Diarrhea: parasites

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• Usually young cats but may affect any age.
• Signs: diarrhea, weight loss.
• Diagnosis: fecal analysis .
• Treatment: depends on parasite: helminths, cryptosporidia and coccidia, Giardia spp .

 Print off the Owner Factsheet on vomiting and diarrhea to give to your client.

• Diarrhea .
• Weight loss.

• <1 year old.

• Any age.

• Cryptosporidia , Giardia spp (not very host specific).

• Mucosal damage - see specific parasites.

• Ascarids.
• Coccidia.
• Giardia spp .

• Acute or chronic diarrhea .
• Weight loss.

• Acute watery diarrhea.
• Weight loss.

• Chronic diarrhea, (may be hemorrhagic depending on the parasite).

• Poor body condition.
• Anemia .

• Gross inspection.
• Saline fecal flotation for parasitic ova/cysts.
• Fresh saline smears for motile parasites.
• Zinc sulfate centrifugation and flotation for Giardia spp , oocysts.
   Perform series of repeat tests: intermittent presence in feces.

• Small intestinal fluid for demonstration of Giardia spp trophozoites .

• History and clinical signs.

• Fecal examination - see specific parasites.

• Intestinal autolysis is rapid - requires prompt examination and fixation. Systematic examination of other systems to rule out other causes of weight loss.
• Fecal samples, small intestine fluid and wet preps for parasitological and bacteriological examination.

• Fix intestine (multiple regions), by placing serosal side down onto card to avoid curling.

• Feline panleukopenia virus infection .
• Enteric coronavirus infection.
• Feline rotavirus infection.
• Feline torovirus infection.

Generalized viral infections

• Feline leukemia virus infection .
• Feline immunosuppressive virus infection .

Bacterial enteritis

• E.Coli .
• Salmonella spp .
• Camplylobacter spp .

Inflammatory diseases

• Ingestion of toxins.
• Food allergies .
• Lymphocytic-plasmacytic enteritis .
• Feline eosinophilic enteritis .
• Granulomatous enteritis.

Intestinal neoplasia

• Lymphoma .

Metabolic and endocrine enteritis

• Hyperthyroidism .
• Chronic renal failure .

• See specific parasites.

• Good.
• Immunocompromized cats more susceptible to reinfection.

• Resolution of diarrhea within 5-7 days.

• Recent references from PubMed.
• Kirkpatrick C E et al (1985) Giardiasis in a cattery. JAVMA 187 (2), 161-162 PubMed.

• E J Hall MA VetMB PhD, University of Bristol, Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, Langford House, Langford, Bristol, Avon BS18 7DU, UK. Tel: +44 (0)117 928 9280.
• Dr Phil Nicholls BVSc BSc PhD MRCVS MRCPath, Division of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia.

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