Understanding Feline Chronic Diarrhea: Causes and Solut
Common Symptoms of Chronic Diarrhea in Cats
Chronic diarrhea in cats can often be attributed to factors such as exposure to cold, improper diet, or the presence of internal parasites. The primary symptoms include weight loss, coarse fur, excessive sleepiness, relaxed anal sphincters, fecal incontinence, and stools that resemble thin gruel, lacking in form. Cats may exhibit a limp tail with reduced mobility, stretch their heads while lying down, have dry nose leather, sunken eyes, and pale gums. Longterm chronic diarrhea can lead to malnutrition, weight loss, weakness, lack of energy, and a reluctance to move, which can be quite serious and requires prompt attention to improve the cat's condition.
Treatment for Chronic Diarrhea in Cats
1. Traditional Chinese Medicine:
Prepare a mixture of 500g of yam, 20g of activated charcoal powder, and 5g of garlic. First, grind the yam into a fine powder and mix it with cold water in a pot. Begin heating while continuously stirring until the mixture reaches a porridgelike consistency after boiling for 23 minutes. Allow it to cool. Then, crush the garlic and activated charcoal and add them to the pot, stirring until well combined. Administer this mixture twice daily.
Additionally, administer intravenous injections of 500ml of 15% glucose solution, 10ml of vitamin C, and 2ml of 10% sodium樟脑磺酸钠. Enhance care, increase nutrition, and avoid feeding greasy, raw, cold, hard, or indigestible foods. Once the condition improves, start with soft, cooked rice gruel and gradually transition to regular meals.
The yam in the yam, activated charcoal, and garlic porridge has the functions of protecting the liver, nourishing the kidneys and spleen, and aiding digestion. Activated charcoal powder can absorb toxins and gases in the gastrointestinal tract, stop fermentation. Garlic has the effects of removing dampness and cold, alleviating abdominal pain, detoxifying, antibacterial, and aiding digestion. The three ingredients, when carefully prepared and properly combined, produce a synergistic effect.
Yam is mild in nature and should be taken in larger quantities for better efficacy. Garlic is spicy and can irritate the gastrointestinal mucosa, so for cats with extremely weak spleen and stomach and low body temperature, the dosage should be moderate and not excessive. For cats with high body temperature and good physical condition, the dosage can be increased slightly to aid in杀菌 and detoxification. When diarrhea is watery and the feces have a strong odor, increasing the dosage of activated charcoal powder can enhance its adsorption of toxins and reduce irritation to the gastrointestinal tract, achieving a rapid and effective止泻 effect.
2. Western Medicine:
Western medical treatment involves addressing the symptoms of diarrhea first, using antidiarrheal medications to alleviate the cat's diarrhea, and then identifying the cause. If the diarrhea is due to the cat being weakened by cold, it is important to provide warmth promptly, avoid prolonged exposure to air conditioning, and use electric blankets during winter. Avoid feeding cold foods to cats, as some pet owners may give their cats canned food or milk straight from the refrigerator, which can cause gastrointestinal coldness and lead to diarrhea.
Lastly, if the chronic diarrhea is caused by internal parasites, it is crucial to determine the type of parasite. Many types of parasites can cause diarrhea in cats, such as roundworms, tapeworms, and hookworms. These parasites can consume blood from the intestinal mucosa, damage the intestines, and some can migrate to other organs, causing more severe symptoms. Therefore, it is necessary to choose targeted deworming medications based on the type of parasite and to deworm the cat regularly. Pay attention to environmental hygiene and reduce the frequency of cats eating raw fish and meat.
Longterm diarrhea can repeatedly irritate the intestines, making the gastrointestinal tract increasingly fragile. It is recommended to supplement active probiotics in daily feeding to regulate the intestines, replenish beneficial bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, enhance the cat's intestinal immunity, and improve diarrhea symptoms.