
- cleaning liquids containing acid and alkali;
- refrigerants;
- insecticides and pesticides;
- chlorine compounds (found in bleaches and cleaning products);
- building materials (paints, putties, primers, varnishes, lime, cement);
- some ornamental and wild plants;
Plants dangerous to cats:
- Amaryllidaceae (amaryllis, hippeastrum, etc.); Rhododendron;
- Dieffenbachia;
- Sanseviera (pike tail);
- Asparagus;
- Tulips;
- Geranium;
- Violets;
- Wisteria;
- Ficus (different types);
- Delphinium;
- Philodendron;
- Jasmine (some types);
- Chrysanthemums;
- Iris;
- Hellebore;
- Calendula (marigold);
- Cyclamen;
- Callas;
- Cyperus;
- Clematis;
- Amaranth;
- Crocus;
- Periwinkle;
- Lily of the valley;
- Henbane;
- Hyacinth;
- Hemlock;
- Lily;
- Wolf's Bast;
- Lupine;
- Buttercups;
- Euphorbiaceae (all types, including poinsettia);
- Digitalis;
- Monstera;
- Mistletoe;
- Daffodils;
- Ferns;
- Oleander;
- Ivy;
- Primroses (primrose);
- Boxwood evergreen;
- Nightshades (pepper, physalis, green potato tubers);
- Yew berry;
- Petunias;
- Cicuta;
- Rhubarb;
- Lily of the valley (wild);
Conclusion
Treatment different types Diarrhea requires a different approach, often the help of a specialist, but first of all, the composure of the owner.
Compliance with the rule of the first fasting day will help determine if an adult animal has one-time simple diarrhea or serious illness. For diarrhea that lasts more than a day, only special study and a veterinarian.
Holly Nash, DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine). Michigan and Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Associations.
Diarrhea(or diarrhea) is the abnormally rapid passage of eaten food through the intestines, causing increased bowel movements, loose stools, or an increased amount of stool.
When should you contact a veterinarian if your cat has diarrhea?
When contacting your veterinarian, be prepared to answer the following questions that will help the doctor determine the severity of the disease: when did the cat start having diarrhea, how often does the cat have stool, what does it look like, does it bother the cat. If you have diarrhea, you should contact your veterinarian immediately if:
- Your cat has blood in her stool or tarry stools
- If there is a possibility that your cat has eaten something poisonous or toxic
- The cat is feverish, depressed or dehydrated
- Your cat's gums are pale or yellow
- The cat is still a kitten or has not received the necessary vaccinations
- The cat is in pain
- Cat diarrhea accompanied by vomiting
Do not give cats any medications, especially those available over the counter, without a doctor's recommendation.
Diagnosis of the cause of diarrhea in cats.
Diarrhea in cats can be caused by many reasons. The main causes of diarrhea are summarized in Table 1. For successful treatment For cats, it is important to correctly prescribe medications that eliminate the cause of diarrhea in a cat. Based on your statements about the course of the disease, test results and, if necessary, laboratory tests, the veterinarian will be able to determine the cause of diarrhea.
Preliminary diagnosis of diarrhea in cats. Since there are many causes of diarrhea, the most affected part of the intestine is first determined. Even determining whether the small or large intestine is not working properly can significantly reduce the amount of possible reasons the occurrence of diarrhea in cats. Having done this, the doctor clarifies the cause based on the symptoms collected in Table 2.
Table 1. Symptoms of diarrhea in cats caused by disease of the small and large intestines.
Rate of onset of symptoms- such information can also serve as a key to finding out the cause of diarrhea in a cat. If symptoms appear suddenly, the condition is called “acute.” If symptoms persist for a long time(several weeks), the diarrhea is called “chronic”. If the symptoms appear on and off within a few weeks, the diarrhea is called “intermittent.”
Disease history- The veterinarian will probably ask you about diseases suffered by the cat, about vaccinations, anthelmintic procedures and their frequency, and whether there are contacts with other animals (including wild ones). Important information The cat’s diet can give an indication of the cause, whether it could have reached garbage or toxic substances or medications. The more you can tell your veterinarian, the easier it will be to make a correct diagnosis.
