Treating Cat Gastritis

Dog Breeds

Treatment options for gastritis in cats include restricting food, avoiding contact with whatever caused the gastritis to develop in the first place, and in some cases prescription medications and supportive therapies.

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Introduction

Treatment options for cats suffering from gastritis include withholding or restricting access to food, correcting dehydration and electrolyte imbalances, identifying and removing the underlying cause, and in some cases prescription medications and supportive care. Most cases can be managed on an outpatient basis. Surgery is sometimes necessary.

Treating Gastritis in Cats

Cases of mild or acute gastritis typically are treated by withholding food for at least 24 hours, and maybe longer if recommended by the veterinarian. This gives the cat’s stomach time to recover and the inflammation time to subside. Normally water is not withheld, but it should be offered in small quantities every few hours. Cats with gastritis tend to become dehydrated and quite thirsty; however, drinking large amounts of water at one time can cause further irritation and vomiting when the stomach lining is already tender. When food is reintroduced, it should be soft, low in fat and highly digestible. Cats should be fed multiple small meals daily until their clinical signs are resolved. It may be helpful to feed a late-night meal to help reduce the chances of early morning bouts of vomiting from empty stomach gastric distress.

In severe or chronic cases, the veterinarian will have to determine the cause of the gastritis in order to determine an appropriate treatment protocol. If a bacterial infection is found, antibiotics can be prescribed to treat the condition. If the gastritis is being caused by an underlying medical condition (such as kidney or liver disease or pancreatitis), appropriate steps should be taken to resolve or manage that condition to alleviate the gastric inflammation. Supportive therapies including subcutaneous or intravenous fluid administration, electrolyte regulation and nutritional supplementation may also be necessary.

If the gastritis is due to a tumor or foreign object lodged in the cat’s stomach, surgical removal of the object is probably the only realistic treatment option.

Diagnosis and Tests