The cat has a large belly on the sides. Why does a cat have a large and hard belly: causes and treatment

In a cat or cat, bloating may be a consequence poor nutrition or a symptom of a large number of diseases, including fatal ones. The most common causes of this phenomenon are discussed below.

Coprostasis

Constipation, or coprostasis, is a blockage of the large intestine with feces. The causes of coprostasis may be the following:

• A sharp transition from mother's milk to other foods.
• Binge eating.
• Eating bones, especially heat-treated ones.
• Low protein content in the diet.
• Accumulation of hair in the gastrointestinal tract (when licking itself, the cat swallows some hair).
• Dehydration from not drinking enough.

1. A large number of worms.
2. Prostate enlargement (in males).
3. Abscess or cyst in the intestinal tract.
4. Obesity.
5. Problems with intestinal motility.

The norm is considered to be stool once a day. When feeding natural food periodic absence of stool for 3 days is acceptable.

Symptoms:

• Oblong lumps can be felt in the abdomen.
• Vomiting (often with constipation from wool).

• Warm water enema.
• Vaseline oil - 1 ml per kg of body weight at intervals of 8-10 hours orally (it is important to avoid getting into the lungs).
• Magnesium sulfate – 20 ml water concentrated solution, orally.

Helminthiasis

It is almost impossible to protect a cat from. A pet can pick them up through contact with outdoor shoes, from an eaten insect, from raw or undercooked fish or meat. They affect internal organs. Symptoms:

1. Bloating.
2. Constipation alternating with diarrhea.
3. Worms in feces indicate a large number of them in the body.
4. Nausea.
5. Vomiting with worms.

Treatment consists of using anthelmintics external and internal use.

Feline distemper, or panleukopenia, is caused by one of parvoviruses. Summer and late autumn are the most favorable times for the spread of the virus. Its carriers can be blood-sucking insects, ticks and healthy animals.

2–12 days after the virus enters the gastrointestinal tract, it affects the intestinal mucosa, lymphoid tissue and bone marrow.

In animals older than 3 months, the disease causes the following symptoms:

• Body temperature 40–41 degrees.
• Weight loss.
• Refusal to drink despite being thirsty.
• Vomit.
• Diarrhea.
• Bloating.
• Severe abdominal pain.

About a week after the onset of symptoms, the cat is likely to recover 50% in general case . If the temperature drops to 37–38 degrees, the likelihood of death increases. If a kitten from 1 to 3 months is infected with parvovirus, the probability fatal outcome close to 100%.

When diagnosing panleukopenia, other diseases with similar symptoms should be excluded:

• Poisoning.
• Non-contagious gastroenteritis.
• Lymphosarcoma.
• Toxoplasmosis.

When treating panleukopenia, depending on the nature of the course, the following are used:

1. Drugs against the virus.
2. Drugs that activate the immune system.
3. Drugs that support the functions of the cardiovascular system.
4. Antiemetic drugs.
5. Broad spectrum antibiotics.
6. Drugs that restore electrolyte balance.
7. Painkillers and antispasmodics.

During the recovery period, the following diet is necessary:

• Fresh lactic acid products.
• Rice water with the addition of boiled egg white.
• Puree soups from cereals, vegetables with the gradual inclusion of boiled minced meat.

Immunity remains intact after illness 3–4 years. Prevention consists of vaccination and hygiene.

Inflammation of the peritoneum with general serious condition the body is called. The cause is usually the penetration of infection into the abdominal cavity from the organs. Often this disease called coronavirus. There are 2 forms of coronavirus peritonitis – wet and dry.

The wet form leads to death 1–1.5 months after the onset of symptoms:

• The abdomen is enlarged and soft.
• Fever.
• Lethargy.
• Loss of appetite.
• Weight loss.

The dry form leads to death a year after the onset of the disease. The symptoms are the same as with the wet form, with the exception of an enlarged abdomen. There is no treatment for coronavirus peritonitis; sick animals must be euthanized.

Coronavirus usually enters a cat's digestive tract from the feces of an infected animal. Not all carriers of the virus get sick. Stress can provoke disease in healthy carriers. Kittens get sick more often from 1 to 4 months. Predisposition to the disease is inherited.

