Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Survival and outlook for cats with fluid in the abdomen
By Laura Letwin et al.·Published in Animals·2025·AURA Veterinary, 70 Priestley Road, Guildford GU27AJ, UK, CH·View original on DOAJ →
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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Feline Peritoneal Effusions—A Poor Prognosis?
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of cats with fluid buildup in their bellies (ascites) was studied to understand their chances of recovery. Out of nearly 500 cats, about 55% were able to go home after treatment, with an average survival time of about 30 days after leaving the vet. The cause of the fluid was important; for example, cats with fluid from a bladder injury had the best recovery rates, while those with bleeding in the abdomen had the worst. Simple tests like imaging and fluid sampling can help vets predict how well a cat might do.
People also search for: cat ascites prognosis · why is my cat's belly swollen · treatment for cat fluid in abdomen · cat survival rates with fluid buildup
Abstract
Feline ascites has been reported to have a poor prognosis, with a median survival time of 21 days (considering all etiologies). However, previous studies included relatively small populations (<100 cases) and there is no literature evaluating the prognosis of all causes of feline ascites within the last 20 years. This study aimed to assess the survival times of a large population of cats presenting with ascites and assess the effect of the effusion cause, signalment, clinicopathological and imaging findings on survival. Data was acquired from the medical record system of a referral hospital (including both referrals and first-opinion emergency cases). Four hundred and ninety-eight cats met the inclusion criteria and 55% of all cases survived to discharge. Median survival time post-discharge was 30.5 days. The cause of the effusion was significantly associated with survival to discharge (<i>p</i> = 0.002). Common etiologies of ascites included neoplasia, septic peritonitis, sterile inflammatory disease, uroperitoneum, hemoperitoneum and cardiac disease. Uroperitoneum cases had the highest rate of survival to discharge (77%), while hemoperitoneum cases had the lowest percentage surviving to discharge (40%). Subjectively assessed effusion volume on imaging was significantly associated with survival to discharge (<i>p</i> = 0.012). Subjective assessment of the effusion volume and effusion assessment via abdominocentesis to help obtain a diagnosis can help guide prognosis and are diagnostics that do not require advanced techniques or specialist equipment, which can provide important prognostic information for cats presenting with ascites.
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 DOAJ: https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15223355