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What is Feline and Canine Diarrhea?
Please understand the following information is offered as a courtesy and is not intended to provide a diagnosis or medical recommendation for your pet.
Diarrhea is not a disease; rather, it is a symptom of many different diseases. Many mild cases of diarrhea can be resolved quickly with simple treatments. Rarely, diarrhea is the result of a fatal illness, such as cancer. Even diarrhea caused by mild illnesses may result in death if treatment is not begun early enough to prevent severe fluid and nutrient losses.
We attempt to classify each case of diarrhea as either a major problem or a minor problem and localize the source of the diarrhea to the small intestine or large intestine (or both). It is important to determine how long the diarrhea has been present and whether your pet has lost weight with the diarrhea. We use all of the information gathered to formulate a plan for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
Which cats are likely to get diarrhea?
Some potential risk factors for diarrhea include dietary indiscretion, exposure to animals with certain illnesses, stress, and travel to areas of endemic fungal infection.
What are the clinical signs?
With minor causes of diarrhea, your pet may have no signs of illness other than the loose stool.
Major causes of diarrhea result your pet being visibly ill and exhibiting several, but usually not all, of the following:
- Vomiting
- Dehydration
- Loss of appetite
- Abdominal pain
- High fever
- Lethargy
- Bloody and/or watery diarrhea
What are the possible causes?
Minor causes of diarrhea include
- Stomach or intestinal viruses
- Intestinal parasites
- Dietary indiscretions (such as eating garbage or other offensive or irritating materials)
- Food Allergy
Major causes of diarrhea may include
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Neoplasia
- Fungal or bacterial infection
- Hyperthyroidism
- Loss of pancreatic function
How is the cause of diarrhea diagnosed?
If your pet does not exhibit the clinical signs of a major cause of diarrhea, we classify it as a minor cause. A minimum number of tests are performed to rule out common causes of minor diarrhea. These may include a physical examination, multiple fecal exams for parasites, and possibly an x-ray.
For pets who are visibly ill with diarrhea (major case), diagnostic procedures are usually implemented quickly. We perform a series of tests that allow us to make a diagnosis so that specific treatment may be initiated. These tests may include blood tests, radiography (x-rays) with or without barium, ultrasound, stool cultures, for cats feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus screening, and biopsies of the stomach or intestinal tract Once a specific diagnosis is made, treatment may include special medications and/or diets.
How is diarrhea treated?
With minor cases of diarrhea, treatment may be geared toward one or more of the common causes of uncomplicated diarrhea. Even with negative fecal examinations, many cats with uncomplicated diarrhea are routinely treated for parasites. Other therapies often include drugs to address a intestine bacterial infection, medications that relieve inflammation in the intestinal tract and, often a change to a hypoallergenic or higth fiber diet.
With major causes of diarrhea, initial therapy may be supportive; this would include fluid replacement, electrolyte replacement, and perhaps antibiotics. Additional therapy will depend upon the diagnosis.
What is the prognosis?
With minor (uncomplicated) cases of diarrhea, we expect improvement within 2-4 days of initiating therapy. If this does not occur, a change in medication or additional testing may be needed to further define possible causes. Please keep us informed of lack of expected improvement so that we may manage the situation properly.
Can it be transmitted to humans?
Some of the bacterial and parasitic causes of diarrhea are infectious to humans. If any members of your household are also experiencing diarrhea, it is important to let us know. This will allow the veterinarian and physician to work together in managing potentially infectious causes of diarrhea.
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