Enteritis in cats - We study the problem! Feline infectious enteritis.

If your beloved pet feels unwell, he has diarrhea and vomiting, you should immediately consult a doctor. It is important to find out what is the cause of this condition - food poisoning or enteritis, and prescribe the correct treatment. Do not put off a trip to the clinic, because in some cases, enteritis in cats is fatal.

Enteritis in cats is an inflammation of the mucous layer of the small intestine with a violation of all its functions. May be bacterial or viral.

Bacterial usually develops as a secondary disease against the background of salmonellosis, tuberculosis, other infectious diseases, mechanical damage or poisoning.

Viral enteritis in cats is of three types:

• coronavirus - the surface layer of the intestinal membranes is affected, it is distinguished by the absence of temperature. Patients with this type of enteritis recover most easily. The cat will become a carrier of pathogens and is a danger to other individuals.
• rotavirus - more common in kittens. If the treatment of the kitten is started on time, at the first symptoms, the disease recedes.
• parvovirus - the most dangerous type, which is not always cured. Many people know this disease as "distemper". The danger is that there is a general intoxication of the body, dehydration, a decrease in leukocytes and a serious lesion of the gastrointestinal tract. After recovery, the cat remains infectious for its relatives for up to six months.

None of the types of feline enteritis is dangerous to humans.

Viral enteritis takes place in an acute form, and bacterial enteritis is more often in a chronic form. In the chronic course of the disease, the large intestine becomes inflamed.

Causes of the disease

Viral enteritis is transmitted from one cat to another through common food, through feces when using a shared toilet, or by getting dirty when walking on the street. A cat can infect kittens in utero, or while feeding. Dirty shoes in which the owner comes from the street can also serve as a source of infection. The probability of transmission of the disease by airborne droplets is with very close contact, therefore, it is impossible to allow a healthy animal to communicate with a sick one in any case.

The cause of bacterial enteritis is often poisoning, poor-quality food, helminths that damage the intestines and make it vulnerable to bacteria.

How to recognize the disease?

If you experience the following symptoms, you should consult a doctor:

• diarrhea, in which undigested pieces of food, mucus or blood can be seen in the feces;
• colic - manifested in the fact that the cat changes the position of the body, moves from place to place, while behaving restlessly and suddenly meowing;
• swollen stomach, foul-smelling gases, constant loud rumbling in the stomach;
• when pressing on a tight stomach, it becomes clear that the cat is in pain;
• white coating on the tongue;
• refusal to feed;
• smell from the mouth;
• vomit;
• weakness, lack of sparkle in the eyes, dull coat, indifference to the owner;
• elevated temperature.

The presence of at least two of the above symptoms gives reason to suspect enteritis in cats. Despite the fact that all the symptoms are similar to the signs of poisoning, you should not take risks and wait for the cat or kittens "to pass by themselves." An accurate diagnosis can only be made by a doctor.

Diagnosis of the disease and treatment

Diagnosis is carried out by external symptoms and laboratory tests.

When examining a cat, the doctor will definitely ask you to answer the following questions: were you vaccinated, what was the cat fed, was there vomiting, as is often loose stools, its smell and color. These questions are necessary in order to distinguish whether the disease is food poisoning or whether it is enteritis.

If poisoning is excluded, then blood is taken for bacteriological and virological culture. This is the only way to determine what type of enteritis in cats, which is important for prescribing treatment.

Treatment is carried out in a complex manner. To cleanse the small intestine, Glauber's salt or castor oil is prescribed. To restore the acid-base balance in the gastrointestinal tract, a solution of citric acid or soda is administered orally. What kind of remedy will be prescribed by the doctor, since it depends on what kind of inflammation in this case: acid or alkaline.

To reduce the symptoms of the disease, drugs are prescribed:

• antipyretic;
• antiemetics;
• antibacterial;
• antispasmodic;
• astringents (for diarrhea);
• hemostatic (in the presence of blood in the feces and vomit).

Depending on the type of enteritis, antibiotics or immunomodulators are used for treatment.

home care

At home, it is necessary to provide proper care for a sick cat.

