Intestinal obstruction in cats: symptoms and treatment

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

If you have pets at home, then going to the vet becomes a necessity. Preventive vaccinations, examinations - this is the base, without which you can not do. But, despite this, it is not possible to protect your pet from all diseases. And the most common are diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Of course, a banal disorder can go away on its own, unlike intestinal obstruction in a cat. The symptoms of this pathology are quite bright, but can be mistaken for signs of other diseases. As a result, time is lost, and the animal continues to suffer pain. Every owner needs to know this information in order to immediately seek qualified help.

Getting to know the subject

It is important to understand well what is behind the term "bowel obstruction" in a cat. Symptoms can be both very bright and blurry, depending on the nature of the course. So, this is an acute gastrointestinal disease,which is characterized by a complete or partial cessation of the movement of feces. The reason may be a mechanical obstruction or a violation of intestinal motility.

Without timely treatment, the animal will die within a few days. The special insidiousness of the disease lies in the fact that this can happen with any cat or cat, and without any prerequisites. Therefore, the owner must be very careful not to miss the alarming symptoms. Intestinal obstruction in a cat is a deadly disease, which is sometimes treated only on the operating table.

The core of the problem

In the stomach of every animal there is a continuous production of a large amount of digestive juices. This process is absolutely independent of food intake, and also occurs during prolonged fasting. The main function of the intestine is to push the food bolus to the anus. As you move, the digestive juices are absorbed through the walls back, but with nutrients.

This is the basics of physiology, so that the reader can imagine what happens in the body with intestinal obstruction in a cat. Symptoms develop rapidly also for the reason that the digestive juice is produced in the same volume, but cannot be absorbed along with nutrients. In response, vomiting opens to relieve excess pressure on the tissues.

Reasons

Why can cats develop intestinal obstruction? Symptoms and treatment will directly dependfrom what led to such a complication. Often this is not the disease itself, but only a symptom of some kind of illness. Let's list the main reasons that can lead to such a development of events:

• Foreign body that clogged the intestinal lumen. This is a fairly common variant of intestinal obstruction. Cats, and especially kittens, can swallow candy wrappers and thread, tinsel and New Year's "rain". As a result, the food bolus cannot move on.
• Especial attention to this problem should arise in the owners of long-haired cats. Licking their fur, they eat a sufficient amount of it. If a lot of it accumulates in the intestines, then the wool gathers in a lump and clogs the passage. It is worth noting separately that in this case, the owners often give their pets laxatives. This should not be done, as intestinal rupture may occur.
• Intestinal obstruction in cats may be associated with helminthic invasion. Intestinal parasites gather in a big lump and clog the exit. Of course, it is difficult to imagine such an outcome for a homemade, well-groomed intestine, which is regularly carried to the vet.
• Constipation. Improper feeding often leads to such an unpleasant phenomenon. At first glance, this is not a very formidable complication. But hard and dry feces form a kind of plug and lead to intoxication of the body.
• Malignant tumors.
• Intestinal volvulus. In this case, the animal will also not be able to get rid of feces. The worst thing in this case is that the pinchedthe intestinal tract is not supplied with blood, which leads to the development of tissue necrosis. If you perform an operation and free the intestines, then the toxins will quickly spread throughout the body and death will occur.

What to look out for

Signs of bowel obstruction in a cat can be similar to any infectious or viral disease. A large amount of fluid accumulates in the stomach and small intestine.

Because it will not be able to leave the body naturally, it will cause nausea and vomiting. At the same time, dehydration of the entire body of the animal and the loss of vital elements: potassium and sodium rapidly develop. Drinking water only increases vomiting, and hence dehydration, which accelerates the death of the animal.

Vomiting is not only about poisoning or viral diseases. The cause may also be intestinal obstruction. Your cat should be treated as soon as possible, so pay close attention to this symptom.

Full or partial

Symptomatology may vary depending on whether the ability to remove part of the contents of the intestine to the outside remains. On this basis, the disease is divided into two types:

• Complete obstruction, when the bowel is completely blocked or clamped. That is, feces, liquid and gases cannot pass out, but accumulate inside. In this case, there is always a violation of the blood supply, necrosis, increased pressure on the internal organs, and also developsintoxication.
• Partial ileus in a cat is a condition in which there is a gap in the intestine. That is, part of the gases and feces can come out. In this case, the beneficial intestinal microflora gradually dies and is replaced by colonies of putrefactive bacteria.

Symptomatics

As with other diseases, it will depend on the individual characteristics of the pet. Some cats start to run after their owner and meow loudly. This is how they draw attention to their problem. Others, on the contrary, try to find a quiet and dark place, curl up in a ball and calm down. Based on this, it is difficult to understand what is happening with your pet. We need to find more indicative and vivid symptoms:

• Full refusal to feed. In all cases, despite the feeling of hunger, the cat will not touch the food. This is due to the fact that any swallowed piece leads to severe pain.
• Vomiting is increasing.
• Belly enlarges and becomes painful. Often the cat does not allow you to touch him. On palpation, tension and firmness are felt.
• Increased gas formation further increases the stomach. Some pets constantly lick it or roll on the floor.
• A cat will spend a lot of time on the litter box trying to pee. At the same time, these attempts do not give any results.

The presence of all or several symptoms indicates that the cat has intestinal obstruction. What to do? First of allgo to the clinic. While you can put an injection of "No-shpy" to relieve spasms.

Treatment

If an animal shows signs of dehydration, even before a diagnosis is made, it will be put on a drip, which will make up for the lack of fluid and s alts, as well as nutrients. Treatment necessarily includes the use of anti-inflammatory and pain medications, as well as antibiotics.

After giving first aid, the patient should be sent for x-rays. If the doctor sees that the condition requires surgery, then surgery should be performed as soon as possible. In this case, it is necessary to remove the affected part of the intestine.

Recovery after surgery

The main thing at this time is to follow the recommendations of the attending physician. The first day, water and food should not enter the body. After the specialist considers it possible, it will be possible to gradually switch to broths. The cat is waiting for long-term drug therapy. Gradually, it will be possible to switch to semi-liquid feed. This usually takes one and a half to two weeks.

By this time, the stitches can be removed, and the doctor will transfer you to a preventive visit to the clinic. But only if all the symptoms of intestinal obstruction in a cat are eliminated. The prognosis of the course of the disease and the chances of the animal to recover can only be given by an experienced veterinarian based on the examinations. If during the operation it was discoveredthat a large section of the intestine has undergone necrosis, the animal is euthanized right on the table.

Prevention

Your main task is to make inaccessible all dangerous objects that the animal can swallow. Of particular interest to fluffy pets are usually bird feathers, sausage casings, ropes and threads, despite the needle sticking out of the bobbin. In addition, it is undesirable to limit the pet's diet to only dry food. This leads to constant constipation and bloating.

Long-haired breeds are supposed to be given special supplements that help remove hairballs from the body. Pets must be constantly combed out, especially during the molting period. And the main thing is your attentive attitude. If you see that the pet is behaving strangely, refusing food, then contact your veterinarian.