If you have pets at home, then going to the veterinarian becomes a necessity. Preventive vaccinations, examinations - this is the base, without which you can not do. But, despite this, protecting your pet from all diseases does not work. And the most common are gastrointestinal diseases. Of course, a commonplace disorder can go away by itself, unlike a cat’s bowel obstruction. The symptoms of this pathology are quite vivid, but can be mistaken for signs of other diseases. As a result, time is wasted, and the animal continues to torment pain. Each owner needs to know this information in order to immediately seek qualified help.
Get to know the subject
It is important to understand well what is behind the term "bowel obstruction" in a cat. Symptoms can be either very bright or blurry, depending on the nature of the course. So, this is an acute disease of the gastrointestinal tract, which is characterized by a complete or partial cessation of the movement of feces. The cause may be a mechanical obstruction or impaired intestinal motility.
Without timely treatment, the animal will die within a few days. A special insidiousness of the disease lies in the fact that this can happen to any cat or cat, and without any prerequisites. Therefore, the owner must be very careful not to miss the alarming symptoms. Bowel obstruction in a cat is a deadly ailment, which is sometimes treated only on the operating table.
The essence of the problem
In the stomach of each animal there is a continuous production of a large number of digestive juices. This process is absolutely independent of food intake, and also occurs with prolonged fasting. The main function of the intestine is to push the food lump toward the anus. As you move, the digestive juices are absorbed through the walls back, but with nutrients.
These are the basics of physiology, so that the reader can imagine what happens in the body with cat bowel obstruction. Symptoms develop rapidly also for the reason that the digestive juice is produced in the same volume, but cannot be absorbed with nutrients. In response, vomiting is opened to get rid of excess pressure on the tissue.
Causes
Why can intestinal obstruction develop in cats? Symptoms and treatment will directly depend on what led to this complication. Often this is not the disease itself, but only a symptom of some kind of ailment. 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 from sweets and threads, tinsel and New Year's “rain”. As a result, the food lump cannot move on.
- Particular attention to this problem should arise in owners of longhair cats. Licking their wool, they eat enough of it. If a lot of it accumulates in the intestine, 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 can not be done, because a bowel rupture can occur .
- Bowel obstruction in cats may be associated with helminthic invasion. Intestinal parasites gather in a large lump and clog the exit. Of course, it is difficult to imagine such an outcome for a home, well-groomed intestine, which is regularly worn for examination by a veterinarian.
- Constipation Improper feeding often leads to such an unpleasant phenomenon. At first glance, this is not a terrible complication. But hard and dry feces form a kind of cork and lead to intoxication of the body.
- Malignant formations.
- Inversion of the intestines. In this case, the animal will also not be able to get rid of feces. The worst thing in this case is that the pinch of the intestine is not supplied with blood, which leads to the development of tissue necrosis. If the operation is performed and the intestines are freed, then the toxins will quickly spread throughout the body and death will occur.
What you need to pay attention to
Signs of cat bowel obstruction can be similar to any infectious or viral disease. A large amount of fluid accumulates in the stomach and small intestine.
Since she will not be able to leave the body naturally, this will cause nausea and vomiting. In this case, dehydration of the entire animal organism and the loss of vital elements: potassium and sodium quickly develop. Water intake only enhances vomiting, and therefore dehydration, which accelerates the death of the animal.
Vomiting speaks not only about poisoning or viral diseases. The cause may be intestinal obstruction. The cat should start receiving treatment as soon as possible, so be careful about this symptom.
Full or partial
Symptoms may vary depending on whether the possibility of removing part of the contents of the intestine to the outside has remained. On this basis, the disease is divided into two types:
- Complete obstruction when the intestine is blocked or pinched completely. That is, feces, liquid and gases cannot pass outside, but accumulate inside. In this case, there is always a violation of blood supply, necrosis, increased pressure on the internal organs, and intoxication develops.
- Partial intestinal obstruction in a cat is a condition in which there is clearance in the intestine. That is, part of the gases and feces can come out. In this case, the death of beneficial intestinal microflora gradually occurs and its replacement with colonies of putrefactive bacteria.
Symptomatology
As with other diseases, it will depend on the individual characteristics of the pet. Some cats begin to run after their master and meow loudly. So they draw attention to their problem. Others, on the contrary, try to find a quiet and dark place, curl up and calm down. Based on this, it is difficult to understand what is happening with your pet. It is necessary to find more revealing and vivid symptoms:
- Complete rejection of 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.
- The abdomen enlarges and becomes painful. Often a cat does not allow him to touch. On palpation, tension and firmness are felt.
- Increased flatulence further increases the abdomen. Some pets constantly lick it or ride on the floor.
- The cat will spend a lot of time on the tray, trying to empty itself. Moreover, these attempts do not give any results.
The presence of all or several symptoms indicates that the cat has bowel obstruction. What to do? First of all, go to the clinic. While you can put an injection of "No-shp" to relieve spasms.
Treatment
If the animal shows signs of dehydration, then even before making a diagnosis, he will be given a dropper that will make up for the deficiency of liquid and salts, as well as nutrients. Treatment necessarily includes the use of anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs, as well as antibiotics.
After first aid, the patient should be referred to an x-ray. If the doctor sees that the condition requires surgery, then the operation should be performed as soon as possible. In this case, it is necessary to remove the affected part of the intestine.
Postoperative Recovery
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 between one and a half to two weeks.
By this time, you can remove the stitches, and the doctor will transfer you to a preventive visit to the clinic. But only if all the symptoms of cat bowel obstruction 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 tests. If during the operation it was found that a large section of the intestine underwent 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 special interest in fluffy pets are usually bird feathers, shells from sausages, ropes and threads, despite the needle sticking out of the bobbin. In addition, it is undesirable to limit the pet's diet only to dry feed. This leads to persistent constipation and bloating.
Long-haired breeds are supposed to give special additives that help to remove wool balls from the body. Pets must be combed constantly, especially during molting. And the main thing is your attentive attitude. If you see that the pet is behaving strangely, refuses food, then contact your veterinarian.