It is important to follow the diet. On the first day of treatment, you can not feed the animal. This is easy to do, because the cat itself will refuse to eat. On the second and third days they give thin oatmeal porridge cooked in meat broth. The fiber contained in cereals helps to restore the stomach and improves bowel function. On the fourth or fifth day, you need to feed the cat with minced meat. If she can't eat solid food, don't force her. It is enough to give a little meat broth.

In the event that the animal completely refuses to eat, droppers with glucose are placed to maintain the body.

Water should be available in unlimited quantities. If he does not drink, water is injected behind the cheek with a pipette or syringe without a needle. Do it in small portions, but often. Regidron helps against dehydration.

The place where the sick cat is located should be warm and clean, regularly ventilated. To recover, the cat needs the attention and affection of the owners.

Preventive measures to protect your cat from enteritis

To protect the cat from infection with enteritis, it is necessary to do preventive vaccination on time. It is held once a year.

The animal should be treated regularly for fleas, ticks and helminths.

When bringing small kittens or a new cat into the house, it is necessary to quarantine for a month.

Responsible approach to the issue of nutrition. Cats are contraindicated for tubular bones, which can damage the walls of the intestine, which will lead to disease. Do not feed with leftovers from the table, spicy and fatty foods.

It is important to keep the cat litter box clean. The tray should be disinfected regularly with an agent containing chlorine. If there are several cats in the house, one tray should be no more than two animals.

When you come in from the street, wash your shoes, or put them in a closed closet.

Do not let the cat out on its own, and if it is not vaccinated, then even more so.

Enteritis in cats - what is it? What types of enteritis exist and what causes them? What symptoms does it accompany and why is it dangerous? We will try to tell in detail about the group of diseases that are hidden behind the term "enteritis" in this article.

Let us dwell in more detail on some of the factors leading to enteritis in cats.

Viral enteritis in cats

The causative agents of infectious viral enteritis in cats can be several types of viruses, the main ones being coronavirus and parvovirus (feline panleukopenia virus).

Coronavirus enteritis in cats

Coronavirus infection usually causes enteritis and other mild gastrointestinal lesions. This is a moderately contagious disease, that is, whether a cat becomes ill upon contact with the pathogen depends on the state of her health and the presence or absence of a concomitant disease. Kittens and older cats are at risk. Clinical symptoms may not appear, but the cat will become a lifelong carrier of the coronavirus. An ill animal will also be a carrier of coronavirus infection for the rest of its life and serve as a source of infection for other cats. However, this virus is not dangerous for humans.

Another danger that awaits a cat with a coronavirus infection is a possible mutation of the pathogen into a virus that causes feline infectious peritonitis. This disease, unfortunately, is incurable, but such a mutation occurs only in a small percentage of cases.

The main symptom of coronavirus enteritis in cats is diarrhea, and there is no specific treatment, so all measures are aimed at easing the symptoms of the disease. Read more about this disease in our article "Coronavirus infection".

Parvovirus enteritis in cats (panleukopenia, "feline distemper")

This disease is extremely dangerous for cats and is highly contagious, but a person cannot become infected with it. Panleukopenia leads to serious damage to the gastrointestinal tract, general intoxication and dehydration. The main clinical symptoms of this type of viral enteritis in cats are vomiting and diarrhea, which are the cause of dehydration. There is also an increase in temperature, refusal to feed, a general decrease in the level of leukocytes in the blood. Treatment of viral enteritis, or gastroenteritis caused by parvovirus in cats, is aimed at alleviating the symptoms of the disease and improving the condition of the animal, since there is no specific antiviral therapy. After recovery, the cat remains infectious and dangerous to other cats for at least 6 weeks (and in some cases longer).

Read more about parvovirus enteritis in our article "Panleukopenia".

Other causative agents of viral enteritis in cats

There are other types of viruses that cause acute diarrhea in cats. For example, in kittens it could be rotavirus or astrovirus. The symptoms of these viral infections are similar to those of coronavirus enteritis, treatment is also symptomatic. The disease is curable, but the kitten should be helped as soon as possible.

