Cats suffering from medical conditions like diabetes mellitus and inflammatory bowel disease can be highly susceptible to developing pancreatitis. This medical issue often occurs spontaneously with no identified triggers or inciting causes.
Cats suffering from mild to moderate forms of pancreatitis will most likely recover, although repeated episodes can’t be ruled out. However, the same can’t be said in the case of acute pancreatitis because, in severe cases, this issue can prove fatal to cats.
Get your furry feline the medical assistance it might need in such a scenario, and consider being prepared with pet insurance simultaneously. Cat insurance allows you to support your furball with timely medical care without you having to take the entire financial burden during specific illnesses and emergencies.
Contemplate purchasing a policy so providing quality health care need not be a significant economic challenge. Meanwhile, read this article to learn what pancreatitis is, its common causes, symptoms, and treatments, so you know when to meet your vet should something unfortunate happen.
Feline pancreatitis
The pancreas is an organ responsible for producing particular enzymes and secretes the insulin hormone needed for food digestion. When a cat’s pancreas becomes highly inflamed, the enzymes and hormones are drained in the abdominal cavity instead of the small intestine, causing damage to other body organs.
Causes
While some feline experts believe this can happen due to defective body defense systems, others guess it could be due to poor dietary habits. Another common reason for pancreatic inflammation is physical trauma.
Infections, inflammatory bowel disorder, liver dysfunction, and toxoplasma can cause pancreatitis. Exposure to hazardous compounds like chemical fertilizers, bathroom cleaners, and toxic ingestion can also be blamed at times minishortner .
Adverse reactions to certain medications are considered a potential cause too. While these are some close enough reasons to a furball developing pancreatitis, in most cases, no specific underlying cause can be found.
Symptoms
The below mentioned signs are common red flags indicating some problem does exist.
- Nausea
- Vomits
- Diarrhea
- Appetite loss
- Dehydration
- High temperature
- Lethargy
- Breathing difficulty
- Depression
- Weight loss
- Elevated heart rate
- Abdominal pain
- Tender abdomen
It is easy to overlook the initial signs because your munchkin might not show any significant symptoms at all. For instance, your four paws may appear tired and ill, refuse to eat, and behave contrary to its usual self. Abdominal pain and vomiting signs may or may not show up until a later time.
Meet your vet should your furball stop eating, even if it’s only for a day, just to ensure your pet is healthy and safe.
Treatment
This medical condition can come upon your pet suddenly. Early testing and treatment can help your furry baby recover, but in chronic cases of pancreatitis, shock and even death are possible. Hospitalization and supportive care might be recommended depending on the severity of the condition. After that, the vet may suggest dietary changes and the addition of digestive enzymes to the cat’s food.
Contact your vet for confirmation of the disease and the right treatments. At the same time, consider being prepared with pet insurance so that tackling such medical emergencies need not be financially cumbersome. Cat insurance allows you to support your munchkin with quality medical care during distressing health situations, which is why you must contemplate purchasing a policy.
