{"id":448676,"date":"2024-02-15T20:51:03","date_gmt":"2024-02-16T01:51:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.catster.com\/?p=448676"},"modified":"2024-09-18T17:28:12","modified_gmt":"2024-09-18T21:28:12","slug":"ibs-in-cats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.catster.com\/ask-the-vet\/ibs-in-cats\/","title":{"rendered":"IBS In Cats: Our Vet Explains Causes, Signs & Treatments"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n <\/span>\n \nIBS vs. IBD<\/a>
\nWhat Is IBD<\/a>
\nSigns to Look For<\/a>
\nDiagnosis<\/a>
\nTreatment Options<\/a>
\nPrognosis For Cats With IBD<\/a>
\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\nIrritable bowel syndrome\u2014the name alone is enough to make you feel uncomfortable. Even if you\u2019ve been fortunate enough to never experience the pain, discomfort, and embarrassment of this fairly common condition, you probably know someone who has. But did you know that cats can also suffer from a similar condition?<\/p>\n

In cats, we refer to it as inflammatory bowel disease or IBD, but it may also be categorized as gastritis, enteritis, gastroenteritis, or chronic diarrhea, all of which can form part of feline IBD but are not the whole story.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s look closer at IBD in cats, from what causes it to how to manage it.<\/p>\n

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IBS vs. IBD<\/h2>\n

You might be wondering what the difference between these two terms actually is, and it is largely to do with the species involved. Humans can suffer from both IBS and IBD, whereas cats and other animals can only be described as having IBD.<\/p>\n

IBS, as the name suggests, describes a syndrome<\/em>, or a set of symptoms that typically occur together, enabling the condition to be more accurately described and categorized. It is not itself a specific diagnosis, however, IBD can be a cause of IBS.<\/p>\n

Symptoms <\/strong>describe how an illness or problem \u201cfeels,\u201d and only humans can communicate that.\u00a0 A clinician can listen to those symptoms and combine them with the patient\u2019s clinical signs<\/strong> to make an objective assessment.<\/p>\n

When it comes to cats and other pets, they cannot describe their own symptoms, which is why veterinarians rely on the history provided by the pet\u2019s owner, combined with the animal\u2019s clinical signs, to make a diagnosis.<\/p>\n

For example:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Symptom<\/strong><\/td>\nClinical Sign<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sore leg<\/td>\nLimping, lameness<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Earache<\/td>\nHead tilt, rubbing ear<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nausea<\/td>\nDrooling, vomiting, inappetence<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Now that we\u2019ve got the semantics out of the way, let\u2019s move on to the condition itself.<\/p>\n

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You are free to use this image but we do require you to link back to Catster.com<\/a> for credit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What Is Feline Inflammatory Bowel Disease?<\/h2>\n

IBD in cats occurs when the walls of the digestive tract become thickened and inflamed, reducing its ability to function properly. Although there are many conditions that can produce the same or similar signs, IBD is not due to an infection, food reaction, or parasite, although these must be ruled out in order to make a diagnosis. It can affect cats of all ages but is more common among middle-aged and older cats.<\/p>\n

There are specific cell types that are usually involved in IBD which strongly suggest that it is an immune-mediated condition. It may be triggered by certain foods, infections, or stress. It can occur as part of a complex condition referred to as triaditis1<\/sup><\/a>, which involves inflammation of the liver, pancreas, and small intestine. IBD can also be characterized as idiopathic, which means that no inciting cause can be identified.<\/p>\n

What Are the Signs of Feline Inflammatory Bowel Disease?<\/h2>\n

IBD can affect different parts of the digestive tract, so the clinical signs will depend on what area is involved.<\/p>\n

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