Bacterial enteritis in cats

Secondary bacterial enteritis occurs when a cat becomes infected with salmonellosis, tuberculosis, or other infections that affect the gastrointestinal tract. In this case, for example, Escherichia coli, Escherichiacolli, most likely, is not the cause of pathological conditions, as some experts believe. This type of bacteria is part of the normal intestinal microflora.

The most common bacterial enteritis causes Salmonella infection. In this case, an acute form develops, often the large intestine is also involved in the process - enterocolitis develops. At risk are young and emaciated animals. At the same time, salmonellosis in cats can also occur as a chronic disease without symptoms of enteritis. The treatment regimen includes broad-spectrum antibiotics. Be careful: salmonellosis can be transmitted from animals to humans.

Other bacteria that cause, among other things, the symptoms of enteritis - Campylobacterjejuni,bacilluspisiformis, which causes a fairly rare Tiesler's disease, Yersiniapseudotuberculosis, as well as mycobacteria - the causative agents of tuberculosis. In the latter case, enteritis occurs with the alimentary form of tuberculosis, that is, when infected with food. Cats become infected by drinking contaminated milk, for example. All these are quite rare causes of enteritis in cats, however, if we are not talking about a cat that spends her whole life within an apartment, they should also be kept in mind.

One of the causes of intestinal inflammation in a cat is helminth infection. A fairly large number of species, for example, roundworms or hookworms, choose the small intestine of a cat as their place of residence. Their hooks and suckers - belonging to the oral apparatus - injure the mucous membrane of the small intestine, which leads to inflammation. If the infection is small, the clinical symptoms of enteritis in a cat will most likely not appear, however, if the invasion is strong, then signs of enteritis will not take long. And again, kittens are at risk, so if you have kids at home, you need to monitor their health and the health of the cat mother especially carefully.

The mechanism of occurrence of traumatic enteritis in cats is extremely simple: if a cat eats, for example, sharp and hard bones, then they, passing through the intestines, scratch and injure it. That is why animals should not be given not only fragments of bones, but also tubular bones: when a cat gnaws such a bone, parts with sharp edges are formed. Other items ingested by the animal can also lead to intestinal injury. Dangerous, for example, are New Year's decorations - "rain" and tinsel. Bright and shiny, they often attract the attention of animals. And even if the "rain" safely bypasses the entire gastrointestinal tract of the cat and does not cause obstruction, it is quite capable of scratching the delicate walls of the small intestine. And where there are injuries, there is an inflammatory process.

Enteritis in cats as a result of poisoning

Symptoms of enteritis can occur in a cat as a result of eating poor-quality food, as well as food that has expired or is infected with a fungus. The cause of diarrhea can also be water that does not meet sanitary standards.

Often enteritis occurs when a cat comes into contact with poisons of organic or inorganic origin. These can be poisonous indoor plants, household chemicals, and even mice caught after deratization. The cause of the symptoms of enteritis in a cat can also be a food allergy.

Symptoms of enteritis in a cat

Regardless of what caused this disease in a cat, common signs of enteritis will be:

• - diarrhea;
• - increased gas formation;
• - stomach ache;
• - undigested food in the stool.

At the same time, enteritis caused by various reasons may have other accompanying symptoms. Often, viral enteritis is accompanied by fever, vomiting, exhaustion, apathy. For panleukopenia, a characteristic symptom is a sharp decrease in the level of leukocytes. In case of poisoning, the cat also vomits. It is important that only on the basis of the totality of symptoms, the doctor can make an accurate diagnosis and choose the right treatment.

Diagnostics

The diagnosis and clarification of the exact cause of enteritis in a cat is based, first of all, on the anamnesis data. The doctor will ask you in detail about your pet's lifestyle, vaccination status, diet, and other relevant factors. A significant part of your story should be devoted to the symptoms that you observe in your pet.

Even before the final diagnosis, symptomatic therapy begins. The fact is that diarrhea - the main symptom of enteritis in cats - is dangerous primarily due to dehydration. And if vomiting joins diarrhea, this danger increases. In order to prevent fluid loss by the body, infusion therapy is prescribed. This means that the cat is given drips of saline solutions (for example, saline can be used).

