Page 744 - Problem-Based Feline Medicine

736 PART 9 CAT WITH SIGNS OF GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT DISEASE

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● Other small intestinal neoplasia (fibrosarcoma, carcinoids, plasmacytoma) (p 757)
Other malignant and benign neoplasms that may be associated with vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss
or anorexia in cats include fibrosarcoma, plasmacytoma, hemangiosarcoma, leiomyosarcoma, etc.
Clinical signs and prognosis are dependent on the location of the tumor, the type of tumor and its
response to therapy. Tumors of the duodenum are rare and usually associated with extension of a
local neoplasm.
● APUDomas (p 758)
Neoplasms of APUD cells are rare tumors in the cat. They include insulinomas, gastrinomas,
pheochromocytomas and carcinoid tumors of the GI tract. Clinical signs will depend on the tumor
type, but carcinoid tumors are most likely to cause diarrhea.
NUTRITIONAL
● Food intolerance*** (p 740)
Food intolerance is a non-immune-mediated condition associated with intermittent diarrhea or vom-
iting, with no pattern or association with eating, and it resolves when the food source is changed to
omit the offending substance from diet. The clinical significance of food intolerance is unknown
relative to other causes of diarrhea because of the difficulty in obtaining a definitive diagnosis.
IMMUNOLOGIC

● Food allergy (dietary hypersensitivity)*** (p 739)
Chronic vomiting appears to be more common than diarrhea in cats with food allergy, and cutaneous
signs may also be present.
● Idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)* (p 745)
IBD is a chronic inflammatory disease of the GI tract of unknown etiology. It affects cats of all
ages, sexes and breeds, but is most commonly found in middle-aged, purebred adult cats.
Lymphocytic plasmacytic enteritis is the most common histologic form of IBD, but eosinophilic
and suppurative infiltrates occur as well.
INFLAMMATION (INFECTIOUS)
● Inflammatory hepatobiliary disease (cholangitis) (p 746)
The clinical presentation of cholangitis is non-specific and presenting signs include anorexia,
lethargy, weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, hepatomegaly and icterus.
INFECTIOUS:

Viral:
● Feline coronavirus infections (feline enteric coronavirus/feline infectious peritonitis) (p 749)
Feline enteric coronavirus results in mild, self-limiting diarrhea or subclinical infection. In FIP, the GI
tract is rarely affected singularly, and so, vomiting or diarrhea is often associated with the effects of the
disease on other organs. Rarely, FIP causes intestinal granulomas that obstruct the GI tract and cause
vomiting or diarrhea. Systemic signs of FIP may include lethargy, anorexia, pyrexia and CNS signs.
● Feline immunodeficiency virus (p 749)
Diarrhea is not a common presenting sign of cats with FIV, but diarrhea can occur secondary to the
immunodeficiency disease or result from a purulent form of colitis that can occur in a small num-
ber of cats that are infected with FIV.