"Reggie" Olson, a
handsome 5 year old male neutered Himalayan cat was brought to our hospital for sudden onset of vomiting. He is strictly an indoor cat and there was no known exposure to toxins.
On exam, "Reggie" appeared very
depressed and slightly dehydrated but had a normal temperature and a non-painful abdomen on palpation. We did not find any string, floss or thread looped under the base of his tongue.
These types of foreign bodies are common in cats and can be serious if not detected early. Surgery is usually indicated as the intestines can be cut by
the string and lead to abdominal infection (peritonitis). Bloodwork and X-rays did not reveal an obvious reason for the vomiting. "Reggie" was more depressed and had continued to vomit
overnight. Based on his appearance and progressive symptoms, exploratory surgery was recommended in an attempt to identify and treat his illness.
Surgery revealed a 2" section of small intestine about 8" from his stomach that was firm, distended and very inflamed. An incision was
made over the site and a large accumulation of hair was removed. No other foreign bodies were found. "Reggie" recovered well from
surgery and has returned to be the bright beautiful cat his family knew before.
Hairballs are a common occurrence in cats, but rarely cause the
life-threatening intestinal obstructions that we saw in "Reggie". Often owners will complain of vomiting associated with hairballs, but the
difference is that it is usually infrequent and the cat remains bright, alert and continues to eat. There may even be hair in the vomitus though not always.
Steps which can be taken to prevent hairballs include:
- Frequent brushing to decrease the amount of hair the cat ingests with routine grooming.
- Hairball remedies (inexpensive, flavored lubricants to aid expulsion of hair).
- A new food by Hills Science Diet called HAIRBALL CONTROL FORMULA which has increased vegetable fiber to help move hair through the system.
