Intussusception in a cat

27 Intussusception in a cat




Initial presentation


Diarrhoea and poor appetite


Signalment: 2-year-old female entire domestic shorthaired cat, body weight 3.2 kg



Case history


The cat lived at a rescue centre and was brought in with a 3-day history of poor appetite and having watery diarrhoea. She had been at the rescue centre for about a month and had not been vaccinated or de-wormed during that time as she was pregnant when admitted there. She was nursing two 3-week-old kittens at admission to the hospital and was producing an adequate amount of milk for them.


There was no blood or mucus present in the cat’s diarrhoea. It was not known how frequently she was defecating, but she had not been observed to be straining to defecate. The staff at the rescue centre did not believe that she had been vomiting, but were unsure about that part of the history. She did not appear to be drinking or urinating more than previously.


Her previous history was not known as she had come to the rescue centre as a stray cat.



Physical examination


The cat was bright and alert. There was evidence of recent weight loss and she was estimated to be about 6% dehydrated. Her body condition score was 3/9. Her mucous membranes were pink with a capillary refill time of <2 seconds. Her heart rate was 170 beats per minute and rectal temperature was 38.8° C. Respiratory rate was not determined as she was purring loudly and persistently. At thoracic auscultation, there were increased ronchii heard, but no other abnormal lung sounds. It was thought that the increased airway sounds may have been due to her thin body condition.


She had large mammary glands, appropriate for lactation, but there was no heat or abnormal swelling in them. A firm structure was palpated within her abdomen, which was thought to be possibly faeces within the colon, an intussusception or a uterine disorder.



Problem list and discussion of problems


The cat’s problems included diarrhoea, poor appetite, which was thought to be related to the diarrhoea and the firm structure palpated within the abdomen.



Differential diagnosis



For the diarrhoea


The diarrhoea was thought to be small bowel in origin; differentials include:


• Intestinal disorders
• inflammatory bowel disease, e.g. plasmacytic/lymphocytic, eosinophilic, other

• infectious (viral, bacterial [enterotoxins], fungal – although fungal unlikely in the UK)

• intussusception

• parasites, e.g. Giardia, cryptosporidium, Strongyloides, ascarids, hookworms, Toxoplasma gondii

• neoplasia, e.g. lymphoma, mastocytosis

• lymphangiectasia (uncommon in cats)

• ileus, e.g. hypokalaemia, enteritis, dysautonomia

• antibiotic responsive diarrhoea

• Pancreatic disorders
• pancreatic exocrine insufficiency

• chronic pancreatitis

• Liver disorders
• liver failure

• intrahepatic cholestasis

• bile duct obstruction

• Kidney disease and uraemia

• Hyperthyroidism

• Congestive heart failure

• Hypoadrenocorticism (uncommon in cats)


For the firm structure



• Intussusception

• Uterine disorder, e.g. infection, retained kitten or placenta

• Colonic disorder or retained faeces


Case work-up



Minimum data base


Intravenous fluids at a rate to correct 6% dehydration were initiated. Haematology showed a neutrophilia of 16.3 × 109/l (reference range 2.5–12.8 × 109/l) and monocytes of 2.14 × 109/l (reference range: 0.07–0.85 × 109/l) thought to have been consistent with an inflammatory process. Serum chemistry parameters were within the reference ranges. Tests for feline leukaemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus were negative using a SNAP ComboTM test.

Related posts:

  1. Oesophageal stricture in a cat
  2. Vomiting
  3. Linear foreign body in a cat
  4. Pancreatitis in a cat

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Sep 22, 2016 | Posted by in SMALL ANIMAL | Comments Off on Intussusception in a cat

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