Cats' Diarrhea Symptoms & Treatment Medications: A Comp
Understanding a Cat's Diarrhea: Scientific Observations
Diarrhea in cats can be identified by several key signs. These include frequent bowel movements, with the highest frequency reaching up to ten or more times a day. The stool is typically soft and loose, and in severe cases, it may resemble water. It may have a slight odor or no distinct smell. Appetite may decrease or remain normal, but there is often an increase in water consumption.
Diagnosis:
One possible diagnosis is a "Spleen Deficiency with Internal DampHeat" pattern. This is characterized by a cat with a red and yellow tongue, foulsmelling, soft, and loose feces. The treatment approach focuses on "tonifying the Qi and the Spleen" and "clearing heat and drying dampness." The herbal formula includes the "Buzhong Yiqi Decoction" supplemented with Fuling (Poria), Bai Tou Weng (Scutellaria baicalensis), Huang Bai (Phellodendron amurense), and Huang Lian (Coptis chinensis). The dosage of each herb is adjusted according to the cat's weight.
Another pattern is "Spleen Deficiency with Diarrhea." Cats with this condition have a pale and white tongue, odorless feces, and soft, loose, or watery stool. The treatment principle is to "tonify the Qi and the Spleen" and "drain dampness and stop diarrhea." The formula uses the "Buzhong Yiqi Decoction" combined with Ze Xie (Alisma orientale), Zhu Ling (Polyporus), and Fuling (Poria).
In traditional Chinese veterinary medicine, chronic diarrhea with the "Spleen Deficiency with Internal DampHeat" pattern is believed to occur due to weakened spleen Qi, leading to water retention and heat generation. Therefore, the treatment involves tonifying the Qi and the Spleen, clearing heat, and drying dampness. The "Buzhong Yiqi Decoction" is used to tonify the Spleen and Qi, while Bai Tou Weng, Huang Bai, and Huang Lian help clear heat and dry dampness, and Fuling aids in draining dampness and stopping diarrhea.
The "Spleen Deficiency with Diarrhea" pattern is caused by weakened spleen Qi, leading to improper digestion and the accumulation of dampness in the gastrointestinal tract. The treatment focuses on tonifying the Qi and the Spleen as the foundation, supplemented by herbs that drain dampness and stop diarrhea. The main herb is Huang Qi (Astragalus membranaceus) for Qi tonification, while Bai Zhu (Atractylodes macrocephala), Dang Shen (Codonopsis pilosula), and Gan Cao (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) support Qi and Spleen tonification. Chen Pi (Citrus reticulata) helps regulate Qi and eliminate dampness, while Ze Xie, Zhu Ling, and Fuling drain dampness and promote urination.辅助 herbs such as Chai Hu (Bupleurum chinense) and Sheng Ma (Cimicifuga foetida) elevate the Yang Qi. The combination of these herbs works synergistically to tonify Qi, elevate Yang, and promote Spleen function, leading to the relief of diarrhea.
Basic Formula: The "Buzhong Yiqi Decoction" consists of eight traditional Chinese herbs: Dang Shen, Huang Qi, Bai Zhu, Dang Gui (Angelica sinensis), Chen Pi, Chai Hu, Sheng Ma, and Gan Cao. Due to the increased water intake in the cat, a rice gruel with salt is used as an auxiliary treatment. Prepare the gruel by boiling 50g of rice in 500g of water for 10 minutes. Add 5g of salt to the cooled gruel and allow the cat to drink it at any time as a substitute for regular water.
