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

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

These cells include lymphocytes and plasma cells, which are responsible for the body’s immune responses, as well as neutrophils and eosinophils, which are responsible for cleaning damaged tissues.

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

Causes of IBD in cats

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

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

Symptoms

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

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

The initial stage of the disease is characterized by an increase in the number and volume of bowel movements; as the disease progresses, stools become sparser and blood appears in the feces of the cat or kitten.

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

Symptoms may vary depending on which part of the gastrointestinal tract is inflamed. So, if the upper part of the small intestine or stomach is affected, then the pet experiences uncontrollable vomiting; if the large intestine is affected, severe diarrhea occurs, and the animal may refuse to go to the litter box.

If hemorrhagic enterocolitis and severe internal bleeding develop, there is a high probability of death.

Diagnostics

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

When the gastrointestinal tract is inflamed, so-called inflammatory cells penetrate into the stomach and intestines - cells formed in the body during inflammation - lymphocytes and plasmacytes, responsible for the body's immune reactions, eosinophils, neutrophils, responsible for cleaning damaged tissues. In chronic inflammation, normal tissue may be replaced by fibrous tissue.

Causes of gastrointestinal diseases in cats. The exact causes of pathologies of this kind in cats are unknown. Genetic predisposition, feeding, various pathogens and a malfunction of the immune system may play a role. Inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract may not be a disease as such, but a characteristic reaction of the body to certain conditions caused by various factors.

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

What are the clinical signs of gastrointestinal inflammation in cats? Diarrhea and diarrhea are characteristic, occurring depending on the area of ​​damage to the gastrointestinal tract. Infection of the stomach and upper small intestine causes vomiting, and the large intestine causes diarrhea. Sometimes stool becomes more frequent, but each time it becomes less and less. Mucus and blood often appear in the stool. In severe cases, the animal is depressed, refuses food, loses weight, and develops a fever. In some cats, the only symptoms of intestinal inflammation are bloody stools. Others stop using it when they have a bowel movement.

Your veterinarian may suspect inflammation of the stomach or intestines if your pet vomits, has diarrhea, or has mucus or blood in the stool for an extended period of time. Upon examination, the animal is emaciated; in some cats, a thickened intestine can be felt.

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

In most cases, blood tests are normal, although anemia may sometimes develop. Some animals have eosinophils in their blood.

X-ray and ultrasound examinations usually do not provide any information. Sometimes thickening of the intestines and accumulation of gas may be noticeable, but this happens with different diseases.

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

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

If the animal’s health does not improve with such a diet, then you need to try other products.

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

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

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

Fatty acids. Studies have shown that a diet enriched with omega-3 fatty acids helps reduce gastrointestinal inflammation. EPA and docosahexaenoic acid (fatty acids derived from fish oil) are beneficial for humans, but further research is needed to determine whether they also have beneficial effects in cats.

Treatment with medications. To reduce the number of inflammatory cells, various are used. Azathioprine and cyclophosphamide: These medications suppress the immune system and are usually used only if other treatments have failed or in combination with corticosteroids. These medications may have a negative effect on bone marrow function, so close monitoring and regular blood tests are recommended when using them.

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

Components sulfasalazine and mesalamine: They are part of medications for dogs that are used for damage to the small intestine. Sulfasalazine is a salicylate (which also includes aspirin), and these substances are very toxic to cats.

Objective data indicate high morbidity and high mortality in dogs and cats from gastrointestinal disorders. Adequate feeding, exercise, proper maintenance of mothers during pregnancy and good care for them have a great influence on the course of the growth and development of the fetus. Consequently, the prevention of gastrointestinal diseases in young animals should begin with creating conditions for normal intrauterine development and fetal growth.

Pathological changes in the stomach and intestines of dogs and cats develop quickly and involve almost the entire body in this process, therefore it is necessary to correctly diagnose and treat the animal in the earliest period of the disease.

1. Gastritis, gastroenteritis and gastroenterocolitis.

The most common diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in dogs and cats include: gastritis (inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach), gastroenteritis (inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach and small intestine) and gastroenterocolitis (inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach, small and large intestine). In veterinary practice, the inflammatory process often covers the stomach and the entire intestine at the same time, spreading from top to bottom or bottom to top, and in this case is diffuse in nature.