Prevention:

• Avoiding stress.
• Avoiding crowding of animals.
• Maintaining hygiene rules.

Abdominal hydrocele, or ascites, is an accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity without inflammatory process. The reason for this may be:

• Heart failure.
• Liver failure.
• Disturbances of water-salt and protein metabolism.
• Abdominal wall lesions.

Symptoms:

• Bloated belly
• Reducing bowel sounds.
• Difficulty breathing.
• Difficulty in cardiac activity.
• Inactivity.
• Yellowness of mucous membranes.

• Diuretics.
• Cardiotonic drugs.
• Pumping out liquid.
• Limiting water and salt.
• Protein diet.

Bladder rupture

In case of acute urinary retention, rupture is possible Bladder, entry of its contents into the abdominal cavity and the occurrence of peritonitis. Urinary retention is not always easy to notice, as many litters instantly absorb urine. If the pet takes characteristic pose for urination very often, which means it does not occur. In this case, one of the following treatment options is urgently required:

• Bladder catheterization- insertion of a tube for free flow of urine.
• Cretrostomia- making an incision for the free flow of urine.

Both treatments are performed under general anesthesia.

It often happens that a cat's belly gradually grows. If in a female this process can be associated with a previous mating, then what about a cat? Most often, owners are only happy, mistakenly accepting similar symptom With good nutrition pet and thinking it's just small excess weight, do not pay much attention to it.

Why does a cat have a hard belly?

A cat's big belly is not always a good indicator.

Abdominal enlargement is preceded by the following factors:

• accumulation large quantity air or gases - flatulence;
• Cushing's syndrome;
• ascites;
• intestinal blockage;
• helminthic infestation;
• obesity;
• pregnancy;
• pyometra;
• bladder rupture;
• neoplasms.

Worms

It is likely that your pet has a helminthic infestation.

One of the most common factors in the manifestation of this symptom is the presence of helminthic infestation in the cat.

In this case, it will be observed additional signs: dullness of coat, constant lacrimation, general weakness. There is a feeling of loss of appetite, the presence of constipation or.

Eliminated through the use of drugs against helminths - canikvantel, prazitsid, pyrantel, profender, drontal. Severe infestation and possible complications treated with complex therapy.

Flatulence

Characteristic symptoms of flatulence are decreased appetite and constant meowing.

A disease characterized bloating due to gas accumulation which put pressure on the diaphragm, making breathing difficult.

Ignoring the pathology leads to shock and subsequent death of the animal.

The clinical picture shows signs of severe anxiety in the cat. The pet meows loudly, but can hide from its owners and not be caught. The abdomen is swollen and painful, tight and hard on palpation. Appetite is reduced or absent altogether.

Causes

Bloated belly (flatulence)

Causes may include nutritional disorders and helminths.

Many cats individual intolerance dairy products , which leads to this disease. Eating food flavored with garlic has a very negative effect on a cat’s digestion. It is unacceptable to oversaturate the diet with grain crops, fish, flour products. You should also monitor the quality of the food you eat.

Treatment

Pyometra

Only cats are affected by pyometra.

The cause of purulent endometritis is a complication after endometritis and hormonal imbalance.

Are sick by for obvious reasons only cats.

Excessive accumulation of purulent exudate in the uterine cavity is accompanied by accompanying symptoms:

• purulent discharge from the vulva;
• body hyperthermia by approximately one and a half degrees;
• pain in the peritoneal area;
• progressive thirst;
• lack of appetite;
• possible nausea and;
• frequent loss of urine;
• apathy, lethargy, immobility.

Treatment

This is what a pyometra looks like on an X-ray.

The disease is very dangerous and requires immediate specialist intervention. Ignoring it is fraught with the death of your pet.

• Severe course is eliminated surgically – the uterus and both ovaries are removed.
• Medication clean the uterus from purulent accumulation through hormone therapy. Eliminate the pathogenic environment with antibiotic therapy.
• Symptomatic treatment – antispasmodics, anti-inflammatory drugs, immunostimulants.

Ascites

Dropsy of the peritoneum is called ascites.

