Diseases With Bloated Stomachs in Felines

A bloated stomach can be a symptom of several diseases, but it can also indicate a less serious condition, such as a worm infestation. It's important to seek veterinary advice immediately if a cat has a distended abdomen, because timely medical intervention can help to save or prolong your pet's life. Vomiting, lethargy and a poor appetite are additional symptoms that can indicate diseases such as cancer, congenital heart failure and end-stage liver or kidney failure.

  1. Liver Cancer

    • A build-up of abdominal fluid (ascites) in cats can be a symptom of liver cancer. Other symptoms include weight loss, lethargy, lack of appetite, frequent urination, vomiting and increased thirst. Vets who suspect that a cat has a liver tumor normally perform blood tests along with a diagnostic ultrasound scan or a biopsy. Surgical treatment or radiation therapy may be performed if the disease has not spread to other parts of the cat's body.

    Right-Sided Heart Failure

    • Right-sided heart failure, a form of congestive heart failure, can cause a bloated abdomen due to an accumulation of fluid in the chest cavity. The disease is caused by a heart abnormality that results in a build-up of fluid in the heart, lungs or chest cavities. Other symptoms include shortness of breath, loss of appetite, lethargy and fainting. Seizures may occur as the disease advances. Diagnosis begins with a physical examination, during which a vet will listen with a stethoscope to the cat's heart for gurgling sounds, indicating a fluid built-up. Further diagnosis can be made with an ultrasound scan and an electrocardiogram, which measures the heart's electrical impulses. Although there is no cure, the condition can be alleviated with drugs that reduce the fluid and regulate the heartbeat. Drugs that open up the blood vessels, reducing the work that the heart has to do, may also be prescribed.

    Pancreatitis

    • Pancreatitis, inflammation of the pancreas, can cause a distended abdomen, along with dehydration, lethargy, poor appetite and weight loss. Some, but not all cats with this condition will vomit and experience abdominal pain. Pancreatitis can be caused by metabolic disorders, inflammatory bowel disease, or an infection. It can also flare up after abdominal surgery or abdominal traume, or be triggered by medications, such as antibiotics and anti-cancer drugs. Pancreatitis is diagnosed with blood tests and an analysis of the cat's urine. Depending on the condition's severity, cats may be given fluids to counteract dehydration. Vets also treat any underlying conditions that cause pancreatitis.

    Kidney and Liver Failure

    • Kidney or liver failure, particularly in the last stages of the disease, can cause a build-up of fluid a cat's stomach. Both diseases reduce the organs' ability to eliminate toxins; cats in end-stage kidney failure have lost over 70 percent of kidney function. Both diseases are incurable, but symptoms can be relieved with fluid therapy.