Since even enteritis is sometimes accompanied by a secondary bacterial infection, broad-spectrum antibiotics are used. If the animal is vomiting, antiemetic drugs are prescribed. In the absence of intestinal peristalsis, prokinetics are used. In the treatment of enteritis, a starvation diet is also usually prescribed for one to two days, then a sparing diet is prescribed.

In general, depending on the cause of enteritis, the treatment regimen may vary. If the cause of the disease is an allergy, antihistamines are additionally used, if enteritis is caused by worms - anthelmintic. That is why it is so important to make a diagnosis on time and accurately - the success of treating enteritis in a cat depends on it.

Prevention of enteritis in cats

Preventive measures against enteritis are nonspecific. This is timely vaccination and deworming of the animal, a balanced diet, fresh food and clean water available. Poisonous plants and household chemicals should be removed from the cat's reach so that your pet cannot accidentally get poisoned. And of course, you need to carefully monitor the health of your pet: a disease noticed in time is already halfway to recovery!

According to medical terminology, enteritis is an inflammatory disease of the small intestine that affects the inner layer of its mucous membrane and is accompanied by a violation of the secretory and motor function of the intestine. If the inflammatory process extends to the stomach, gastroenteritis develops.

This pathology is also found in animals - cats and dogs. Cats most often get enteritis at the age of 3 months, when the animal's defense system is not yet sufficiently developed. In adult cats, a decrease in immunity can serve as a provoking factor. Often this disease is mistaken for a short-term intestinal disorder, but feline enteritis is dangerous and can be fraught with serious consequences, even death.

According to the nature of the manifestations, enteritis is divided into:

• catarrhal (inflammatory) - characterized by swelling of the intestinal mucosa;
• hemorrhagic - with pinpoint hemorrhages in the mucosal tissue;
• fibrinous - with the formation of cheesy protein plaque on the intestinal walls;
• necrotic - accompanied by destruction (decay) of mucosal tissues;
• ulcerative - with the formation of erosions and ulcers on the inner surface of the intestine.

From what reason caused the development of the disease, enteritis is divided into non-contagious and contagious (contagious). The former most often result from dysbacteriosis, a sharp transfer of a cat to a new type of food, trauma to the gastrointestinal mucosa when the animal eats tubular bones, or ingestion of toxic substances. The causes of contagious enteritis can be:

• salmonella;
• coli;
• microscopic fungi (candida, mold, fusarium);
• intestinal helminths;
• non-cellular infectious agents - RNA-containing viruses.

Viruses that provoke enteritis are quite resistant to the actions of the external environment, and can be in the cat’s body in “sleep mode” for a long time (up to a year), without showing themselves in any way. Infection in most cases occurs when the excretions of sick animals get into food or water, the infection can also be transmitted by direct contact of a healthy cat with a sick one.

Things to know: Feline enteritis caused by Rotavirus, Parvovirus and Coronavirus is not dangerous to humans or dogs. But the canine pathogen of rotavirus, parvovirus or coronovirus enteritis can be transmitted to cats.

Symptoms

The first symptom of enteritis or gastroenteritis, which is usually noticed by the owner of the cat, is diarrhea. In the feces - the remains of undigested food, mucus, sometimes with an admixture of blood.

Clinical signs of intestinal inflammation also include:

• loss of appetite;
• weight loss;
• bloating with flatulence;
• painful colic, due to which the cat avoids contact;
• blanching of the mucous membranes of the mouth, indicating anemia;
• fever (this symptom does not always appear);
• depression, loss of interest in games;
• loss of desire to keep themselves clean (the cat stops licking itself, its coat looks untidy).

Infectious enteritis is distinguished by the development of uncontrollable vomiting, liquid, reddish stools. With the defeat of the coronovirus, a pronounced pain syndrome is observed: the cat literally does not allow you to touch the stomach. Parvovirus enteritis (distemper) is considered the most dangerous and often fatal. For him, a sharp increase in temperature, swelling of the mucous membranes and a nervous tic are typical. Rotavirus enteritis is characterized by rapid dehydration, fever, and blood-streaked stools.

