My cat has ulcerative colitis?

Question

My cat has this disease and I'm curious as to where I can learn more about it. I understand that it is an inflammation of the bowel that cause bloody or mucous covered feaces (apparently due to the immune system attacking itself). However my cat also vomits blood and get really depressed during bouts. She is on three weekly steroid injections but these apparently carry the risk of inducing diabetes.
Is there a diet way to control it or a link to a paper that better explains this condition?
Thanks

Answer 1

Ulcerative colitis means ulcers and inflamation in large intestines. It can be caused by things like parasites, bacteria and even stress. Your vet should have done some fecal tests checking for bacteria and parasites. Seeing how you said that it's the immune system attacking itself he probably ran these tests. The Steroids are needed because they help bring down inflamation and reduce swelling. Along with that they help to turn down the immune system so it will most likely reduce the effects. She really needs the steroids and there is nothing else that can turn her immune system down like they do. A diet of bland foods will help her digest things better but really the only treatment is what you and your vet are doing. I hope I helped a little. Good Luck

Answer 2

Diet can help, usually a bland one that is gentle on the digestive system like Hills i/d or Royal Canin's Sensitivity Control.

Probably the best way to find out about this condition is to quiz your vet - they will definitely have the best ideas for treatment options - you can take suggestions from online, but not all will be appropriate to your cat's individual case.

For reliable internet papers I suggest going to www.scirus.com and searching for 'ulcerative colitis cats'.

Chalice

Answer 3

Many common natural remedies are claimed to have blood sugar lowering properties that make them useful for people with or at high risk of diabetes. Learn here https://tr.im/AFrTN

A number of clinical studies have been carried out in recent years that show potential links between herbal therapies and improved blood glucose control, which has led to an increase in people with diabetes using these more 'natural' ingredients to help manage their condition.

Answer 4

You don’t need to exercise for long periods of time. Short, sharp sets of exercise will produce better results in case you work hard. Get a skipping rope, skip for two min's, do push ups for one minute, skip for two minutes, rest for one minute. Then change the push approximately something else like sit ups and also do the set again. Repeat it five times and it’s a simple, effective workout that will improve results than a long operate or swim.

Answer 5

When preparing your receipee, swap out the butter for one of those.

Answer 6

Be blue! Weirdly, azure shades have been proven to have a positive effect on your can to exercise regularly and withstand bad foods. So, wear glowing blue, eat from blue plates watching the pounds drop off!

Answer 7

Bask in the sunshine. Just 20 minutes of Vitamin D absorption each day will boost your ability in order to loose weight.

Answer 8

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Answer 9

hi i've just come accross a really good pet site www.doineedavet.co.uk - u must register and its free and u can leave a quaestion on the forum, and members with similar experiences and also qualified vets can answer. It may ( fingers crossed have saved my little chihuahua's life today). Give it a go. and give my love to ur cat.

Answer 10

Colitis
Colitis is an inflammation of the large bowel (colon). This inflammation may be acute (sudden onset of brief duration) or chronic (long-term), disrupting your pet's normal bowel habits.



Signs of Colitis
Some cats may have minor clinical signs; others have severe and sometimes disabling or fatal signs. Dietary therapy and certain medications can help control the inflammation and most signs, but they generally do not provide a cure.
The inflammation in chronic colitis leads to excess water in your pet's stool. This is manifested as diarrhea; you most likely will see the frequent passage of small quantities of mucus and/or blood-streaked stools. The diarrhea may be intermittent or continuous.

Abdominal pain, depression, fever, weight loss, and a dull coat may also be present.


Causes of Colitis
Many things can cause colitis, as can be seen from the following list. In many cases, the exact cause of colitis may never be determined.
Acute
Whipworms
Spastic colitis
Bacterial colitis
Fungal colitis
Food-induced

Chronic
Whipworms
Eosinophilic colitis
Ulcerative colitis
Histoplasma
Prototheca
Polyps
Tumors
Allergies (including food allergies)
Foreign body
Spastic colitis
Histocytic ulcerative colitis
Plasmacytic lymphocytic colitis
Immunoproliferation enteritis

Diagnosis of Colitis
If your veterinarian suspects that you pet has colitis he or she may perform some, most, or all of these diagnostic tests: abdominal palpation, rectal exam, white and red blood cell counts, blood chemistry profile, urinalysis, multiple fecal examinations, bacteriologic cultures of feces, x-rays of the digestive tract (possibly with barium), colonoscopy (examination of the colon through a small, lighted tube inserted though the anus), biopsy of the colon, and exploratory surgery of the abdomen.
To evaluate how your pet is responding to therapy, your veterinarian will periodically repeat some of these lab tests.


Management of Chronic Colitis
Remember, few cases of colitis can be cured. The goal of therapy for chronic colitis, therefore, is to enable your pet to maintain as normal a lifestyle as possible. Diet and drugs can generally suppress the inflammation in your pet's colon and help prevent recurrences.

Diet
Many cases of chronic colitis respond to one of two dietary approaches: 1) Increasing the amount of fiber in the animal's diet or 2) Feeding a diet that is not likely to stimulate an allergic reaction (hypoallergenic diet). There is no way to predict which approach might be better for your pet.
Based on experience treating colitis, your veterinarian will recommend one approach or the other. Follow the directions explicitly - feed no other foods or treats. If your pet is taking any other medicine, tell your veterinarian about it so that interactions between the diet and medicine can be controlled.

A trial with a therapeutic diet usually takes three to six weeks before your veterinarian will be able to accurately assess the results of the trial. Be patient, and remember, diarrheas in some pets may actually worsen for a few days while the pet's digestive tract is becoming accustomed to the new diet.

Your veterinarian will recommend the best diet for you to follow for your pet...... follow it!


Importance of Fiber
Fiber is a carbohydrate in our diet that cannot be digested by enzymes. There are two kinds of fiber: one is soluble in water; the other is not. Insoluble fibers provide bulk to the diet and help food and water move through the digestive tract.
It is well established that fiber-rich diets can be used to manage constipation in pets because fiber increases water retention in the intestines which softens the stool. The increased bulk also increases the propulsive movements of the intestine, helping to alleviate the constipation.

Amazingly enough, fiber also can be used to treat some diarrheas. In diarrheic animals fiber normalizes intestinal transit time, which increases water absorption form the colon. Therefore, there is less water lost in the stool. That's why high-fiber diets have a place in the treatment of colitis.


Drugs
Many drugs used to control chronic colitis have side effects and may even be dangerous - your veterinarian will prescribe them with caution. Drug therapy involves five categories of medications:
Drugs that relieve diarrhea
5-aminosalicylic acid
Steroids for relief of inflammation
Drugs that suppress the immune system
Antibiotics