Feline Intestinal Necrosis After a Small Bowel Resection

Veterinary surgeons remove entire sections of feline intestinal tissue when it is no longer viable by excising the non-working areas and suturing the remaining pieces together. Called resection, this surgery is aimed at providing a functional intestine and possibly saving the cat's life. Hazards associated with this kind of abdominal surgery include peritonitis and possible death of the intestinal tissue. As a pet owner, knowing the risks involved in this kind of specialized surgery, can help you recognize any complications that may arise.

  1. Causes of Resection Surgery

    • Veterinarians typically recommend intestinal surgery and resect the small intestines when a cat is diagnosed with certain types of intestinal cancers, when the blood flow to parts of the organ is restricted, or if the bowel turns and folds in on itself, called intussusception. Ulcerated intestines, foreign body blockages and trauma causing intestinal perforations may also require surgical resection if it appears that healthy tissue is at risk of dying. Cats with megacolon, a disease where the intestines dilate, become immobile, and stop evacuating fecal matter, sometimes need a bowel resection when medical management fails, advises veterinarian Karen Tobias, a professor of surgery at the University of Tennessee's College of Veterinary Medicine.

    Cautions

    • Post-surgical complications of an intestinal resection can include infections, further intestinal obstructions, and short bowel syndrome, the inability of the resected bowel to absorb nutrients. This syndrome causes malnutrition in some cats that have had the surgery. Veterinarians chiefly concern themselves with preventing peritonitis, an inflammatory infection of the tissue that covers the abdominal organs, caused by fecal matter leaking through sutures into the abdominal cavity. Peritonitis can lead to tissue death and the necrosis (death) of the feline intestine.

    Symptoms of Peritonitis and Necrosis

    • A cat suffering from peritonitis and a necrotic bowel commonly runs a fever, shows signs of weakness and lethargy, and may be unwilling or unable to eat, often vomiting after meals. The cat's abdomen may be distended from serum and abdominal fluids with the animal showing signs of pain and discomfort. Typically, small amounts of bloody diarrhea accompany the other symptoms.

    Diagnosis, Treatment and Prognosis

    • A veterinarian concerned with bowel necrosis commonly runs a complete blood count and electrolyte survey, checks abdominal radiographs and might ask for an abdominal ultrasound to determine the amount of suspected damage. After obtaining a fluid sample by abdominal tap, a fluid culture determines the kind of bacteria causing the infection. Veterinary surgeons typically recommend additional surgery to eliminate the necrotic tissue and to resect an even smaller portion of the bowel. Additionally, they attempt to clean out the fecal matter inside the abdominal cavity while the cat is on the table. Mortality rates are high for this kind of surgery, warns "Saunders' Textbook of Small Animal Medicine," edited by John Dunn. The animals that survive usually require a feeding tube, intravenous fluids, and long-term antibiotics and pain medication.