Symptom Triage｜Drinking, Urination and Defecation

FAQ

My male cat keeps going to the litter tray but nothing comes out. Can it wait until tomorrow?

It cannot wait. Urethral obstruction in male cats and male dogs is an emergency, and in male cats it can be fatal within hours; the high blood potassium caused by obstruction can also trigger fatal arrhythmia, which is the downstream risk to watch most closely. Before you leave, note the number and timing of trips in and out of the litter tray, whether the cat cries while straining, and whether the abdomen feels harder.

雄猫が猫トイレに何度も入るのに尿が出ません。明日まで待てますか。 — 待てません。雄猫・雄犬の尿道閉塞は急症で、雄猫では数時間以内に致命的となりえます。閉塞による高カリウム血症は致命的な不整脈を引き起こしうるため、これが最も注意すべき下流のリスクです。出発前に、猫トイレへの出入りの回数と時刻、いきみながら鳴くか、腹部が硬く触れるようになったかを記録してください。

My male cat keeps going to the litter tray but nothing comes out. Can it wait until tomorrow? — It cannot wait. Urethral obstruction in male cats and male dogs is an emergency, and in male cats it can be fatal within hours; the high blood potassium caused by obstruction can also trigger fatal arrhythmia, which is the downstream risk to watch most closely. Before you leave, note the number and timing of trips in and out of the litter tray, whether the cat cries while straining, and whether the abdomen feels harder.

My rabbit has passed no faeces all day and is not eating. Is that serious?

Yes. A rabbit squatting for a long time without result and straining visibly but passing no faeces often points to gastrointestinal stasis, one of the most common fatal signs in rabbits; once it stops passing faeces and refuses food entirely, treat it as the start of an emergency. Record the time of the last normal defecation, whether the abdomen is distended and any obvious painful posture, then seek care immediately.

ウサギが丸一日排便せず、食べもしません。心配ですか。 — 心配です。ウサギが長くうずくまり、明らかにいきんでいるのに便が出ない場合は消化管うっ滞（GI stasis）が疑われ、ウサギで最も多い致命的徴候の一つです。排便が止まり食欲廃絶を伴う場合は急症の起点とみなします。最後に正常な便が出た時刻、腹部が張っていないか、明らかな疼痛姿勢の有無を記録し、直ちに受診してください。

My rabbit has passed no faeces all day and is not eating. Is that serious? — Yes. A rabbit squatting for a long time without result and straining visibly but passing no faeces often points to gastrointestinal stasis, one of the most common fatal signs in rabbits; once it stops passing faeces and refuses food entirely, treat it as the start of an emergency. Record the time of the last normal defecation, whether the abdomen is distended and any obvious painful posture, then seek care immediately.

When is it acceptable to watch diarrhoea at home?

A single episode of soft stool with normal alertness and appetite is mostly mild and can be watched. If it lasts more than a day or two, or comes with other signs, a veterinary visit is needed. Large volumes of watery stool with dehydration, bloody stool or altered consciousness is an emergency. While watching, photograph and record stool consistency and frequency, note any mucus or streaks of blood, and think back to whether the diet was changed recently.

下痢はどんなときなら自宅で様子を見てよいですか。 — 単発の軟便で元気と食欲が正常なら多くは軽症で、様子を見てかまいません。一〜二日以上続く場合や他の症状を伴う場合は受診してください。大量の水様便に脱水、血便、意識変化を伴う場合は急症です。様子を見る間は便の性状と回数を写真で記録し、粘液や血の筋の有無に注意し、最近食事を変えなかったかを思い出してください。

When is it acceptable to watch diarrhoea at home? — A single episode of soft stool with normal alertness and appetite is mostly mild and can be watched. If it lasts more than a day or two, or comes with other signs, a veterinary visit is needed. Large volumes of watery stool with dehydration, bloody stool or altered consciousness is an emergency. While watching, photograph and record stool consistency and frequency, note any mucus or streaks of blood, and think back to whether the diet was changed recently.