Cats are picky eaters and wouldn’t want to eat anything that could cause a stomach upset, or at worst gastritis. Food allergy amongst other factors could lead to gastritis, a condition that should be treated with care and urgency. Read on to learn all about gastritis, its symptoms, and possible ways of treating such condition.
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What Causes Gastritis in Cats
Gastritis in a simple term means inflammation of the stomach lining, a condition that could happen to any cat if the following predisposing factors are present:
Worm Burden
Worms like tapeworms and roundworms, are one of the most likely causes of gastritis in cats due to their irritating activity on the stomach lining.
Hairball/Foreign object
Presence of a foreign object or hairball in the stomach could result in gastritis. Just about anything that could irritate the stomach could lead to an inflammation of the stomach.
With a Petcube camera, you can prevent your cat from ingesting foreign objects by watching what goes into its mouth even when you are away. That way, you can offer help if it looks like the cat is eating something harmful.
Drug Toxicity/Poisoning
Adverse drug effects could lead to gastritis in cats, examples are glucocorticoids. Poisoning with toxins from insecticides or antifreeze containing the Ethylene Glycol could lead to gastritis in cats. In a bit to combat the surge of toxins in the stomach, inflammation of the stomach lining occurs.
Food Allergy
Just like the saying goes; “All disease begins in the guts”, everything the cat eats should be thoroughly examined to avoid food allergy that could result in gastritis. My cat was vomiting one time due to food allergy but recovered after receiving IV fluids and treatment.
Infection
An examination carried out on cats revealed that in 75% of gastritis cases, Helicobacter was isolated. Apart from Helicbacter infection, several conditions could predispose cats to gastritis, conditions such as; Pancreatitis, a kidney/liver disorder or even cancer could contribute to this condition.
Gastritis in Cats Symptoms
Symptoms of gastritis in cats could vary according to its severity, an acute gastritis would have milder symptoms from that of a chronic one which cuts across the following:
- Abdominal pain
- Loss of appetite
- Loss of weight
- Vomiting
- Excessive thirst
- Bloody diarrhea (Melena)
- Dehydration
“Vomiting is characteristic of gastritis especially when it contains bile or an ingested food”, - Dr. Alex Gallagher
How to Treat Gastritis in Cats
Before treating gastritis in cats, proper examination and tests should be carried out to ascertain the cause of gastritis even though most gastritis cases are treated symptomatically. Milder cases of gastritis would be resolved with deworming or a change in diet especially in cases of a worm burden or food allergies.
In an acute case of gastritis, anti-inflammatory drugs and some proton pump inhibitors such as Omeprazole would be prescribed to curtail inflammation and help protect the stomach lining from acidic gastric secretion during gastritis.
A fluid therapy inclusion, antiemetics and appetite boosters would help replenish fluid loss during vomiting/diarrhea, control vomiting and boost appetite. Cats with gastritis are usually subjected to eating only bland meals in order to reduce stomach irritation and allergy.
In cases of a hairball or foreign object lodged in the stomach, surgery might be recommended by the Veterinarian which could be quite demanding financially. This is why we have provided an Emergency Fund that offers a $3000 coverage in emergency Vet fees plus a 27% discount if you subscribe using the exclusive link.
A chronic type of gastritis could lead to a more complex condition like cancer as reported in an analysis. If gastritis is accompanied by complications such as a kidney or liver dysfunction, more extensive antibiotic therapy would be required.
FAQs
What is gastritis in cats?
Gastritis is an inflammation of the stomach which is accompanied by symptoms such as pain, discomfort, diarrhea and loss of weight.
Cat gastritis recovery time?
It could take 24 hours to several days for cats with gastritis to get back on their feet depending on the severity of the condition.
What to feed a cat with gastritis?
Cats with gastritis are fed with a bland meal to reduce stomach irritation and avoid food allergies.
Conclusion
Gastritis just like every other gut condition would go away if the inciting factor is removed. A cat with gastritis would have a good prognosis if it is given the right treatment early enough. With the right diet, deworming and a regular check up, your cat would be free from gastritis.
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