Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat regurgitation linked to doxycycline causing esophagus narrowing
By German, Alexander James et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2005·Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Oesophageal strictures in cats associated with doxycycline therapy.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
Four cats, aged between 1 and 7 years, developed esophageal strictures (narrowing of the esophagus) after being treated with doxycycline, an antibiotic. The main symptom noticed by their owners was regurgitation, which occurred at different times following the medication. In three cases, vets diagnosed the strictures using endoscopy, and they successfully treated these cats with balloon dilation to widen the esophagus. This highlights the importance of being cautious when giving oral medications like doxycycline to cats, ideally ensuring they swallow it with water or food to prevent complications.
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Abstract
Four cases of oesophageal stricture subsequent to doxycycline administration are reported. All cases were young to middle age (median age 3 years; range 1-7 years), and either domestic shorthair or domestic longhair breed. In all cases the predominant clinical sign was regurgitation, which developed at variable times after doxycycline administration. In all cases the reason for doxycycline use was treatment or prophylaxis of suspected infections (Mycoplasma haemofelis, Chlamydophila felis or Bordetella bronchiseptica), and the duration of therapy was variable. In one case the stricture was definitively diagnosed at post mortem examination, in the three other cases, definitive diagnosis was by endoscopy. Balloon dilation was successful in the three cases that were treated. This is the largest case series, to date, of oesophageal disease in cats associated with doxycycline administration. Caution should be exercised when administering oral medication to cats, especially doxycycline, and should be accompanied either by a water or food swallow.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15686972/