Pendulous abdomen in cats

A saddlebag belly pendulous abdomen. When assessing weight it is important to also feel the abdomen and chest with your hands.

Cats do not have to be overweight for them to develop.

Pendulous abdomen in cats. A diabetic cat with hyperadrenocorticism had polydipsia polyuria ventral abdominal alopecia thin dry skin and a pendulous abdomen. Results of laboratory testing indicated persistent resting hypercortisolemia hyperresponsiveness of the adrenal glands increased cortisol concentration to ACTH gel and no suppression of cortisol concentrations. As a cat walks you will often see this little belly of theirs sway back and forth.

Most cat owners will assume that their cats have simply put on a few pounds but such is not the case. Your cats saggy bellyor more properly referred to as abdominal foldsis simply an excess layer of skin and fat on their underside. I noticed that my cat seems to have a lumpgrowth on the lower left side of her stomach.

She doesnt seem to be bothered by it. She seems to eat cat food run jump play urinate and defecate like a healthy cat. I suspect you mean theres a lump on the abdomen her belly rather than her stomach the organ located inside her abdomen.

To diagnose the cause of a swollen abdomen in your cat keep an eye out for symptoms like frequent urination lethargy or lack of appetite which could be signs that your cat has an infection or parasite. Also check your cats litter box to see if its suffering from diarrhea which could indicate a serious viral infection such as FIP. A saddlebag belly pendulous abdomen.

The first two symptoms on this list are by far the most common. All breeds of cats without any particular distinction can be affected and these pathologies affect females as much as males. A cat treated very early can live several years and if the disease is caught a little late what.

At this stage of her pregnancy her nipples may also be enlarged and she may have a pendulous abdomen. An unspayed female cat who starts hiding more than usual should be checked by a veterinarian. If your vet suspects that your cat is pregnant they may want to perform an ultrasound or X-rays to confirm.

When the fluid accumulates in the abdomen the cat will show abdominal distension. Rare in cats but worth noting. This disease develops when the thyroid gland fails to produce enough thyroid hormone.

Hypothyroid animals become sluggish and gain weight even if they eat less and exercise. Fat build ups around the abdominal organs and over time leads to a bulging. It is visible when the tail is lifted upwards.

The scrotum is covered with dense hair and is not pendulous. The testes or testicles are normally located within the scrotum. The prostate gland is very small in the cat.

It is normally located near the front of the rim of the pelvis at the back of the abdominal cavity. Historical and clinical findings in cats with cortisol-secreting adrenal tumors may include lethargy weakness pendulous abdomen thin fragile skin bilaterally symmetric alopecia dull haircoat seborrhea sicca muscle atrophy polyuria polydipsia and polyphagia 2-4. These fat deposits occur primarily in spayed and neutered cats.

They occur on the rear portion of the abdomen. Cats do not have to be overweight for them to develop. Sometimes a pet may have a potbellied appearance.

This can be associated with medications such as prednisone or can indicate a metabolic disease such as Cushings. A pet on long term steroids like prednisone may lose the strength of their muscles and their abdomens will look pendulous. One of the more common ways that this illness is discovered in cats is when there is difficulty in regulating insulin in a cat with diabetes.

Symptoms and signs include the following. Concurrent diabetes in 81 of cases polydipsia excessive thirst and polyuria excessive urination pendulous abdomen polyphagia excessive hunger. Pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism was diagnosed in a 9-year-old male castrated cat that had polyuria polyphagia pendulous abdomen truncal hair loss congestive heart failure and insulin-resistant diabetes mellitus.

Results of pituitary-adrenal function testing revealed inadequate serum c. So if your pet develops a pendulous swollen abdomen we would advise an urgent assessment by your vet. Examples of the groups of conditions that can cause ascites include.

Low blood protein levels this can be associated with significant liver kidney or intestinal disease. Abdomen had become larger during the preceding year. At physical examination the cat appeared to have a pendulous abdomen and a unkempt coat in poor condition.

The results of blood examination Table 1 revealed anaemia and liver failure. The blood glucose level was normal probably as a result of the Table 1. Elastic tissue under the skin is also affected leading to thinner skin and adding to the pendulous abdomen.

The disruption in the elastic tissue of the skin can also cause calcium changes in the skin. This might lead to areas where calcium builds up in small nodules. In cats the skin changes can become severe and are referred to as fragile.

Many older cats may have pendulous abdominal skin in the lower abdomen that can be normal despite healthy weight. This region called a fat pad should be thin and predominantly skin rather than heavy or fat-filled. When assessing weight it is important to also feel the abdomen and chest with your hands.

The other thing the vet said which made him think Cushings was a pendulous abdomen. His belly has always kind of hung down. It seems like a lot of it is just skin.

I think that he might think that because before he was treated for the hyperthyroidism he had lost a lot of weight so it didnt look as big. This cat was 16 lbs at one time. Other causes for fluid in the abdomen include.

Blood pus urine lymph or rarer fluids like bile not usually a Liter In a young cat FIP feline infectious peritonitis wet form will cross your veterinarians mind. Your veterinarian must do a belly tap procedure called abdominocentesis to get a sample and see what the fluid actually is. Your vet cannot really tell just by looking at.

Your vet will note many of the clinical signs of Cushings Disease as discussed previously. Panting a potbelly appearance pendulous abdomen a diffusely enlarged liver hepatomegaly muscle atrophy dermatological abnormalities thin skin hair loss blackheads hyperpigmentation calcinosis cutis. In these cats weight loss may be often a result of poorly controlled diabetes.

In a more advanced stage the signs in these cats are like signs of diabetes. They include excessive thirst and urination and increased appetite. The abdomen appears pendulous and changes in the skin such as fragility are also noticeable with the disease progress.

You cat may develop a pendulous abdomen and extremely delicate and bruise prone skin as a symptom of Cushings disease. Muscle degeneration - Weakening of muscles and bones has been observed in users of prednisone. Queasy stomach - Your cat may develop an unsettled stomach leading to diarrhea vomiting regurgitation constipation.