Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Surgical outcomes for septic belly infection in cats 2000-2007
By Parsons, K J et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2009·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: A retrospective study of surgically treated cases of septic peritonitis in the cat (2000-2007).
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 26 cats with septic peritonitis, which is a serious abdominal infection, were treated with surgery. Common symptoms included vomiting and abdominal pain, but many cats also showed signs of lethargy and loss of appetite. The main cause of the infection was often trauma, leading to contamination from the gastrointestinal tract. While some cats were treated with different surgical methods, only 12 of them survived to go home. This suggests that septic peritonitis in cats can be very serious, and the level of lactate in their blood at diagnosis may help predict their chances of recovery.
People also search for: cat vomiting and lethargy · septic peritonitis in cats · cat surgery recovery · cat abdominal pain treatment
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To review aetiology, clinical signs and outcome of cats surgically treated for septic peritonitis (2000-2007). METHODS: A retrospective study. Inclusion criteria were the identification of intracellular bacteria and degenerate neutrophils and/or a positive culture from abdominal fluid and exploratory coeliotomy. Aetiology, clinical signs, haematological and biochemical parameters, surgical treatment and outcome were recorded and analysed. RESULTS: Twenty-six cats fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Abdominal pain was reported in 10 (38 per cent) and vomiting was reported in 11 (42 per cent) of the cats. The most common aetiology was trauma (31 per cent). The principal source of contamination was the gastrointestinal tract. Hyperlactataemia, hypoproteinaemia and hyperglycaemia were reported in 9, 13 and 14 of the 26 cases, respectively. Non-survivors had significantly higher blood lactate concentrations than survivors (P=0.02). Nineteen cats were managed with primary closure, two with closed suction drains and three with open peritoneal drainage. Twelve (46 per cent) cats survived to discharge. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: In cats, lethargy, depression and anorexia were more common clinical signs than abdominal pain. Lactate level at the time of diagnosis may be a useful prognostic indicator in cats. The proportion of cats that survived was lower than previously reported and owners should be given a guarded prognosis.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19796310/