Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Ultrasound and biopsy findings in cats with chronic caecocolic disease
By Hahn, Harriet et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2017·1 Department of Medical Imaging, France·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Ultrasonographic, endoscopic and histological appearances of the caecum in cats presenting with chronic clinical signs of caecocolic disease.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of cats showing long-term signs of digestive issues were examined for problems in the caecum and colon. Most of these cats had abnormalities seen on ultrasound, and all showed signs of inflammation during an endoscopy. Many had a condition called typhlitis (inflammation of the caecum), and some had colitis (inflammation of the colon). The study found that while imaging tests like ultrasound and endoscopy provided useful information, they should not replace taking tissue samples for a proper diagnosis. This means that if your cat has ongoing digestive problems, a biopsy might be necessary for the best treatment plan.
People also search for: cat digestive problems · cat typhlitis treatment · cat colon inflammation symptoms
Abstract
Objectives This study aimed to describe the ultrasonographic, endoscopic and histological characteristics of the caecum and ileocaecocolic junction in cats suffering from chronic clinical signs compatible with caecocolic disease. Methods Cats presenting with clinical signs suggestive of a caecocolic disease were prospectively recruited. All cats underwent an ultrasonographic examination of the caecum, ileum, colon, ileocolic lymph nodes and local mesenteric fat, in addition to comprehensive abdominal ultrasonography. This was followed by a colonoscopy with a macroscopic assessment of the caecocolic mucosa; caecocolic tissue samples were systematically collected for histologic analysis. Results Eighteen cats were included. Eleven of 18 cats had ultrasonographic abnormalities adjacent to the ileocaecocolic junction (lymphadenopathy, local steatitis) and 13/18 cats had abnormalities directly related to the junction (wall thickening, loss of wall layering). Seventeen of 18 cats had at least one ultrasonographic abnormality. Endoscopically, hyperaemia, oedema, discoloration and/or erosions were found in all cats. Each cat was classified as having mild or moderate-to-severe lesions according to endoscopic results; no classification could be established statistically for ultrasonographic results. The accentuation of the dimpled pattern tended to be inversely related to the severity of endoscopic lesion scoring. Histologically, a large proportion of cats showed typhlitis (13/16), one had lymphoma and two were normal. All cats with typhlitis also had colitis. There was only slight agreement between endoscopic and histological caecal results regarding the severity of lesions. Loss of caecal wall layering on ultrasound was found in 7/18 cats and, surprisingly, did not appear as a reliable predictor of the severity of inflammation or of malignancy; neither did local steatitis nor lymph node size. Conclusions and relevance Ultrasonography and endoscopy should not be used as the sole methods to investigate the ileocaecocolic region in cats with clinical signs suggestive of caecocolic disease. The presence of chronic clinical signs should routinely prompt histological biopsy.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27613492/