“Behavioral disorders are accurately diagnosed by the absence of any underlying medical disorder,” the doctor explains. If a medical cause is found and treated, the pica should cease.Īnd if an underlying medical disorder cannot be found? It is at that point that a behavioral rather than a medical cause should be considered. If a cat displays pica behavior, “it is imperative that he be thoroughly evaluated by a veterinarian,” Dr. In addition to observing the pica itself, “owners should look for subtle signs of gastrointestinal upset such as flatulence, stomach gurgling, lip licking, and repetitive swallowing or drooling,” says Dr. Some medical causes of pica include inflammatory bowel disease, chronic pancreatitis, and giardia. That’s not just because pica can lead to obstructions in the gastrointestinal tract but also because it can be a sign of an underlying medical condition. “Pica symptoms should be taken seriously,” says Tufts veterinary internist Michael Stone, DVM. If indigestible items are swallowed, they can become lodged in a cat’s intestine, creating a potentially life-threatening blockage requiring a surgical fix. The word comes from the Latin picave, which means magpie - a bird that has notorious, indiscriminate dietary customs.Įating non-food materials is not just weird it’s dangerous.
The medical term for this bizarre behavior is pica. Does your cat lick or devour non-food items while displaying passionate interest in those objects? Is he eating nylon stockings or chomping down on paper towels?
0 kommentar(er)
