Page 453 - Problem-Based Feline Medicine

22 – THE CAT WITH ABDOMINAL DISTENTION OR ABDOMINAL FLUID 445

IDIOPATHIC
● Megacolon** (p 465)
Obstipation results in marked colonic enlargement that may cause abdominal distention.
● Peliosis hepatis (p 476)
Hepatomegaly and/or spontaneous abdominal hemorrhage may cause abdominal distention.
● Hepatic amyloidosis (p 475)
Hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, intestinal dilation and/or spontaneous intra-abdominal hemorrhage
may cause abdominal distention.
● Hepatic necrosis (p 475)
Ascites or spontaneous abdominal hemorrhage may occur secondary to hepatic necrosis due to
various causes.
● Hepatic cirrhosis (p 472)
Ascites may occur with hepatic cirrhosis. The fluid may be transudate, modified transudate or exudate.
● Gastric-dilation volvulus (p 478)
Gastric dilation with air results in tympanic abdominal distention.
● Perirenal pseudocysts (p 476)
Fluid-filled sacs surrounding the kidneys cause abdominal distention. Chronic renal failure is com-
monly present.
● Right heart failure** (p 462)
Ascites may occur in cats with right heart failure. The fluid is a modified transudate.

● Extra-uterine fetuses (p 477)
Ascites occasionally occurs with “ectopic pregnancy”.
● Budd–Chiari-like syndrome (p 477)
Obstruction of the cranial vena cava or venous vasculature of the liver causes ascites. Ascitic fluid
is a modified transudate.
● Idiopathic chylous ascites (p 479)
Chylous ascites is usually due to neoplasia. Idiopathic chylous ascites is rare.
INFLAMMATION

● Gastroenteritis* (p 468)
Flatus formation and intestinal thickening in cats with diarrhea may cause mild abdominal distention.

● Non-suppurative cholangiohepatitis* (p 472)
Ascites occasionally occurs with cholangiohepatitis. The fluid may be a transudate, modified tran-
sudate or exudate.

● Pancreatitis** (p 466)
Cats with pancreatitis may have abdominal effusion, which is occasionally detectable on physical
examination. Fluid may be a modified transudate or exudate.
● Pneumoperitoneum (p 477)
Acute pneumoperitoneum is usually due to gastric perforation or gastrointestinal rupture.
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