The most common cause of acute inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract is feeding with poor quality and unusual food for animals, such as spoiled fish, meat, sausage, sweets, canned food, butter, sour cream, cheese, stale dairy products, etc. Do not feed to dogs and cats Give pork, lamb cold, dirty or hot water. The microflora that populates the gastrointestinal tract increases its pathogenic properties in most cases when the body’s immune system is weakened, under the influence of unsanitary conditions.

Puppies and kittens often suffer from gastrointestinal problems during a rapid transition from mother's milk to self-feeding, during a sudden change in diet, in the absence of water, or when animals have to drink dirty water. Inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract occurs when eating feed with mechanical impurities (sand, earth, pieces of wood, glass, paper, etc.).

In dogs and cats, inflammation of the stomach and intestines occurs when poisonous plants, chemical and medicinal substances, and mineral fertilizers enter the food. Some dog and cat breeds are predisposed to food allergies.

In most cases, inflammation of the stomach and intestines occurs as a secondary process in a number of acute infectious, invasive and non-contagious diseases.

Among the infectious diseases of dogs in which inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract occurs, we should highlight, first of all, plague, parvovirus enteritis, infectious hepatitis, salmonellosis, colibacillosis, tularemia, leptospirosis, botulism, dysentery and mycoses, and in cats - panleukopenia and herpesvirus infection. Lesions of the gastrointestinal tract are often observed with piroplasmosis, cystoisosporosis, toxoplasmosis, helminthiases (nematodes, cestodiases).

Gastritis, gastroenteritis and gastroenterocolitis in dogs and cats occur as complications of some non-contagious diseases, such as poisoning, stomatitis, pharyngitis, periodontitis, mumps, peritonitis, inflammation of the esophagus, liver diseases, respiratory organs, sepsis, abdominal trauma and some surgical and obstetric - gynecological diseases.

In practice, acute gastritis and gastroenteritis often develop into a chronic form, which periodically worsens under certain unfavorable conditions and is accompanied by stomatitis.

Symptoms of gastritis. With acute gastritis in dogs and cats, lethargy, fatigue, sometimes a short-term slight increase in body temperature, signs of anxiety, especially after feeding, perversion of appetite (eating food unusual for the animal, licking walls, wallpaper, plaster, swallowing pieces of wood, stones, rags) are noted etc.), often its reduction, up to complete refusal of food.

Sick dogs and cats lose weight. The conjunctiva at the beginning of the disease is reddened (hyperemia), later becomes pale with a bluish tint, and jaundice often develops. The mucous membrane of the mouth is covered with viscous, viscous saliva, and there is a gray or white coating on the tongue. The smell from the mouth is sweetish, musty or putrid. Sometimes the onset of jaundice is more clearly visible on the sclera. The feces are compacted, dark in color, covered with a thin film of mucus.

A very characteristic sign of gastritis is the possible presence of belching, vomiting soon after eating and drinking, less often independently of them. Vomit is mixed with saliva and viscous gastric mucus, sometimes with blood, and with repeated vomiting - with bile. In the intervals between attacks of vomiting, some relief occurs, although the animal maintains a forced posture - arching its back, pulling its stomach, pressing its hind limbs to its chest. As a result of frequent vomiting, the body loses fluid. An external sign of dehydration is a decrease in skin turgor.

In chronic gastritis with high acidity, there is a weakening of intestinal motility and constipation. The amount of gastric contents on an empty stomach is increased, its general acidity is increased, more often as a result of increased formation of organic acids, in addition to the above symptoms, gas belching and vomiting may appear soon after eating food.

Symptoms of acute gastroenteritis and gastroenterocolitis usually increase rapidly. In dogs and cats, appetite disappears/thirst increases. Mobility and performance decrease sharply. The temperature rises to 40 "C and above. The general condition is characterized by depression, lethargy, signs of constant anxiety in the form of colic often appear. Animals groan or, conversely, are indifferent, lying more. Fibrillar muscle twitching is possible. The heart beat and heart sounds are increased. The pulse is increased. , arrhythmic. At the beginning of the disease, blood pressure rises briefly, then drops. Urination is rare.

In the subsequent development of the disease due to intoxication, depression increases, up to a coma. The hair becomes dull and the skin turgor is reduced. The stomach is tucked. Muscle tone weakens, the anal sphincter is relaxed. The body temperature is lowered, the limbs, ears, and nose become cold. Exhaustion develops.

