Tritrichomonas infection in two kittens

37 Tritrichomonas infection in two kittens




Initial presentation


Profuse watery diarrhoea


Signalment: Two 6-month-old littermate male entire Siamese kittens, body weights 3.18 kg and 3.4 kg



Case history


The kittens had been obtained from a breeder 2 months earlier and both had had diarrhoea since then. The kittens had a profuse, watery diarrhoea containing mucus. They showed an increased urgency to defecate and increased frequency of defecation.


They were eating a high quality commercial kitten food and both were still eating well and had not shown any vomiting. They had been fully vaccinated and de-wormed with fenbendazole. They were indoor cats with occasional supervised access to a fenced garden.



Physical examination


The kittens were both bright and in good body condition (BCS 5/9). Mucous membranes were pink and moist and CRT was <2 seconds. Auscultation and compression of the thorax of both were normal. Abdominal palpation was mostly unremarkable, although their colons felt fluid filled. There was inflammation of the perianal area of one kitten. The rectal temperatures, heart rates and respiratory rates were within normal limits and the pulse quality was good in both kittens.



Problem list and discussion of problems



• Diarrhoea of large intestinal origin



Differential diagnosis


Differential diagnoses for chronic large intestinal diarrhoea in these kittens included:


• Inflammatory diseases
• chronic colitis

• inflammatory bowel disease

• infectious colitis, e.g. Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp., Clostridium perfringens

• parasites, e.g. Tritrichomonas foetus, Giardia, Cryptosporidium, coccidia

• Dietary
• food poisoning

• dietary intolerance or allergy

• Toxins, including toxic plants

• Congenital malformations

• Small intestinal malabsorption and the production of secretagogues such as unconjugated bile acids and hydroxylated fatty acids

• Other causes such as obstruction, ischaemia or neoplasia were less likely to involve two kittens. Infections and environmental (diet, toxin) factors were the most likely causes of the diarrhoea.


Case work-up



Minimum data base


Haematology and serum chemistry were performed and the results were unremarkable. Serum feline trypsin like immunoreactivity (TLI), cobalamin and folate were within the reference ranges, consistent with the presumed large intestinal origin of the diarrhoea. Screening tests for FeLV and FIV were negative. Routine urinalysis was unremarkable in both kittens.

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Sep 22, 2016 | Posted by in SMALL ANIMAL | Comments Off on Tritrichomonas infection in two kittens

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