Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with kidney and bowel disease developed brain problems from amino
By C. Dor et al.·Published in JFMS open reports·2018·View original on Semantic Scholar →
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Original publication title: Acquired urea cycle amino acid deficiency and hyperammonaemic encephalopathy in a cat with inflammatory bowel disease and chronic kidney disease
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old male neutered Persian cat was brought in after losing weight, not eating, and vomiting for four weeks. The vet diagnosed chronic kidney disease and inflammatory bowel disease, but despite treatment, the cat continued to lose weight and developed severe neurological symptoms. Unfortunately, the cat was euthanized after tests showed a dangerous buildup of ammonia in the blood due to a deficiency of certain amino acids. This case highlights the importance of monitoring amino acid levels in cats with chronic health issues, as they may need additional supplementation even if they are receiving adequate nutrition.
People also search for: cat vomiting weight loss · Persian cat kidney disease · cat inflammatory bowel disease treatment
Abstract
Case summary A 5-year-old male neutered Persian cat was referred for investigation of a 4 week history of weight loss, inappetence and intermittent vomiting. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and inflammatory bowel disease were diagnosed, and despite immunosuppressive therapy and assisted enteral nutrition, the cat experienced persistent anorexia, vomiting and severe weight loss. After 2 additional weeks of treatment, the cat developed acute-onset neurological signs associated with severe hyperammonaemia and was euthanased. Plasma amino acid assessment revealed deficiency of several amino acids involved in the urea cycle, including arginine. Relevance and novel information To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of an acquired urea cycle amino acid deficiency without nutritional deprivation in a cat. Several contributing factors were suspected, including intestinal malabsorption and CKD. This case demonstrates the importance of urea cycle amino acids in feline metabolism and possible necessity for parenteral supplementation, particularly in the context of persistent weight loss despite adequate enteral nutrition.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Semantic Scholar: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/30109117