Symptoms of chronic gastroenteritis and gastroenterocolitis. Chronic gastroenteritis and gastroenterocolitis are characterized by a very diverse and motley clinical picture, and it depends on the form of inflammation, the location and course of the pathological process. Important and constant signs of the disease are a gradual decrease in fatness, growth retardation compared to peers with a relatively preserved appetite and sufficient feeding, general lethargy, normal temperature, decreased skin turgor, dull, uneven and tousled hair, delayed molting, pale visible mucous membranes, often bluish and icteric shades. The release of gases is constant, through belching. Vomiting often occurs. Feces, depending on the peristalsis of the small and large intestines, are dry or liquid, sometimes watery, with a putrid odor, containing a lot of mucus and undigested food particles.

With subsequent exacerbations, the clinical picture resembles the acute course of gastroenteritis and gastroenterocolitis.

Secondary acute and chronic gastroenteritis and gastroenterocolitis are complemented by clinical signs of the underlying disease.

Prevention. Prevention of gastrointestinal diseases can be general and specific. The basis of general prevention of young dogs and cats is biologically complete feeding, taking into account their physiological state, providing active exercise, maintaining good sanitary condition and microclimate in the places where the animals are located.

Poor quality and unusual products (sweets, confectionery, foods high in fat, canned food, sausage, etc.) are excluded from the diet of carnivores. Feeding pork to dogs and cats is strictly prohibited. It is unacceptable to contain mechanical impurities, mineral fertilizers, herbicides, drugs and other toxic substances in feed. Animals should always have plenty of clean water at room temperature. It is advisable to feed animals 2-4 times a day without overloading the stomach. The change in diet should be gradual. It is necessary to periodically carry out preventive fortifications (after consultation with a veterinarian).

2. Gastric ulcer in dogs.

Peptic ulcer is a chronic relapsing disease in which, as a result of disruption of regulatory, nervous and hormonal mechanisms and gastric digestive disorders, a peptic ulcer is formed in the stomach and, less commonly, in the duodenum.

Long-term feeding with catering waste mixed with large amounts of salt, mustard, pepper and other irritating substances, as well as numerous imported feeds and fertilizers, is the direct cause of the formation of ulcers. Predisposes to the disease are disturbances in the feeding regime (long breaks in feeding, skipping regular feedings, etc.), feeding frozen fish, meat, hot food to hungry animals, exposure to stress (change of owner, violation of training methods, shouting, etc.). The disease in most cases occurs as a continuation of gastritis.

The course of the disease is chronic, with rare exceptions. Against the background of signs of chronic gastritis (deterioration or perversion of appetite, frequent regurgitation) in animals with the development of ulcers, the general condition worsens, weakness and depression appear, and emaciation quickly progresses. A characteristic sign is the appearance of vomiting several hours after eating food and the presence of bile and blood in the vomit.

With a long course of the disease, the patient’s condition may worsen, and then periods of exacerbation again appear with a sharp deterioration in general condition and frequent vomiting of blood.

3. Intestinal obstruction.

Internal blockage of the intestines can occur as a result of stones, soil, rags, pieces of wood, bones and other objects. In cats, a common cause of intestinal blockage is hair and hairballs.

In the formation of intestinal stones, a combination of three factors is important: dysregulation of the digestive organs (secretion, motility, absorption, etc.), as well as long-term feeding with rough, homogeneous and low-nutrient feed. Metabolic diseases are also a prerequisite for the development of intestinal stones. In cats, a common reason for the formation of hairballs in the large intestine is metabolic disorders and a delay in the molting process.

Partial obstruction of the large intestines is manifested by periodic moderate anxiety. During pain-free periods, animals can take food and water; they often continue to pass gas and defecate. After 2-4 days, the animals lose their appetite, anxiety increases, the general temperature rises, and the pulse and breathing increase.

In dogs, when the small intestines are blocked, frequent vomiting occurs, appetite is disrupted, the animal is anxious or depressed; Intestinal flatulence develops, peristalsis weakens, and constipation occurs.

For both people and their pets, the digestive system is almost the “foundation of the foundations” of the entire organism. After all, the degree of “filling” with nutrients, microelements and vitamins depends on its condition. Gastrointestinal diseases in cats always have a serious impact on the health of pets. Therefore, you always need to know at least the general signs of those ailments for which you urgently need to take your pet to a veterinarian.