Dropsy of the peritoneum is a manifestation of diseases such as cirrhosis, heart failure, and diabetes.

Additional signs , accompanying ascites depend on primary cause. General clinical picture: refusal to eat, vomiting, flatulence, digestive disorders - vomiting or constipation, hyperthermia, sharp pain belly. The animal has difficulty breathing and moving.

Treatment

First aid is to remove fluid by using diuretics.

If your cat's sides are swollen, you need to immediately find out the reason for this and select a treatment regimen as quickly as possible. The simplest explanation is the accumulation of gases in the intestines, however, in order not to miss more serious problems, we must learn to recognize dangerous symptoms.

Causes of bloating in cats

There may be several reasons for sudden abdominal enlargement. Knowing them, you can independently determine why the cat’s sides are swollen and provide first aid to your pet.

• Accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity. It can be internal bleeding, accumulation of urine, pus, and effusions. This is ascites, the causes of which are diseases of the liver, heart, disorders of protein and carbohydrate metabolism, diabetes, infectious processes in the abdominal cavity. Extremely dangerous condition– peritonitis, inflammation serous membrane abdominal cavity. Failure to contact a veterinarian promptly can lead to the death of your pet. Most often, peritonitis develops in animals with chronic diseases gastrointestinal tract or in a cat after giving birth.
• Digestive and metabolic disorders that lead to obesity. In this case, the animal will simply become fat and the stomach will be soft.
• Helminthiasis. If a cat has not been wormed for a long time, its stomach may become swollen. This happens especially often in small kittens. Helminths in animals multiply very quickly, causing a malfunction of the entire digestive system.
• Neoplasms are also often the cause of swollen sides in an animal. They can be either malignant or benign. In any case, the appearance of neoplasms entails an increase in all internal organs And lymph nodes. Most often, swelling of the sides is caused by tumors of the spleen and liver.

• Pyometra (pus in the uterus). May be caused by bacteria entering the uterus at the end of estrus or after a pregnancy has been terminated. Also pyometra - frequent illness in animals whose owners are medicated to delay estrus. Unfortunately, this disease is diagnosed already in a severe stage. At open form the pus leaves the uterus on its own through the vagina; if it is closed, the cat’s sides swell, the body temperature rises, and weakness appears.

• Flatulence. One of the reasons is swallowing air while eating. With aerophagia, you will notice that not only the sides of the cat are swollen, but also the entire abdomen. The pet will become restless. The second reason for bloating is an excess of carbohydrates. When feeding your pet unbalanced food, oversaturated with carbohydrates, a fermentation process occurs in the stomach. Externally, this can be easily determined: the sides swell, the belly becomes like a cow's. The third reason for the accumulation of gases is allergies, which cause severe irritation intestines. In this case, you can notice how the cat’s sides suddenly swell and flatulence begins. When gas accumulates, the animal will become restless, meow, and the belly will become inflated like a balloon.
• Constipation. Secondary cause, the result of aerophagia, helminthiasis or malnutrition.
• Plague. In addition to swollen sides and abdomen, the animal will experience weakness, vomiting, refusal of water and food, heat. All this is a consequence of infection with the paravirus. Distemper progresses very quickly, so if you suspect it, you should immediately contact a veterinarian.

Principles of disease treatment

The first thing you can do at home is to palpate the abdomen and find out whether it causes discomfort in the animal. At serious pathologies the cat will be in pain. If the pet does not resist examination, begin treatment at home.

If the measures taken do not help, only a doctor can carry out treatment.

• At the hospital, the cat will undergo tests and an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity.
• In case of ascites, it is necessary to drain (remove) fluid from the abdominal cavity, which will determine the cause of the dropsy. A diet (reducing salt intake) and taking heart medications are required, as the accumulation excess liquid in the body increases the load on the heart muscle.
• If the sides are swollen as a result of malfunction genitourinary system, then diuretics will be prescribed.
• Surgical intervention– an extreme method used when a cat develops neoplasms.
• For pyometra in mild cases, it is carried out drug treatment by selecting hormonal therapy, taking antibiotics and antispasmodics. At large cluster pus in the uterus, surgery is performed.

