Many owners do not pay attention to the delay of defecation for three to five days, believing that the situation will be resolved by itself: “Do you think that the cat has constipation. It’s not even a disease, it wants to – it’s going down. ” However, the stool retention is not as harmless as it might seem at first glance. Constipation can lead to the onset of a chronic disease and even the death of a pet. It is important to know how to treat constipation in a cat, and in what cases a doctor’s help is required.
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Constipation and Obstipation
In time to notice the ailment, you need to know how often a cat should toss. Stool frequency is an individual indicator, so you should observe the pet in the usual state. Kittens emptied the intestines several times a day, as the metabolism of a growing baby is accelerated in comparison with an adult animal. Aging pets – every two to three days. Young healthy cat – once a day.
Cats that eat high-quality ready-made food empty their intestines more often than pets who eat natural products (high-quality industrial feed contains easily digestible ingredients, which take less time to process).
Since it is important to help the cat with constipation in a timely manner, one should observe not only the frequency of the stool, but also the consistency of the stool. Feces should not be drained, cracked, should not leave layers, lumps or separate kruglyashkami. If the consistency has changed in the direction of desiccation (a small amount of fluid in the stool), constipation may soon develop.
Constipation is said if the cat does not pump for longer than three days. From the perspective of a veterinarian, the delay in defecation has two types: constipation and obtipation.
Constipation – partial stool retention, in which stool is secreted, but in insufficient quantity (part remains in the intestine).
Obstipation is a difficult condition, in which it is almost impossible to empty the intestine naturally (the fecal masses clog the intestine, lose moisture and harden).
Causes of constipation in cats
Most often, elderly cats suffer from constipation, which is associated with inadequate peristalsis – wave-like contractions of the intestine, pushing stool to the outlet. If a young cat does not roll for the same reason, they talk about chronic or situational dysfunction, which arose, for example, after the introduction of a pet into a narcotic sleep. Preparations used for this purpose deeply relax all musculature, including intestinal. Therefore, constipation in a cat after sterilization is not uncommon, albeit an undesirable phenomenon.
In some cases, due to violation of the integrity of the abdominal cavity, adhesions are formed (gluing the intestinal loops as a result of surgical intervention or trauma). If the cat has constipation after surgery – be sure to contact your veterinarian. Spikes will not disappear by themselves, the cat needs to be treated or re-operated. In this case, the use of laxative drugs or enema cat in case of constipation only aggravate the situation and can cause irreparable harm to the health of the pet. In the postoperative period it is important to find out in the shortest possible time why the cat has constipation – do not waste precious time postponing the trip to the clinic for tomorrow.
Other common causes of constipation:
• irrational nutrition;
• insufficient fluid intake;
• lack of mobility;
• obesity;
• diabetes;
• helminthic invasion;
• foreign object in the esophagus;
• Stitching of wool around the anus in dense collars, preventing the exit of feces;
• blockage of the lumen of the intestine with lumps of wool (typical for long-haired cats during moult);
• diseases of the musculoskeletal system, intestines, neurological disorders.
If the pet suffers from periodic stools, it is necessary to undergo a complete examination, because to give the cat a constipation from a constipation – a half-measure. Many chronic diseases lead to the suppression of bowel functions: it should not fight with permanent constipation, but with the root cause.
Symptoms of constipation in cats
Finding the absence of feces during the cleaning of the tray, the owner starts to suspect that the cat has constipation. The first thing to do is to carefully inspect the apartment for “unauthorized” piles. Situations when owners start calling up veterinarians, trying to figure out what to give a cat for constipation, and no constipation is really there – it’s not uncommon.
If the circle is clean and the tray is still empty, you need to pay attention to the general condition and behavior of the pet. As a rule, in a cat after an operation, constipation causes severe pain: the pet takes a characteristic posture, the hind legs and tail shake, the cat mourns plaintively. Stuck in the intestine of a lump of wool or a foreign object, as well as a large accumulation of dried feces can also cause severe pain.
Other symptoms:
The cat visits the tray several times a day, but the filler is clean;
the stomach feels hard, swollen, painful;
the pet refuses to feed, avoids communication and touch, jams in a corner, lies all the time, but does not fall asleep;
the cat bites the abdomen and anal opening. If, after sterilization, the cat does not pump, starting to bite and lick the stomach, it can damage the seam or infect the wound;
intoxication of the body with the products of decay (general weakness, vomiting, oppression, felting, possible temperature increase).
First aid
In order not to harm the pet, it is important to know exactly why the cat does not croak. Example: a cat swallowed a bone – the constipation began – the owner gives the laxative, usually lactulose, diflucane, etc. Under the action of the drug, stools are saturated with moisture, softening and increasing in size. But feces can not go out naturally, because the lumen of the intestine is closed by a foreign object. As a result, the intestine is stretched to accommodate the increasing amounts of vital activity in the body: the cat begins to experience severe pain, stiffens, the intestine is damaged until the walls break.
Without consultation of the veterinarian, laxatives should not be used. You can help the pet by giving her a tablespoon of Vaseline oil (it is not digested by the body and does not harm the health). Vaseline oil is given three times a day, injecting the cheek from the syringe without needles. If after a day of relief does not come – contact the veterinarian.
Treatment of constipation in cats
Based on the results of the general examination and hardware studies (radiography, ultrasound), the veterinarian decides how to treat constipation in a cat. Sometimes a normal laxative is enough, in severe cases, surgical intervention is necessary (for example, to remove a stuck object or fossilized stool). A simple enema cat with constipation is sometimes more effective than the best laxative, but only the veterinarian should carry out this manipulation (without having experience, you can seriously hurt the pet).
Constipation in a cat after sterilization or other surgery on the abdominal cavity is eliminated by prescribing softening drugs and a special diet. To avoid stool delay after surgery, it is important to follow exactly all the surgeon’s recommendations.
Feeding cats prone to constipation
Older cats and pets suffering from chronic constipation, it is important to feed properly. Food should be at room temperature and contain a sufficient amount of moisture (mashed potatoes, soups, cereals, canned goods, soaked dry food pellets). Therapeutic food for cats from constipation is not intended for permanent use – having coped with exacerbation, it is necessary to select a complete diet, preferably after consultation with a nutritionist.
“Softening” products (shown):
- Cauliflower, beetroot, pumpkin, zucchini.
- Fresh yogurt, kefir.
- Beef raw liver.
- Low-fat sea fish.
“Firming” products (with caution, contraindicated in the phase of exacerbation):
- Meat and broths (especially poultry).
- Boiled liver.
- Stale (even yesterday) sour-milk products.
- Rice, rice flour, cheese, eggs.
To reduce the likelihood of constipation will help:
- competently composed ration;
- timely care for the coat;
- regular dehelminthization;
- sufficient physical exertion;
- annual preventive visits to the veterinarian.