In nature, there are more than a dozen varieties, many of which cause the development of disease when they enter the body of a susceptible animal or person. They can infect mammals, birds, reptiles and even insects! The infection is usually transmitted by eating food or drinking water contaminated with feces from sick animals, or by eating raw or undercooked meat or eggs. Cats often become infected by eating a gaping sparrow. The fact is that many birds are lifelong carriers of salmonella. Clinical signs begin to appear after three to five days. These include: sudden onset of watery water containing blood or mucus, vomiting, abdominal pain, severe.

In some cases, the disease is asymptomatic, but the animal remains a carrier of the infection. But with salmonellosis this happens extremely rarely. The pathogen secretes a whole “bouquet” of lytic toxins, which severely damage the intestines and, in addition to diarrhea, promote development (since the microbes penetrate directly into the blood). In sick animals, the body temperature rises greatly and they quickly develop.

Salmonellosis, as practice shows, usually affects weakened, old and young animals. In addition, this infection often affects the “guests” of animal shelters and flea markets. The diagnosis is made by growing a “blood” culture (if the cat already has sepsis). But in most cases, to determine the disease, the pathogen is grown by taking fecal samples. It should be taken into account that the single absence of a pathogen in a culture is not the basis for a negative diagnosis of salmonellosis. In such cases, seeding of pathological material on nutrient media is repeated again.

Treatment involves replacement and specific therapy. The sick pet is given intravenous nutritional and detoxifying solutions. In order to destroy the pathogen, powerful broad-spectrum antibiotics are prescribed. It should be noted that the course of antibiotics must be “pierced” to the end of the cat. If this is not done, carrier status may develop. Some salmonella under such conditions adapt to the action of antibiotics and remain in the animal’s body for life. Such pets, although they look absolutely healthy (they only occasionally develop diarrhea), daily “splash” millions of bacteria into the external environment. In this case, not only other animals are at risk...

Important! Salmonellosis is a zoonotic (transmitted from animals to humans) disease, so when caring for a sick cat, you should carefully observe the rules of personal hygiene and take care of regular disinfection of premises where the pet has access.

Cleanliness is a guarantee of safety for the owner and his family members. Please note that even a recovered cat can become infected, as bacteria continue to be excreted from its body for approximately six weeks after the complete disappearance of clinical signs. The situation is aggravated by the fact that salmonella is very stable in the external environment. To ensure its destruction, it is necessary to use disinfectants in the highest possible concentrations.

Campylobacteriosis

is a little-known but very common infectious pathology of the gastrointestinal tract in cats, caused by bacteria from the genus Campylobacter. Under a microscope, the pathogen is easily identified, as it has a characteristic “seagull” shape. Most often, kittens younger than six months are infected, but adult, weakened animals cannot be infected. Note that bacteria are often found in the feces of completely healthy animals that do not show symptoms at all. This indicates widespread cases of carriage.

Read also: My cat is constipated: why and how to treat?

As a rule, the first clinical signs of the disease appear within a week after infection (three to seven days), manifesting as severe diarrhea and lack of appetite. Depending on the severity of the case, copious amounts of mucus and blood may be found in the stool. The route of transmission is fecal-oral. Most often this involves eating food or drinking water contaminated with feces from sick animals. But also a common cause of infection is eating raw or undercooked meat or drinking fresh milk. Cats often get sick after eating a fresh mouse. Finally, birds are lifelong carriers of the infection. Since their defecation process is almost “continuous,” birds are frequent causes of epidemics.

As we have already said, carriage is common among cats themselves. How can it be identified? There is only one way - sowing a scraping from the surface of the rectum or feces. But modern researchers believe that for a reliable diagnosis it is necessary to take a scraping of the gastric mucosa. We draw the attention of owners: it is possible that the initial sample will be negative. In such cases, it must be repeated if the veterinarian has even the slightest doubt about the objectivity of the result obtained.

Important! Campylobacteriosis is also a zoonotic disease and is one of the main causes of diarrhea in humans.

It is believed that cats are a common source of infection in children who develop spontaneous diarrhea. But infectious disease doctors think differently: according to their information, cats in most cases have nothing to do with it, and people become infected by drinking unpasteurized milk or eating “dubious” chicken. So don’t forget about heat treatment of food, and drink only pasteurized or sterilized milk from the refrigerator! Campylobacteriosis is treated by prescribing loading doses of broad-spectrum antibiotics, as well as other antimicrobial drugs, to the sick pet.

Helicobacteriosis