Cat stool issues: Is a GI panel needed? Can it still be parasites?

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The photo is very helpful- I can definitely see the blood and mucus in the stool. Certain liver and pancreatic conditions can cause this, as well as intestinal inflammation. Additional tests I recommend are pancreatic and liver function tests, bloodwork to determine nutrient absorption by the intestines, x-rays, and even an ultrasound. The most aggressive diagnostic would be an exploratory surgery with biopsies. You can talk to your vet also about changing your cat’s diet and adding probiotics. I hope this helps and am happy to answer any other questions you have!

I would recommend that you discuss the possibility of IMHA with your vet. The bilirubin could be elevated because of the body attacking red blood cells. Some blood parasites need intensive treatment with steroids to see improvement. I agree with the other vet, additional diagnostics are needed at this time. An ultrasound will help to evaluate the liver and kidneys and intestines.

Hi there. I am suspicious that Taro may have a gastrointestinal parasite. Even if he has had a negative fecal exam I would still repeat another one. Fecal examinations are about 80% accurate as the body is not always shedding parasites eggs. If the next fecal is negative then I would request a GI fecal PCR panel. This is a test that looks for DNA of multiple gastrointestinal pathogens. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon! Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Yes, they can have Giardia or coccidia without any signs of disease and it can be missed by the lab depending on the test. There are a few different possibilities with what you are describing though. It could be a parasitic infection, but could also be a bacterial infection, or colitis due to an adverse food reaction. Considering you are seeing blood, it's best to have your vet recheck her. They will help to narrow-down the cause of this and provide the necessary treatment. I hope that helps and Kitty gets better soon.

I'm sorry to hear your cat is having GI issues. How was your cat diagnosed with pancreatitis? If the remainder of bloodwork was normal and the fPLI was positive, I would consider X-rays and possibly an abdominal ultrasound for more information. Pancreatitis can be a chronic condition that requires diet changes, B12 supplementation and long-term medications. Pancreatitis can be concurrent with another underlying GI issue, such as IBD or lymphoma. Ultrasound can give more information, but these conditions can only be definitively diagnosed with intestinal biopsies. As the issue isn't resolving, I would recommend your cat be re-evaluated and further diagnostics potentially fine, either by your regular veterinarian or an internal medicine specialist. Good luck!

That is a very difficult situation. You may talk to your vet about treating for giardia (even if the test was negative), IBD, food allergies, an aggressive dewormer, running a GI panel, or referral to a specialist in internal medicine. The next step may be biopsies through exploratory surgery or endoscopy. Many cats with diarrhea of unknown cause will respond to a prescription hypoallergenic diet.

Congratulations! It is good you brought a stool sample in. Some worms do not shed eggs often and do not respond to routine dewormers so I would put in the back of my mind that he may need a thorough stool panel done at a reference lab. Other thoughts include: stress colitis (especially if Onyx came to you very recently!), diet changes, bacterial overgrowth (typically respond to antibiotics and probiotics), and irritable bowel syndrome. I would ask your vet about basic diarrhea treatments and if that does not help, then I would want to pursue bloodwork and a send out stool panel. If you still do not get an answer I would consider imaging like an ultrasound. I hope this helps and that Onyx is better soon!