TL;DR: Blood in a cat's diarrhea often indicates lower GI inflammation and requires high-priority veterinary attention, especially if accompanied by vomiting or lethargy.
What does it mean if I see blood in my cat's diarrhea?
Finding bright red blood streaks in your cat's stool, a condition known as hematochezia, typically indicates irritation or inflammation in the lower gastrointestinal tract, such as the colon or rectum. This can be caused by various issues ranging from dietary indiscretion and parasites to more severe infections or inflammatory bowel disease.
Is blood in my cat's diarrhea considered a medical emergency?
- Urgency Level: High. Any amount of blood in stool should be treated as a high priority.
- Seek immediate emergency care if the bloody diarrhea is accompanied by vomiting, lethargy, pale gums, or a total loss of appetite.
- Immediate intervention is necessary to prevent dehydration and address potential internal bleeding or severe infection.
Why should I take a photo of my cat's bloody stool to help with triage?
- A photo allows the vet to identify the exact color of the blood, such as bright red versus dark and tarry.
- It provides visual evidence of stool consistency for a more accurate severity assessment.
- Having a photo helps the veterinary team prioritize your cat’s care during the triage process.
Clinical Context (Merck Veterinary Manual)
Blood in the feces indicates a hemorrhagic, fibrino-necrotic enteritis of the small or large intestine. Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE) presents with the acute onset of bloody diarrhea, potentially leading to hypovolemic shock. Clinical signs may include tachypnea, tachycardia, marked depression, and explosive diarrhea followed by extreme dehydration. In severe cases, death can occur within hours, even before diarrhea is evident. Physical examination may reveal poor capillary refill time, purplish mucous membranes, and cold extremities indicating hypovolemic and endotoxic shock. Diagnostic considerations include fecal pathogen cultures (e.g., *Clostridium* spp, *Salmonella* spp, *Yersinia* spp, *Campylobacter* spp, *Escherichia coli*) and evaluation for *Clostridium* spp enterotoxin by fecal ELISA. A complete blood count may show hemoconcentration and neutrophilic leukocytosis; neutropenia raises concern for sepsis or parvovirus enteritis.
Chapter: Gastroenterology, Infectious Disease
Source: The Merck Veterinary Manual, 11th Edition (Page 156)