Your cat's pancreas produces enzymes and hormones to aid digestion. Pancreatitis in cats occurs when this vital organ becomes inflamed. This allows digestive enzymes to escape and possible cause damage to nearby organs. This condition can affect felines of any breed, age, or sex.
Causes
This condition routinely occurs for no known reason. However, certain things can increase the risk of it occurring. A common cause is traumatic injury that causes damage to the pancreas. Cat pancreatitis also occurs because of certain medications, infections, and diseases such as distemper.
Symptoms
Cats with pancreatitis exhibit a variety of signs. Lethargy and loss of appetite are among two of the most common symptoms. Some cats experience a drop in body temperature while others can develop a fever. Other common symptoms of this disease include vomiting, nausea, and abdominal pain.
Diagnosis
Unfortunately, pancreatitis in cats can be difficult to diagnose. While urine and blood tests are enough to diagnose most other problems, it isn't enough for this disease. An x-ray usually doesn't help either when trying to diagnose this disease. In order to diagnose this condition, an ultrasound and surgery are needed.
Treatment
Fluids will be withheld to treat most cases of pancreatitis. This gives the pancreas a chance to rest and recover. To replace the fluids and prevent dehydration, your cat will receive intravenous fluids. Food may also be withheld if your cat experience episodes of vomiting. Your veterinarian will also likely prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics to help stave off secondary infections.
In addition to pancreatitis, there are many other conditions that can affect your cat like feline liver disease. You should be knowledgeable about these various conditions so you can get your cat treated quickly if he's affected. Luckily, common-cat-diseases.com provides just what you need. So, stop by today to learn about a wide range of cat diseases.
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