Representatives of the cat family are animals of extraordinary beauty, attracting the eye with their grace and plasticity. However, owners often begin to notice that their pet is losing most of its grace, its tummy looks like a ball, and because of strong smell, which the pet makes, it is impossible to be in the same room with him.

Flatulence in a pet

Gas in a cat is a common occurrence in veterinary practice. If she passes a small amount of gas 2-4 hours after eating food, this is part of the digestive process and is considered normal. About 90% of the gases released are methane, which has no odor. But if a pet farts more often than usual, and the passage of gas is accompanied by a terrible “amber” and some other signs, this already indicates that he has flatulence.

Flatulence in cats is the process of distension and bloating of the abdomen due to the accumulation of gases and air in the stomach or intestines, which the animal swallows while eating food. Unpleasant smell- the result of the release of impurities of hydrogen sulfide and other substances, and the release of the resulting excess through anus considered normal physiological phenomenon common to all mammals.

It is much worse if for some reason the pet cannot empty its intestines and release accumulated gases. This may lead to severe consequences, including intestinal rupture.

Excessive gas production does not mean that a disease is developing in the cat’s body. It is likely that four-legged pet he simply ate food that was unusual for him, and his intestines did not have time to produce enzymes to digest it.

But if flatulence takes chronic form, this indicates diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, accumulated gases put pressure on the diaphragm and make breathing difficult. This can cause shock in your pet and even death.

Causes of the problem

Flatulence has no age limits, but is more often observed in early and old age (due to helminthiasis and slow metabolism, respectively). In cats, due to short digestive tract Bloating is rare.

Most often, the cause of flatulence should be sought in unbalanced feeding. There are a number of products that can provoke it, these include:

1. Milk, since the cat's body reacts poorly to lactose, and the older the cat gets, the higher the likelihood of stomach upset from drinking this drink.
2. Fermented milk products. This includes cheese, yoghurt, sour cream, cottage cheese. They are allowed in small quantities, but strictly dosed.
3. Fish. If river or sea ​​fish forms the basis of the diet, the smell of pet excrement becomes unbearable.
4. Garlic. With its help, some owners try to treat their cat for worms. However, you should not give garlic to an animal, and flatulence is not the only problem that can arise from its use.
5. Cereals. Feed with high content wheat, corn, soybeans irritate digestive system and become a serious burden for her.
6. Fat and meat trimmings are not a complete substitute for meat and can cause not only flatulence, but also liver dysfunction, intestinal disorders, and diarrhea.
7. Bread. Contains yeast, which provokes the fermentation process in the intestines and, as a result, distension of the stomach.

Bloating in a cat can also be caused by poisoning from expired products.

Sometimes you may notice that the tummy little kitten resembles an inflated balloon. The owner, of course, begins to worry and wants to know why the kitten has a big belly.

Bloating in a kitten - causes and treatment

There may be several reasons why a kitten has a big belly. Most often this occurs due to disruption of the digestive tract of a small animal. The kitten's body does not yet work as well as it does adult cat. And if you feed it rough or too dry food, then the stomach will not be able to process such food. Therefore, in order to eliminate flatulence, as bloating in a kitten is scientifically called, you should adjust its diet.

Sometimes flatulence accompanies helminthic infestation. Talk to veterinarian, and he will prescribe medications to help get rid of worms.

An enlarged tummy in a kitten may be evidence of such a serious disease as. In this case, fluid accumulates in the animal’s abdominal cavity. You can independently determine why your kitten’s belly is enlarged. To do this, you need to carefully click on the kitten's tummy: if the sound is muffled, it means that liquid may have accumulated, and if the sound resembles hitting a balloon, then, most likely, gases have accumulated in the stomach.

To help your kitten with gas, you can give him a little activated carbon. If this does not help, you should seek help from a specialist.

Observe your pet and determine whether he goes to the toilet. And if he doesn’t have big hikes, it means the kitten is constipated, which is why his belly is bloated. In this case, you should consult a doctor who will help you understand the problem.

If your kitten experiences this frequently, introduce it into his diet. dairy products, for example, kefir or yogurt.