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| 763-689-0095 |
| Cambridge VetCare Animal Clinic Cambridge, MN |
Clinic Hours:
Monday - Friday: 8am - 6pm
Saturday - 8am - 12pm
Sunday - Closed
Monday - Friday: 8am - 6pm
Saturday - 8am - 12pm
Sunday - Closed
Diarrhea
What is diarrhea?
Diarrhea is the passage of feces as unformed or loose stools, usually in increased volume and frequency of
passage. It is a result of increased speed of passage of fecal material (digested food) through the intestine
combined with decreased absorption of water, nutrients and electrolytes. There are many causes of
diarrhea. Diarrhea may occur as the only sign or in combination with other signs of more widespread
disease, or with symptoms that result from prolonged or severe diarrhea.
How can I tell if my cat has diarrhea? If your normally well-trained cat suddenly starts having accidents
around the house, and the stools are unformed to fluid, then diarrhea is obvious. But if the cat is still using
the litter box and covering up its feces or defecates outdoors, it may be difficult to initially notice diarrhea.
Staining and soiling of the hair-coat around the back end in long-haired breeds is often associated with
diarrhea. It is important to remember that some variation in the consistency of stools is not unusual. Changes
in diet can lead to temporary changes in the stool. If frequent liquid or semi-liquid stools persist for more than
two days, you should consult your veterinarian. If there are more general signs of illness in your cat, then call
your veterinarian immediately.
If you have more than one cat then it is important to try and determine if it is just one cat or if other cats also
have diarrhea.
What are some causes of diarrhea?
Diarrhea is not a disease in itself but a sign that may reflect one or more of many different problems. Most
involve some degree of inflammation of one or more sections of the alimentary or gastro-intestinal (GI) tract.
the GI tract is the continuous tube that carries food from mouth to anus. Inflammation can be caused by
infectious agents (bacteria, viruses, coccidia, intestinal worms, etc.) or by non-infectious irritants such as
chemical toxins, poisonous plants, and so on. Allergies to certain specific components of a diet may be
responsible for diarrhea. Diarrhea may occur as a sole symptom or as one of several symptoms of a more
generalized disease problem.
How is the cause determined?
It is important to provide your veterinarian with a very good medical history. Preferably write this out in
chronological order before you go to the clinic. Be as detailed as possible on the date you first noticed a
problem, even in retrospect. Also report the progression of the clinical signs. Note any changes in the normal
routine of your cat or your household. How frequent are the stools? What is the color, consistency, and smell
of the feces? Is the cat showing any other signs such as vomiting, loss of appetite, lethargy, or loss of
weight? We have a checklist to help you put this history together.
Besides a thorough clinical exam, your veterinarian may recommend additional diagnostic tests. These tests
may be deferred in mild cases of diarrhea unless initial treatment fails or the condition worsens. Tests may
include blood work, stool and/or rectal swab samples for parasite examination and culture, radiographs, and
endoscope exam.
How is diarrhea treated?
Initially, and often in advance of in-depth work-up, a non-specific approach may be adopted. It is a good idea
to withhold food for 24 hours and encourage water consumption. Gradually re-introduce small quantities of a
light, easily digestible diet. Boiled rice or other pasta with some boiled skinless chicken may be given if a
special veterinary diet is not available. Anti-diarrheal medication(s) may be used to help speed your pet’s
recovery. Many cases of diarrhea will respond quite readily to simple treatment, without the initial cause ever
being established. As stools return to normal, the cat’s regular diet can be gradually reintroduced, mixed
initially with the bland rice-chicken or similar diet.
If there is little or no improvement over two or three days, if the cat is not taking any water or if the cat’s
health worsens, then your veterinarian should be notified at once. Treatment may be more aggressive based
on the results of an in-depth clinical work-up as outlined above. Loss of fluid is one of the most serious
aspects of severe or prolonged diarrhea, and if vomiting is present, dehydration can rapidly escalate.
Correcting the dehydration may require intravenous or subcutaneous fluids.
Can I use anti-diarrheals from the human pharmacy?
Some of the preparations recommended for people are very dangerous for cats so never use a medication
without consulting your veterinarian first.
My cat has chronic diarrhea. Will it get better?
Chronic diarrhea that has been present for 2-3 weeks or longer may prove more difficult to diagnose and to
treat effectively. Even extensive work-up does not always provide a definitive answer to the problem. But in
many cases a thorough clinical work-up, including food trials, can result in a successful outcome.
