Chocco the cat originally visited our clinic for a simple groom. After a passing comment about his health, however, a thorough history and complete physical examination were performed. It was identified that the patient had been suffering from weight loss and frequent vomiting for approximately two years.
Previous diagnostics at a clinic out of town yielded no answers as to the cause of his illness, and the client had accepted there was nothing that could be done. Our examination identified that Chocco's intestines felt abnormally thick, and an x-ray of the abdomen confirmed this suspicion. It can be seen in the x-ray that the intestinal walls are thick and irregular. These signs are consistent with one of two conditions - a type of cancer called small cell intestinal lymphoma, or inflammatory bowel disease.
The only way to differentiate between the two is by taking surgical biopsies which are invasive and costly. Fortunately, the treatment for both conditions are similar and thus the client opted for a treatment trial.
It's now three weeks down the track and Chocco is doing much better with treatment. All vomiting has stopped and he has gained back 300g in weight! Both conditions carry a good prognosis with treatment and Chocco is expected to live a happy, healthy life from now on.