Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Two cats with diarrhea linked to Clostridium difficile infection
By Weese, J S et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2001·Department of Clinical Studies, Canada·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Suspected Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea in two cats.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
Two adult cats from the same home suddenly developed severe diarrhea. Tests showed they had Clostridium difficile toxins in their stool, which is a bacteria that can cause gastrointestinal issues. The veterinarian treated both cats with supportive care and a medication called metronidazole, and they both improved significantly. Follow-up tests showed that the bacteria were no longer present in their feces. This case suggests that Clostridium difficile could be a possible cause of diarrhea in cats, even though it's not commonly studied.
People also search for: cat diarrhea treatment · Clostridium difficile in cats · metronidazole for cats diarrhea
Abstract
Two adult cats from the same household developed acute diarrhea. Clostridium difficile toxins were detected in the feces of both cats, whereas other recognized causes of diarrhea were not identified. Supportive medical treatment and metronidazole were administered and both cats responded well. A fecal sample obtained from 1 of the affected cats after treatment and a fecal sample obtained from a clinically normal cat in the household did not contain C difficile toxins. The role of C difficile in enteric disease in cats has not been extensively studied and is unclear; however, our findings suggest that toxigenic strains of C difficile may cause diarrhea in cats.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11345306/