Diarrhea is the passage of feces as unformed or loose stools, usually in increased volume and frequency of
passage. It is a result of increased speed of passage of fecal material (digested food) through the intestine
combined with decreased absorption of water, nutrients and electrolytes. There are many causes of
diarrhea. Diarrhea may occur as the only sign or in combination with other signs of more widespread
disease, or with symptoms that result from prolonged or severe diarrhea.
How can I tell if my cat has diarrhea? If your normally well-trained cat suddenly starts having accidents
around the house, and the stools are unformed to fluid, then diarrhea is obvious. But if the cat is still using
the litter box and covering up its feces or defecates outdoors, it may be difficult to initially notice diarrhea.
Staining and soiling of the hair-coat around the back end in long-haired breeds is often associated with
diarrhea. It is important to remember that some variation in the consistency of stools is not unusual. Changes
in diet can lead to temporary changes in the stool. If frequent liquid or semi-liquid stools persist for more than
two days, you should consult your veterinarian. If there are more general signs of illness in your cat, then call
your veterinarian immediately.
If you have more than one cat then it is important to try and determine if it is just one cat or if other cats also
have diarrhea.
What are some causes of diarrhea?
Diarrhea is not a disease in itself but a sign that may reflect one or more of many different problems. Most
involve some degree of inflammation of one or more sections of the alimentary or gastro-intestinal (GI) tract.
the GI tract is the continuous tube that carries food from mouth to anus. Inflammation can be caused by
infectious agents (bacteria, viruses, coccidia, intestinal worms, etc.) or by non-infectious irritants such as
chemical toxins, poisonous plants, and so on. Allergies to certain specific components of a diet may be
responsible for diarrhea. Diarrhea may occur as a sole symptom or as one of several symptoms of a more
generalized disease problem.
How is the cause determined?
It is important to provide your veterinarian with a very good medical history. Preferably write this out in
chronological order before you go to the clinic. Be as detailed as possible on the date you first noticed a
problem, even in retrospect. Also report the progression of the clinical signs. Note any changes in the normal
routine of your cat or your household. How frequent are the stools? What is the color, consistency, and smell
of the feces? Is the cat showing any other signs such as vomiting, loss of appetite, lethargy, or loss of
weight? We have a checklist to help you put this history together.
Besides a thorough clinical exam, your veterinarian may recommend additional diagnostic tests. These tests
may be deferred in mild cases of diarrhea unless initial treatment fails or the condition worsens. Tests may
include blood work, stool and/or rectal swab samples for parasite examination and culture, radiographs, and
endoscope exam.
How is diarrhea treated?
Initially, and often in advance of in-depth work-up, a non-specific approach may be adopted. It is a good idea
to withhold food for 24 hours and encourage water consumption. Gradually re-introduce small quantities of a
light, easily digestible diet. Boiled rice or other pasta with some boiled skinless chicken may be given if a
special veterinary diet is not available. Anti-diarrheal medication(s) may be used to help speed your pet’s
recovery. Many cases of diarrhea will respond quite readily to simple treatment, without the initial cause ever
being established. As stools return to normal, the cat’s regular diet can be gradually reintroduced, mixed
initially with the bland rice-chicken or similar diet.
If there is little or no improvement over two or three days, if the cat is not taking any water or if the cat’s
health worsens, then your veterinarian should be notified at once. Treatment may be more aggressive based
on the results of an in-depth clinical work-up as outlined above. Loss of fluid is one of the most serious
aspects of severe or prolonged diarrhea, and if vomiting is present, dehydration can rapidly escalate.
Correcting the dehydration may require intravenous or subcutaneous fluids.
Can I use anti-diarrheals from the human pharmacy?
Some of the preparations recommended for people are very dangerous for cats so never use a medication
without consulting your veterinarian first.
My cat has chronic diarrhea. Will it get better?
Chronic diarrhea that has been present for 2-3 weeks or longer may prove more difficult to diagnose and to
treat effectively. Even extensive work-up does not always provide a definitive answer to the problem. But in
many cases a thorough clinical work-up, including food trials, can result in a successful outcome.
This client information sheet is based on material written by Ernest E. Ward Jr., DVM.
© Copyright 2002 Lifelearn Inc. Used with permission under license. September 30, 2009.
© Copyright 2002 Lifelearn Inc. Used with permission under license. September 30, 2009.