Gastroduodenal Ulceration in Cats: Eight Cases and a Review of the Literature

Abstract

Gastroduodenal ulceration (GU) and blood loss was diagnosed in eight cats and compared with 25 previously reported cases of feline GU. Cats with GU presented in a critical condition. Clinical signs consistent with gastrointestinal bleeding were infrequently identified although anaemia was a common finding. Non-neoplastic causes of feline GU tended to have a shorter clinical course with ulcers confined to the stomach. Conversely, cats with tumour-associated GU usually had a more protracted clinical course, weight loss, and ulcers located in the stomach for gastric tumours and the duodenum for extra-intestinal tumours. In this series, definitive diagnosis was possible for cats with neoplasia (gastric tumours and gastrinoma), however, it was difficult to precisely identify the underlying aetiology in cats with non-neoplastic GU. Prompt stabilisation with a compatible blood transfusion, surgical debridement or resection, antibiotic and antiulcer therapy, and treatment of the underlying disease, if identified, was successful in the majority of cases. The prognosis for cats with appropriately managed GU depended on the underlying aetiology, but even cats with neoplasia could be successfully palliated for prolonged periods.

Eosinophilic fibrosing gastritis and toxoplasmosis in a cat

“…The cytology results were delayed for unknown reasons, but if they had been available treatment could have been started sooner, which may have altered the outcome of the case. Surgery may be beneficial in some cases of gastric masses (Liptak et al 2002), but the extensive nature of the lesions at diagnosis made this unfeasible. It is possible that earlier in the course of the disease surgery may have been an option for the gastric lesion.…”

Medical management of gastrinoma in a cat

“…8 Survival times for dogs and cats with gastrinoma are typically <8 months, 8 though survival for up to 18 months was reported in cats with gastrinoma using a combination of surgical debulking and gastroprotectants. 9 Surgical excision was not recommended for the cat in this report owing to multifocal hepatic irregularities presumed to represent significant metastatic disease. Given the severity of clinical signs associated with the condition, medical therapy was attempted.…”

Topical flurbiprofen toxicosis in a cat

“…With known exposure to flurbiprofen, clinical signs were supportive of NSAID toxicosis. Aggressive supportive and symptomatic therapy can improve outcome in NSAID toxicosis, and thus the cat in this report received aggressive fluid therapy, surgical intervention, and treatment of gastroduodenal ulceration. Aggressive fluid therapy, continuous renal replacement therapy, or hemodialysis can result in improved azotemia in cases of acute toxicosis .…”