Intestinal obstruction in cats
When we talk about intestinal obstruction in cats, we are referring to the blockage of that may happen in the stomach or the intestines. It is very common in cats, especially younger ones since they tend to be less discriminating about what they put in their mouth. Gastrointestinal obstruction would be the partial or complete blockage of the flow of nutrients into the body and other secretions from the stomach to the intestines.
Causes of intestinal obstruction in cats
The primary cause of an intestinal obstruction in cats is the ingestion of a foreign body. As stated before, given that younger cats tend to have a poorer judgment on what they put in their mouth, they are more prone to suffering obstruction. Other causes may be:
- Tumor
- Ingestion of a hairball (or accumulation from grooming)
- Hernia
- Inflammation of gastrointestinal tract
- Intestinal parasites
- Intestinal twisting
- Pyloric stenosis
- Stomach tissue overgrowth
Symptoms of intestinal obstruction in cats
A condition of having their intestine obstructed is one of much discomfort for a cat. The following are some of the symptoms associated with intestinal obstruction:
- Vomiting in cats
- Diarrhea in cats
- Lethargy in cats
- Lack of appetite
- Abdominal pain
- Abdominal swelling
- Dehydration in cats
- Weakness
- Crying or whimpering
- Depression
- Subnormal body temperature
When the intestines of the cat get obstructed, fluids and solids begin to accumulate at the site of obstruction. This causes vomiting and rapid dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. The protective linings of the intestines and bowels can get damaged and give as a result the presence of toxins in the blood.
Treatment
One common way of determining where the obstruction is and what is causing it is through an endoscopy. But first, you need to inform the veterinarian about all of your cat’s eating habits and his medical history.
The most likely treatment, in this case, is to surgically remove the body causing the obstruction. Of course, some fluid restoration through IV will be needed to replace the fluids lost.
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