Attention! The main symptoms of different types of enteritis are very similar. It is possible to determine the cause of the disease, in particular, the type of virus, only in the laboratory. Therefore, in no case should you try to remove signs of indigestion in a cat on your own - such actions can only aggravate the disease and complicate its treatment.

Diagnostics

When making a diagnosis, it is very important to take a thorough history. The owner of the cat must answer the doctor's questions in detail:

• when an animal gets sick, how it manifests itself;
• when the cat was vaccinated and how long ago it was treated for worms;
• what type and consistency of stools.

Next, the veterinarian conducts an external examination of the animal, while assessing the general condition and degree of dehydration. To determine the potential causative agent of the disease, the cat is taken for analysis of blood, feces, flushing or smear from the rectal mucosa. The swab is tested for the presence of virus DNA or antibodies developed by the body against it. A blood test allows you to evaluate the level of leukocytes and red blood cells, as well as to identify protein deficiency. If necessary (to determine the quality of intestinal peristalsis), an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity can be prescribed to the cat.

Treatment

The course of treatment of enteritis and enterocolitis in cats is selected strictly individually, the complex of therapeutic measures depends both on the type and cause of the development of the disease, and on which organ systems are affected and to what extent.

First of all, veterinarians recommend cleaning the cat's intestines. For this, Glauber's salt or castor oil can be used (the doctor chooses the right drug, focusing on which catarrh has developed - "sour" or "alkaline"). If a small kitten falls ill with enteritis, you need to act without wasting time: this pathology in kittens often develops at lightning speed, and can be fatal in just a few days.

With severe pain, cats are prescribed analgesics. In the presence of blood in vomit or feces, hemostatic agents are used. To eliminate diarrhea, a cat is given astringents (for example, a decoction of oak bark) two to three times a day. If diarrhea and vomiting do not stop, and the cat has a high temperature, the doctor prescribes antipyretics, antispasmodics and antiemetics, and antibiotics to prevent the development of pathogenic microflora. With viral enteritis or enterocolitis, antibiotic therapy is used from the first day of illness. All drugs are selected only by a doctor, treatment can be carried out at home.

Important! Due to the constant loss of fluid during vomiting and diarrhea, enteritis often leads to dehydration. Therefore, it is important that the body of a sick cat receives at least 50 ml of liquid per 1 kg of body weight per day. If the animal refuses water, it can be injected in small portions behind the cheek using a pipette or syringe without a needle. To restore the water-salt balance, the doctor may also prescribe intravenous saline drips based on sodium chloride and glucose to the cat.

Equally important for the recovery of your pet is proper care and feeding. The place where the cat is located should be warm, kept clean and regularly ventilated. For at least a week, the animal is put on a strict diet:

• The first day is just drinking. Oralit or rehydron solutions can be given instead of water.
• The second and third days - a decoction of oatmeal in meat broth. It envelops the walls of the stomach and intestines, contributing to the healing of the mucosa.
• The fourth and fifth day - liquid oatmeal in meat broth. In addition to high nutritional qualities, it restores the motor function of the gastrointestinal tract well.
• From the sixth day, minced meat, poached in a small amount of water or broth, can be gradually introduced into the cat's diet.

life forecast

Treatment of enteritis in cats, started in a timely manner, in most cases is effective. In animals with a non-contagious form of enteritis or gastroenteritis, or in the case of a disease caused by the coronovirus strain FECV, improvement occurs after 2-3 days, however, the course of medication must be maintained in full.

However, if an animal is affected by a mutated coronovirus enteritis virus (FIPV strain), then a quick lethal outcome is not excluded, the life expectancy of a cat in this case can be only a few months. Veterinary care for such animals is symptomatic, and is mostly aimed at alleviating the general condition.

Prevention

Measures to protect cats from the development of enteritis are quite simple:

• Timely preventive deworming and vaccination against viral and bacterial infections.
• Regular treatment of the animal from ticks and fleas.
• The use of high-quality feed, and with natural feeding - only fresh products.
• Periodic disinfection of the cat's litter tray with chlorine-containing products. One tray should be designed for no more than two cats.

When transporting your pet, you should try to exclude its contact with other animals, and if the cat or cat is to be mated, you should make sure that the potential partner is healthy. If you have acquired a new cat, it is necessary to temporarily isolate it from relatives already living in the house, the recommended period for such quarantine is a month.