Medical checkup- full examination, including temperature measurement, heart check, respiratory system, examination of the mouth, palpation of the abdomen, and checks for dehydration.
Radiography. Performed if tumors, foreign bodies or anatomical problems are suspected.
Other diagnostic tools. Sometimes tools such as tests using barium or ultrasound, endoscopy, colonoscopy are required.
Some diseases are detected by biopsy and microscopic examination.
Table 2. Causes, diagnosis and treatment of diarrhea in cats.
Treatment of diarrhea in cats.
Due to the wide variety of causes of diarrhea, cats are treated differently for diarrhea.
In many cases, with simple diarrhea, it is recommended not to feed an adult cat for 12-24 hours, but to water it frequently and in small doses. After this, a light diet is recommended, for example, boiled chicken (without fat) with a small amount of rice. If diarrhea does not return, the cat gradually, over a few days, returns to normal nutrition.
In some cases, you have to change your diet permanently. There are special foods that do not contain certain substances, and vice versa, with an increased content of others, low-fat, highly digestible, etc.
If your cat is dehydrated, intravenous or subcutaneous fluids are usually necessary. The liquid a cat drinks is often not digested because it leaves the body too quickly without having time to be absorbed.
- is the result of a disruption in activity gastrointestinal tract, with the main symptom in the cat becoming loose stools. A healthy cat's stool has a generally formed shape, dark brown color, soft consistency and should be moist. During the day healthy cat goes to the toilet 1-2 times.
With diarrhea, the cat begins to defecate much more often, while the volume of liquid feces in the cat's litter box becomes smaller each time, the feces become from mushy to watery, the color of the feces varies from black to red (with bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract).
A cat's diarrhea may be accompanied by vomiting, loss of appetite, general state cats – depressed, the cat hunches over while moving. Most time the cat tends to lie down, licks left side abdominal wall. Intestinal peristalsis is increased at the beginning of the disease, but later weakens, flatulence and muscle tremors appear. Due to prolonged diarrhea, the cat becomes dehydrated.
Causes of diarrhea in cats
Among non-contagious diseases, diarrhea can be caused by kidney disease, liver disease, sudden onset intestinal obstruction, various oncological diseases, poisoning with salts of heavy metals, poisonous plants.
Viral infectious diseases (leukemia, infectious peritonitis).
Bacterial infections (salmonellosis, clostridia).
- toxascariasis, hookworm disease, dipylidiasis, diphyllobothriasis, paragonimiasis, opistarchosis, coccidiosis, giardiasis.
Types of diarrhea and diagnosis of the causes of diarrhea in cats
Due to the fact that there are a large number of causes of diarrhea in a cat, as can be seen from the above, first of all it will be necessary to determine which part of the cat’s gastrointestinal tract is affected. This is primarily indicated by the color and consistency of the cat’s diarrhea:
In the case when a cat has bowel movements more than 5 times a day, stools of an uncharacteristic color (black, white, green, bright yellow, a fetid odor emanates from the feces), vomiting appears, signs of an infectious disease, and severe dehydration occurs. urgently contact veterinary clinic.
At the veterinary clinic for your cat veterinarian will conduct a clinical examination and carefully check the condition of the gastrointestinal tract. At the same time, when diagnosing the disease your cat has, he will send feces to a veterinary laboratory to exclude helminthic infestation, research for bacterial diseases. If necessary, they will carry out biochemical analysis blood will be tested for feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus. If a tumor is suspected or a foreign body is present, an x-ray will be taken. When other tests are required, ultrasound, endoscopy, and colonoscopy are performed.
Treatment of diarrhea in a cat
Because of large quantity reasons that can lead to diarrhea in a cat, treatment of diarrhea, of course, should be carried out differently.
A cat owner with minor diarrhea at home should remember whether he gave his cat raw fish, milk, fatty pork, liver and other products that can cause digestive upset in a cat. If you think that your cat has diarrhea due to improper feeding, then you should stop feeding it food that is harmful to the cat.
