Although hemorrhoids are considered a purely human disease, sometimes our smaller brothers also suffer from it. In cats, it is easy to confuse it with other similar diseases. Hemorrhoids in cats need immediate treatment, as it can lead to the death of the animal. Consider its symptoms, causes and treatment methods.
General information
Hemorrhoids are a problem that mostly affects people. There is an opinion that it is associated with a person’s ability to walk on two legs. Do cats have hemorrhoids? Yes, occasionally a similar pathology is found in these animals. This disease is associated with dilation of the vessels of the rectum.
In cats, hemorrhoids can be easily confused with other diseases that cause inflammation of the rectum and anal pores. Symptoms of these diseases are similar, and therefore, for an accurate diagnosis, you must consult a doctor.
Hemorrhoids are quite painful for animals. It can cause painful bowel movements in a cat, digestive disorders and heavy bleeding. Hemorrhoids can be either clearly visible to the eye or located inside the rectum. If severe bleeding occurs, the disease can lead to the death of the animal.
A photo of hemorrhoids in cats is provided below.
Risk group
Hemorrhoids can begin in any cat. However, there are groups of animals for which the likelihood of this disease is increasing:
- Breeds prone to overweight. For example, the British are at risk, who often suffer from obesity. It is very important to control their diet and take care of the activity of the animal.
- Sterilized animals. Sterilized cats and castrated cats are prone to rapid weight gain: their activity decreases, and their appetite increases.
- Animals with congenital pathologies of the pelvis. The tendency to hemorrhoids can be hereditary.
- Animals that eat cheap low-quality feed. Improperly balanced food leads to serious problems with the gastrointestinal tract.
Causes
Most often, hemorrhoids in cats occur due to stagnation of blood in the vessels, which leads to prolapse of nodules in the intestines. We highlight the main causes of hemorrhoids:
- hormonal disruptions, including after sterilization;
- constipation caused by poor nutrition;
- obesity, in which cholesterol forms plaques that clog veins;
- diabetes mellitus, due to which the state of blood vessels worsens;
- a change in blood composition and a deterioration in the tone of blood vessels;
- lack of physical activity or their excess;
- parasites, including worms;
- excess or lack of vitamins in the body;
- infection;
- dehydration;
- intestinal inflammation.
Symptoms
Symptoms of hemorrhoids in cats are very similar to human ones:
- constipation
- excessively dry feces;
- the animal behaves uneasily at the time of defecation, meows plaintively;
- the anal ring is inflamed, has a reddish tint;
- blood is present in the feces;
- the cat often licks the anus;
- secretion of mucus from the anus;
- change of behavior: aggression or lethargy.
At the very beginning of the disease in a cat, you can see a small seal in the area of the anus. Over time, it increases. The cat begins to limp, constantly licks the anus, begins to meow plaintively when sitting on the tray. If untreated, the hemorrhoid increases significantly in size. During bowel movements, it is constantly damaged, therefore ulcers form on it.
Diagnostics
There are some diseases that are very similar in symptoms to hemorrhoids, but they are not, and therefore require other treatment. We list the diseases similar to hemorrhoids:
- Inflammation of the anal glands. At the anus of cats there are two glands. They produce a fluid with which cats mark territory - it serves as an antiseptic after bowel movement. Sometimes these glands become clogged and inflammation begins. Pus forms in the glands, bleeding opens. To cure the animal, it is necessary to clear the glands of pus.
- Prolapse of the gut. In this case, you can see a small tubercle at the anus, it turns red and swells. This happens due to profuse diarrhea, in a cat during childbirth or in case of poor muscle tone in the anus. In this case, only a doctor can help the animal.
- Anal itching. The animal crawls on the floor, because of this, inflammation of the anus begins. The cause may be worms.
Before treating hemorrhoids in cats, the doctor should rule out other causes of these symptoms and make an accurate diagnosis. First of all, the veterinarian must conduct an external examination of the animal. If he came to the conclusion that this is hemorrhoids, he begins to conduct a series of studies to diagnose the causes of its occurrence. It is necessary to check blood for clotting and sugar (to exclude diabetes), take feces for analysis to check for parasites. The hormonal level of the animal should be determined.
Treatment
When a diagnosis is made and the exact cause of hemorrhoids in a cat is determined, treatment can be started. To do this, you must strictly adhere to the doctor's recommendations. Self-medication can cost an animal life.
For the treatment of hemorrhoids in cats use:
- rectal suppositories that relieve inflammation;
- drugs that improve blood circulation, including in the pelvic area;
- drugs that are aimed at combating the cause of hemorrhoids;
- medicines that normalize the condition of the intestinal mucosa;
- decoctions of medicinal plants that have anti-inflammatory, analgesic and thrombo-absorbing effects.
- ointments and gels with antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effects.
If the disease is started, the doctor will freeze the hemorrhoidal neoplasm with liquid nitrogen and remove it. The veterinarian can also perform an excision of some sections of the intestine and dilated venous veins.
If treatment is started on time, the prognosis for recovery is positive. If the disease has become chronic, periodic exacerbations are possible.
Sick animal care
The diet of a cat suffering from hemorrhoids should contain more fiber, which facilitates the removal of feces. It is advisable to feed the animal with wet food and ensure that drinking water is freely available. Vitamin supplements that will enhance immunity should be introduced into the diet.
It is necessary to wash the animal’s anus several times a day with a soap solution, treat it with petrolatum or anti-inflammatory ointments.
The cat needs to ensure peace. Excessive physical activity can worsen the condition of the animal. If there was an operation, the cat needs to be closely monitored. It is necessary to give her all the prescribed drugs in a timely manner, give injections, put anal candles.
It is worth remembering that self-medication can be dangerous for the animal. Before carrying out any procedures, you must always consult a veterinarian.
Prevention
To prevent hemorrhoids in a cat, first of all, you need to monitor the balance and quality of its nutrition. Natural food must meet all the needs of the animal, it must be supplemented with vitamin and mineral complexes. Finished feed should be of high quality, the animal should always have clean drinking water in the public domain. Once every three months you need to give anthelmintic drugs.
It is necessary to monitor the weight of the animal. In the case of an increase, you need to take care of the diet and increase the activity of the animal. If your cat has constipation, you should contact your veterinarian. In the case of the appearance of the first symptoms of hemorrhoids in the animal, it is necessary to show it to the doctor as soon as possible.
Hemorrhoids is a rare disease in cats, but in the absence of timely treatment, it can lead to the death of the animal. When treating hemorrhoids, it is important to correctly diagnose the main cause of its appearance, otherwise the problem will manifest itself again.