Veterinarian about coronavirus gastroenteritis in cats: video

Enteritis in cats is caused by three strains of the virus: coronovirus, parvovirus, rotavirus. The external symptoms of the disease, regardless of the species of the pathogen, are quite recognizable and characteristic. However, some pets get sick secretly, which causes a lot of problems for owners and veterinarians. You can not let the manifestation of alarming signs take its course. If the cat feels unwell, you should immediately show the veterinarian.

The causative agent of enteritis is a serious danger to cats for two reasons. Firstly, he calmly endures poor environmental conditions, is capable of lightning-fast infection of healthy individuals. Secondly, the main residence of the pathogen - the intestine - is the main point in providing the animal with nutrients. With the onset of the disease, this part of the gastrointestinal tract ceases to function normally.

Without treatment, with the aggravation of the situation, the inflammatory process goes deeper into the tissues.

There are several types of enteritis in cats:

• Catarrhal - common. It is characterized by inflammation of the mucous membrane, its swelling, redness.
• Fibrinous - the first type of the disease gradually flows into it. Whitish plaques appear, caused by the formation of a large amount of effusion.
• Hemorrhagic - the next stage of inflammation. Due to the appearance of wounds on the surface of the intestine, numerous hemorrhages are formed in the course of food movement.
• Ulcerative - the penultimate stage, meaning deep tissue damage. In rare cases, complete destruction is observed, with the release of contents into the abdominal cavity. Which leads to the development of peritonitis.
• Necrotic - the last type, means tissue breakdown and gradual necrosis.

Secondary situations are more common. These include cases of complex infection of a cat. When the immune system is forced to defend itself on all fronts at once, the weakest organ becomes inflamed in the cat. Systemic diseases include feline distemper, salmonellosis, pneumonia, and many others. In the treatment of such enteritis, it is extremely important to establish the cause of the poor condition. Without this, the money and time spent will be wasted.

Causes and symptoms of enteritis in cats

There are four groups of possible causes of the development of pathology. In the case of cats, improper maintenance, in particular feeding, is at the forefront. The stomach of small pets does not tolerate a sharp change in diet, it reacts poorly to low-quality feed. Adds fuel to the fire the desire of the owners to feed the cat with tasty, but not healthy food. It is very dangerous to give the animal missing, rotten food containing foreign impurities. If there is the slightest doubt about the quality, it is better to throw out the packaging than to look at the suffering of the cat later.

Water quality should also be taken into account. The ideal option involves giving filtered water. It is necessary to avoid drinking chemically poisoned liquid or containing a large amount of salts of heavy metals. The very appearance of the feed can cause enteritis. Some owners sin by giving fish bones, the sharp edges of which easily injure the delicate mucous membrane.

Invasion becomes the reason for the development of enteritis. Helminths themselves are carriers of infection, and coupled with constant damage to the intestinal epithelium, they cause great damage. The activity of worms is accompanied by the release of toxic waste. Often these substances cause the development of an allergic reaction, deterioration. Helminthiases as a cause of enteritis are often observed in small kittens. For them, helminthic invasion can result in death.

Another group of reasons are external factors. Ingestion of chemical reagents leads to damage to the inner lining of the intestine. House plants become a source of poisoning. Many plants are poisonous. And finally, if the optimal balance of microflora is disturbed, dysbacteriosis develops. Without assistance, the disease can lead to enteritis.

Now let's look at the main symptoms of the disease. Let's break the signs into three categories, depending on the type of pathogen. Coronovirus enteritis in cats is accompanied by:

• Refusal to eat, apathy.
• Bloating, diarrhea.
• Faeces yellow-red.
• Increased vomiting.

Especially quickly develops enteritis in kittens. Toddlers experience severe pain, avoid touching the stomach. The wall of the stomach is painful, tight. The temperature remains within the normal range. Rotavirus infection is manifested by even greater spasms. Body temperature jumps, excrement contains blood, mucus. Parvovirus is the most feared variety. It manifests itself in various ways: high fever, nervous twitches, weakness. Without therapy, most cats die.