In many cases, with simple diarrhea, it is enough not to feed an adult cat for 12-24 hours, but at the same time give it small and frequent water. After this, the cat is transferred to light diet, give boiled rice in small portions, boiled egg– preferably boiled chicken purchased at the market from owners of private household plots. There is a special medicinal dietary food available in veterinary pharmacies. During the diet, the cat needs to be given crushed water twice a day. activated carbon, mixed with boiled water. If the diet you followed did not give positive result, and your cat’s diarrhea continues, you must urgently contact a veterinary clinic, where a veterinary specialist will make an appropriate diagnosis, determine the cause of your cat’s diarrhea and prescribe appropriate treatment.
To eliminate dehydration, the clinic will carry out intravenous administration relevant saline solutions.
For diarrhea caused by one or another bacterial infection, prescribe appropriate antibiotics. To normalize the activity of the gastrointestinal tract, sorbents (enterosgel, smecta and others) will be prescribed. In case of helminthic infestation, treatment with anthelmintic drugs will be prescribed.
Prevention diarrhea in a cat should be based on proper feeding good quality food, preventive treatment twice a year against helminthic diseases, vaccination of the cat against infectious diseases, in which diarrhea is one of the symptoms of the disease.
The greatest concern for cat owners is the appearance of bloody diarrhea.
Bloody diarrhea in cats
Diarrhea (diarrhea) with blood is very alarming symptom, which is why owners have to immediately contact a veterinary clinic. The presence of blood in a cat's stool indicates the presence of severe inflammation in the intestines, which causes detachment of the intestinal mucosa and the appearance of bleeding.
Causes of bloody diarrhea in cats
Appearance loose stool with blood in cats can be due to a number of reasons:
- Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis appearing in a cat when eating poor quality food, as a result of complications of a number of infectious diseases (plague, salmonellosis, leptospirosis, colibacillosis), the use of certain medicines, ingestion of heavy metal salts into food.
- Cat disease viral infections(, damage by coronavirus and other chronic viral infections).
- Getting into the gastrointestinal tract intestinal tract foreign bodies (needles, buttons, etc.).
- Intestinal obstruction ().
- Tumors of the digestive organs.
With diarrhea with blood in cats, in addition to the main symptom - the presence of blood in the feces, vomiting appears, body temperature rises, and characteristic symptoms the disease that led to the appearance of bloody diarrhea. With bloody diarrhea caused by internal bleeding, the cat develops anemia (), prolonged diarrhea with blood leads to general weakness of the body and the development of dehydration. If a cat is infected with worms in the feces, the owner can detect one or another helminth.
Establishing diagnosis.
If a cat has bloody diarrhea, pet owners should immediately contact a veterinary clinic. Where veterinary specialists will conduct a clinical examination of a sick cat, an ultrasound of the abdominal organs (liver, kidneys, stomach, intestines). Sometimes, if an infection is suspected, tests are taken from the cat for one or another infection and will conduct bacteriological examination, if necessary, a diagnostic polymerase test will be performed chain reaction. Conduct a blood test for the content of hemoglobin and red blood cells, etc.
If there is a suspicion of foreign body An x-ray will be taken to determine the location of the foreign object.
Treatment for diarrhea with blood in a cat.
If diarrhea with blood appears, stop feeding the cat, but do not limit the supply of water. At home, treating a cat with bloody diarrhea is not a feasible task, since such a cat, especially if dehydrated, in a clinical setting can be given intravenous administration of appropriate saline solutions or the cat will be given a drip. The veterinarian will prescribe hemostatic drugs for the cat, drugs that relieve spasms and pain in the intestines, and will prescribe appropriate antibacterial drugs. If helminths are present, the use of one or another anthelmintic will be recommended.
Timely contacting a veterinary clinic with your sick pet will allow you to avoid dangerous complications and will speed up your cat’s recovery.
Prevention.
Prevention of bloody diarrhea in a cat should be aimed at preventing the causes that lead to the appearance of bloody diarrhea in a cat. Twice a year it is necessary to treat your cat for worms. Timely vaccinate cats against infectious diseases in your area. Feed your cat only good quality food.
