Distinguishing Cat Vomiting Symptoms: A Guide

Cat Vomiting Symptom Diagnosis:

In young, unvaccinated animals, infectious diseases should be the first suspicion. In older pets, consider other possibilities such as kidney dysfunction, tumors, and endocrine disorders.

Review the animal's medication history, particularly for the use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that can cause severe gastrointestinal ulcers. Assess the risk of toxin or foreign body ingestion. Look for signs of diabetes mellitus, such as polydipsia, polyuria, weight loss, and diabetic ketoacidosis, or chronic kidney failure, which can be associated with systemic metabolic diseases.

Foodrelated factors, such as the type of food, dietary changes, and overeating, can lead to immediate vomiting after eating. If vomiting occurs 810 hours after eating and involves undigested or semidigested food, it may indicate a blockage due to foreign bodies, mucosal hypertrophy, tumors, or polyps, particularly if bilecolored vomit is observed in the morning, which might suggest gastroesophageal reflux syndrome.

Undigested food in the vomit suggests a gastric source; digested vomit containing bile indicates an intestinal source; fecal odor suggests a posterior intestinal obstruction or excessive bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine; and bile in the vomit suggests the absence of pyloric obstruction. Blood in the vomit (either fresh or occult) may indicate renal or intestinal erosions or ulcers, tumors, or uremia, adrenal insufficiencyrelated metabolic ulcers.

A thorough clinical history is crucial, followed by an oral examination, which may reveal jaundice, uremic taste, odor, and ulcers, or linear foreign bodies at the base of the tongue that could be the cause of vomiting and may lead to intestinal blockage or intussusception.

Fever may indicate an infection. Auscultation for bradycardia or arrhythmias in vomiting animals may suggest metabolic disorders (adrenal insufficiency). Abdominal palpation for distension or tympany may indicate gastric dilation or torsion; the presence of effusion (peritonitis), masses, or organomegaly (tumors, intussusception, or foreign bodies) may indicate pain (such as peritonitis, pancreatitis, or intestinal obstruction); intestinal gas and fluid accumulation suggest a blockage—linear foreign bodies can easily cause intussusception.

Rectal examination is used to provide characteristics of the colonic mucosa and stool, with upper gastrointestinal bleeding often presenting as melena. Colitis or chronic constipation can also cause vomiting.

In cases where the cause of vomiting is unclear, consider a neurological basis, especially if there are symptoms of vestibular disease (nystagmus, head tilt, ataxia). Sometimes, dogs with intervertebral disc disease may exhibit vomiting due to pain or secondary intestinal obstruction.

Acute vomiting may be selflimiting and can be treated symptomatically. Most vomiting is related to dietary indiscretion; all animals with gastrointestinal symptoms should have fecal examinations to rule out parasitic factors. Environmental toxin investigation is crucial, as ethylene glycol poisoning often presents with acute vomiting followed by renal failure. Young, unvaccinated dogs should be tested for parvovirus, as this disease often presents with vomiting followed by diarrhea; imaging should be performed if there is abdominal distension, fluid, or gas, to determine the presence of gastric dilatation and volvulus, gastrointestinal foreign bodies, or obstructions; severe acute vomiting with systemic symptoms requires laboratory and imaging tests.

Chronic vomiting that persists for 57 days or does not respond to symptomatic treatment should undergo further indepth diagnostic investigation. Determine if there is hematemesis, look for gastric ulcers, whether NSAIDs have been used for treatment, and whether there are gastric tumors and systemic mastocytosis. Further investigation of unexplained hematemesis may require measuring serum gastrin concentration (increased in gastrinomas). Animals with palpable masses should undergo imaging and ultimately exploratory surgery.

For most chronic vomiting cases, routine laboratory and imaging tests can establish the cause and allow for direct appropriate treatment. Special tests may be necessary if required, such as serum virus and heartworm checks, thyroid tests, adrenal cortex tests, and bile acid tests for cats.

When nongastrointestinal chronic vomiting causes are not found, focus on gastrointestinal causes. Procedures like endoscopy, radiographic contrast, ultrasound, or laparotomy may be necessary. Inflammatory damage is the most common cause of chronic vomiting associated with the gastrointestinal tract, such as gastritis and colitis caused by Helicobacter pylori.

Endoscopy can diagnose the cause of vomiting due to gastric pyloric antrum mucosal hypertrophy, polyps, foreign bodies, or tumors. Gastric emptying obstruction, leading to gastric dilation, can cause vomiting, and imaging can diagnose obstructive intestinal injuries—such as foreign bodies, intussusception, and tumors. Only after excluding these diagnoses should gastrointestinal dysfunction be considered.

Common causes of diarrhea in cats include dietary transitions, gastrointestinal intolerance, overeating leading to impaired digestive function, ingestion of foreign objects; inflammationinduced enteritis, gastritis, which may be accompanied by vomiting, foulsmelling and abnormally colored feces; colds; and internal parasites.

In this case, the cat exhibits symptoms of diarrhea and vomiting, so screening for feline distemper is necessary. Additionally, acute gastroenteritis should be suspected, and treatment can involve antiinflammatory drugs combined with stomachsoothing medications.