Treatment and prevention of enteritis

Before prescribing a treatment regimen, a comprehensive examination of the cat is carried out in order to establish an accurate diagnosis. Possible bacterial and infectious diseases that have an ailment as a symptom are excluded. They take blood, feces, urine tests - carefully examine. Only then is treatment prescribed.

An effective first step - a starvation diet - is great for early detection of pathology. The cat is allowed to drink plenty or help to restore water balance with the help of the drug rehydron.

Then a light diet of broths, minced meat, and cereals is slowly introduced. Use dietary products that gently envelop the damaged intestine. What medications can be used after consulting a veterinarian? The first step is to cleanse the intestines. Gastric lavage with the help of Glauber's salt, potassium permanganate, soda will help here. A decoction of oak bark helps to stop diarrhea. To make up for the loss of fluid, droppers are prescribed, they are made under the supervision of a veterinarian.

If it was not possible to stop enteritis with easy means, they resort to heavy artillery. Antibiotics, antispasmodics, painkillers, antipyretics are used. Specific names will be specified by the attending physician; self-medication should not be done. In order to prevent a dangerous disease, it is enough to follow a number of simple rules.

A sick cat is isolated from other pets. In principle, viral enteritis in a cat is not transmitted to other animals and is safe for humans. But in the event of a drop in immunity in contactees, poor conditions of detention, contamination, the pathogen can cause unpleasant symptoms. The owner of the cat will not get sick with coronavirus or parvovirus, but will be the beginning of a chain of infection for other cats.

Adult cats and kittens are no less susceptible to various diseases than people. Enteritis in cats is one of the most common diseases. In the early stages, it is easy to confuse it with a common indigestion, but this pathology is very insidious and can cause serious consequences for the health and life of a fluffy pet.

Enteritis in cats

What is enteritis? This is a viral or bacteriological disease that leads to an inflammatory process of the mucous membrane of the small intestine and disrupts its main functions (motor, secretory, excretory). There are acute and chronic types, the protracted phase provokes inflammation of the colon.

Causes of illness in cats and kittens

The reasons for the development of enteritis lie not only in poor nutrition, which causes an imbalance in the stomach, there are other risk factors that dramatically increase the chances of acquiring the disease.

The causes of enteritis in cats and kittens are:

• keeping a large number of individuals in one area (in nurseries);
• contacts of a pet with street animals;
• inadequate care;
• stressful situations;
• hereditary predisposition.

Enteritis in kittens is often congenital in nature, when infection occurs in the womb of a mother suffering from this pathology. Also, a mother can infect a baby during breastfeeding.

Enteritis symptoms

The first sign of an insidious disease is indigestion, manifested by diarrhea. Diarrhea usually does not cause any suspicions in the owners of the animal. But there are other symptoms of enteritis in cats that should alert the owner:

• feces may contain undigested food residues, impurities of mucus and blood are observed in the feces;
  general weakness and depression;
• dull and unkempt coat;
• sunken eyes;
• soreness of the abdominal wall on palpation;
• painful colic, which may indicate a restless state;
• bloating and increased gas;
• elevated temperature;
• loss of appetite;
• bad breath;
• bouts of vomiting.

If you find these signs of illness, you should immediately contact your veterinarian for diagnosis and prescribing topical treatment. Remember, timely therapy can save your pet's life.

Diagnosis of pathology

The first diagnostic measure for the diagnosis and treatment of enteritis is the collection and analysis of anamnesis. The veterinarian will find out from the owner when the pet fell ill, whether there are vaccinations, what type of stool they have, how long the cat has been treated for helminths. It is important to pay attention even to the little things and describe the symptoms of enteritis to the veterinarian in detail.

In a large group of animals, it is easiest to detect the disease, for example, in a nursery. When diarrhea in cats and cats manifested itself at different time intervals, limited to one or two weeks, therefore, there is an infection factor. The incubation period lasts for a different time due to differences in the immune system.

If diarrhea was observed in the entire livestock at the same time, then, most likely, the animals received feed poisoning, and there is no danger of the disease.

