Page 485 - Problem-Based Feline Medicine

22 – THE CAT WITH ABDOMINAL DISTENTION OR ABDOMINAL FLUID 477

Cats are presented for abdominal distention and/or clin- Clinical signs
ical signs of chronic renal failure such as polyuria,
Budd-Chiari-like syndrome is congenital or acquired
polydipsia, inappetence and weight loss.
obstruction of the venous outflow of the liver, includ-
ing the hepatic venules, hepatic veins and caudal vena
Diagnosis cava, causing post-sinusoidal portal hypertension. It
is rare in cats. Cases have included veno-occlusive dis-
Abdominal radiography will demonstrate large kid-
ease and fibrous webs in the caudal vena cava.
neys. Ultrasonography will demonstrate small kidneys
within fluid-filled structures. The predominant clinical sign is progressive abdomi-
nal distention due to fluid.
Presence of fluid may be confirmed by abdominocente-
sis. Analysis of fluid will reveal a transudate, urine or
blood. Diagnosis

Routine hematology and serum biochemistry may Angiography will demonstrate caudal vena caval
reveal changes consistent with chronic renal failure. obstruction.
Liver biopsy will demonstrate veno-occlusive disease.
Abdominocentesis will reveal a modified transudate.
EXTRA-UTERINE FETUSES

Classical signs
PNEUMOPERITONEUM
● None.
Classical signs
Clinical signs
● Marked abdominal distention.
Most “ectopic pregnancies” are not associated with
clinical signs, and are an incidental finding during ovar-
iohysterectomy.
Clinical signs
Because extra-uterine fetuses usually occur second-
Mild pneumoperitoneum usually occurs following
ary to uterine rupture, marked hemorrhage at the time
laparotomy and intentional marked pneumoperitoneum
of rupture or septic peritonitis may occur, which may
occurs during laparascopy.
result in peritoneal fluid.
Marked spontaneous pneumoperitoneum usually
Ascites without systemic signs of illness may also
results from a perforating gastric ulcer or neoplasm,
occur.
rupture of the stomach or large intestine, or less
often as an extension from pneumothorax or pneu-
Diagnosis momediastinum. Small intestinal rupture usually does
not cause marked pneumoperitoneum unless it is a
Abdominal radiography or ultrasonography will
complication of endoscopy, which uses insufflation.
demonstrate a mummified fetus ± peritoneal fluid.
Gas may also enter from penetrating abdominal
wounds or perforation of the bladder during traumatic
urinary tract catheterization, or may be produced by
BUDD–CHIARI-LIKE SYNDROME intra-abdominal bacteria, but such gas does not usually
cause abdominal distention.
Classical signs
The predominant clinical sign of marked pneumoperi-
● Marked abdominal distention due to toneum is marked abdominal distention due to air,
ascites. and acute onset of depression if associated with gas-
trointestinal tract rupture.