How to Stop Chronic Diarrhea in a Persian Cat
According to the "ASPCA Complete Book of Cats," Persians are a popular breed of cat, but they are prone to several medical conditions, including conditions such as irritable bowel disease that can bring chronic diarrhea. Medications and stress brought about by other medical conditions such as skin problems and kidney disease may also cause diarrhea. In order to treat the Persian cat's chronic diarrhea, the whole lifestyle of the cat needs to be taken into consideration.
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Things You'll Need
- Veterinarian
- Pet shears or pet groomer
- Paper
- Writing utensil
- Scale
- Small disposable containers for stool or urine samples
Instructions
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Get a piece of paper and writing utensil. Write down what recent changes have happened in the Persian cat's life that may have lead to chronic diarrhea. "Psycho Kitty: Understanding Your Cat's Crazy Behavior" notes that cats hate changes. The changes in a cat's life can cause stress, which may manifest as chronic diarrhea. Has the cat started on the show circuit? Has there been a recent move? Has a pet been added? Is the cat taking any new medications?
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Take this list and your Persian cat to your veterinarian. It will help the vet in diagnosing the cause of the chronic diarrhea. Find out in advance whether you need to bring a urine or stool sample. In order to test for parasites and illnesses, the veterinarian will need the freshest stool sample possible. According to Dr. Bari Spielman, a blood test will also be needed in order to test vital organ function and possibly a urine sample to test the kidneys, since Persians are so prone to polycystic kidney disease. Holly Nash, DVM, notes that chronic diarrhea is an unusual but possible symptom of PKD.
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Trim the fur around the Persian's anus and lower legs. The stool will cling to the long fur and be dragged about the home until the cat notices it and tries to clean itself. The stool is not a good thing for the cat to swallow. Cats become easily stressed if they are dirty and cannot keep themselves clean.
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Weigh the cat while on treatment to be sure it has not lost weight suddenly, which may indicate cancer or another serious condition. Keep the cat as comfortable and stress-free as possible. Be sure to groom the Persian everyday to remove any clumps of stool.
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Make sure the cat is not getting any treats from your family or friends. Persians can have food allergies which may cause diarrhea. The cat should only be eating a diet prescribed by the vet.
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Tips & Warnings
Please note that any cat that has a large amount of Persian in its lineage (like the Himalayan or the exotic shorthair) may also be prone to the same illnesses Persians have.
It can take a long time for a vet to diagnose the cause of the Persian cat's chronic diarrhea.
Do not ignore a Persian's chronic diarrhea and assume it will go away by itself. According to Dr. Bari Spielman, many causes of chronic diarrhea in cats can be lethal if not treated.
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Comments
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what I can beverage drugs for cats with diarhea?
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Leigh Peterson
Feb 28, 2010
Persians and other cats of Eastern heritage are prone to irritable bowel disease or IBD. These cats should not be given any food with grains in it, like rice or veggies. IBD can usually be cleared up naturally when the cat is fed a grain-free diet such as raw.