After the restoration of the symptomatic picture, the veterinarian prescribes studies for bacteriological and virological cultures, blood tests. However, it is not always possible to conduct a laboratory examination. In such cases, enteritis in a cat or kitten is treated on the basis of symptoms, therapy is based on history data.

It is important to pay attention to your pet, because now the support and care of a human friend is very important to him. Source: Flickr (Regina)

Types of enteritis

The disease manifests itself in an acute or chronic form, in addition, there are several types of the disease, different in nature.

Coronavirus enteritis

With this type of enteritis, the Coronavirus virus infects the surface layers of the lining of the small intestine. When infected with coronavirus, the animal behaves restlessly, is indifferent to food, and does not respond to the attention of the owner.

On palpation, there is a tightness of the abdomen, it is swollen and acutely painful. Frequent vomiting and persistent diarrhea testify to the coronavirus form. The color of the stool varies from bright red to burgundy, the consistency is liquid or viscous. Temperature increase is not observed. Treatment of coronavirus enteritis in cats has the most positive prognosis.

Rotavirus enteritis

The rotavirus type of the pathological process is characterized by a sudden and rapid development. A kitten or an adult begins to meow loudly and for a long time, arching unnaturally, does not allow touching the stomach, refuses food. With rotavirus infection, body temperature rises, the condition is accompanied by frequent vomiting, liquid feces with mucus impurities.

Symptoms of enteritis in a cat require immediate treatment, otherwise the general condition deteriorates rapidly. The animal becomes weak, severe dehydration occurs, and fever develops. Lack of timely veterinary care can lead to the death of a cat.

Parvovirus enteritis

Parvovirus enteritis in a kitten and an adult cat is the most dangerous form of the disease. People call it feline distemper, 90% of pets die with this disease. The symptoms of distemper are extensive - a sharp and significant increase in body temperature is accompanied by diarrhea and vomiting, swelling, coughing and nervous twitches, the cat refuses to eat and drink.

Treatment of enteritis

For each type and form of the disease, it is strictly forbidden to resort to self-treatment, at best it will not bring the desired results, at worst it will significantly aggravate the condition. Only a veterinarian can prescribe adequate treatment after the diagnostic measures and analysis of the clinical picture.
Treatment of enteritis in cats is complex. With the implementation of all the recommendations of the doctor, after a few days there is a significant improvement in well-being. What medications can a specialist prescribe:

• antibacterial drugs of directed action, as well as antispasmodic drugs;
• antipyretic and antiemetics;
• drugs to strengthen the immune system.

Therapeutic measures begin with cleaning the small intestine. For this, veterinarians recommend using Glauber's salt, in some cases castor oil is used. To neutralize the contents of the intestines, 1% solutions of citric acid or baking soda should be used, they are administered orally.

With severe diarrhea, it is advisable to take astringents. A decoction of oak bark is best, two to three tablespoons a day will be enough. If the natural remedy is powerless, then broad-spectrum antibacterial drugs are used, antibiotics prevent the reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms. Only a veterinarian can select the drug. In case of bleeding, hemostatic agents of the Vikasol type are used.

Therapy at home

An important component of general therapy is the treatment of enteritis in cats at home, it comes down to observing a special regimen.

After going to the veterinarian and the treatment course prescribed by him, the pet is put on a special starvation diet. On the first day, food is not given at all, part of the drinking water is replaced with medicinal solutions of Oralit, Regidron and similar preparations. The use of such drugs prevents dehydration of the body.

On the second day of a starvation diet, they are fed with a decoction of oatmeal in meat broth, the high fiber content in it allows you to envelop and clean the intestinal walls, which contributes to the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. After a couple of days, the pet can be given minced meat.

If the pet refuses solid food, then you should not force him. It is necessary to replace meat dishes with a light meat broth, which will allow you to maintain the strength of the body during recovery.

In addition, the owner must provide the cat with a warm and clean sleeping place, regularly clean his coat, provide access to fresh air, but without drafts. It is important to pay attention to your pet, because now the support and care of a human friend is very important to him.

Prevention of enteritis

Enteritis is a serious disease that can harm the health of a pet. But the disease is easy to defeat with a timely visit to the doctor and the implementation of all his recommendations.

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