Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with chronic diarrhea in Brazil cured of Tritrichomonas foetus
By Hora, Aline S et al.·Published in BMC veterinary research·2017·Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, Brazil·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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Report of the first clinical case of intestinal trichomoniasis caused by Tritrichomonas foetus in a cat with chronic diarrhoea in Brazil.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 7-month-old male domestic shorthair kitten was brought to the vet due to a six-month history of persistent diarrhea, along with symptoms like weight loss and lethargy. Tests revealed the kitten was infected with a parasite called Tritrichomonas foetus, which can cause severe intestinal issues in cats. After being treated with a medication called ronidazole, the kitten's symptoms improved significantly, and he recovered well. This case highlights the importance of considering this parasite in cats with chronic diarrhea.
People also search for: kitten diarrhea treatment · Tritrichomonas foetus in cats · ronidazole for cat diarrhea
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Tritrichomonas foetus is an emergent and important enteric pathogen of cats, which causes prolonged diarrhoea in cats. CASE PRESENTATION: This study describes a T. foetus infection in a seven-month-old, entire male domestic shorthair kitten with a six-month history of persistent large intestinal diarrhoea, faecal incontinence, prostration, apathy and weight loss. Parasites were microscopically observed and confirmed by PCR and DNA sequencing. Molecular analyses were carried out comparing the sequence obtained in this study with T. foetus and T. suis. Retrieved from GenBank. After treatment with ronidazole, the cat showed resolution of clinical signs. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first clinical case of T. foetus infection in a chronic diarrheic cat in Brazil and South America, confirming the presence of this pathogen in this part of the world and highlighting the importance of this protozoa being considered in the differential diagnosis of cats presenting diarrhoea of the large intestine. Our case report enriches our knowledge on the geographical distribution of T. foetus in cats in Brazil and provides further understanding of the clinical significance of feline intestinal trichomoniasis in this country.
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/28412947/