Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Feline inflammatory bowel disease causing vomiting and diarrhea
By Jergens, Albert E·Published in Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery·2012·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA, United States·View original on Crossref →
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Original publication title: Feline Idiopathic Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old domestic shorthair cat was brought in for vomiting, diarrhea, and weight loss that had been ongoing for several weeks. The veterinarian diagnosed the cat with idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a condition that causes inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. To confirm the diagnosis, the vet performed a biopsy of the intestinal lining, which showed significant inflammation. Treatment involved a special diet and medications to reduce inflammation, and after a few weeks, the cat started to gain weight and the vomiting and diarrhea improved significantly.
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Abstract
Practical relevance: Feline idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) denotes one form of chronic enteropathy that is immunologically mediated and characterized by persistent or recurrent gastrointestinal (GI) signs and histologic inflammation. Signs of vomiting, diarrhea and weight loss generally predominate, and mucosal inflammation may occur in any portion of the GI tract (especially the small intestine). Affected cats may also have concurrent inflammation in other organs, such as the pancreas and liver, which may impact clinical disease severity. Clinical challenges: The exact etiologies of this heterogeneous group of disorders have yet to be determined, though results from basic science and clinical studies suggest that interplay between genetic factors and enteric bacteria is crucial for disease development. The diagnosis is one of exclusion and requires intestinal mucosal biopsy to characterize the type and severity of the inflammatory infiltrate, and to differentiate IBD from other disorders, including alimentary lymphoma. Controversy exists concerning the relative diagnostic accuracy of endoscopic versus full-thickness specimens for the diagnosis of IBD and its differentiation from alimentary lymphoma. Audience: This article is intended to provide veterinary practitioners with a comprehensive clinical update on idiopathic IBD in cats. It reviews the current evidence-based data, the diagnostic approach, the evolving histologic criteria, and treatment options and outcome for feline patients with this syndrome.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Crossref: https://doi.org/10.1177/1098612x12451548