A Feline Intestinal Adenocarcinoma in Domestic Shorthair Cat: A Case Report

Abstract

A 15-year-old, spayed female domestic shorthair cat was presented with clinical signs of weight loss, decreased appetite, and chronic vomiting persisting for more than 3 months. The cat had been given fenbendazole, probiotics, and a hydrolyzed diet; however, the symptoms, including vomiting and diarrhea, waxed and waned. The biochemical results revealed that feline pancreatic lipase, serum folate, and serum cobalamin were still within normal limits. Diagnostic imaging, including abdominal radiograph and ultrasonography, revealed a mass-like lesion cranially located in the urinary bladder and a significant thickening of the small intestinal wall. Due to the marked thickening and apparent obstruction of the jejunal wall, a jejunal resection and anastomosis were performed. The resected jejunal tissue was submitted for fungal culture and histopathologic examination. The microscopic diagnosis of the resected tissue was intestinal adenocarcinoma. Fungal culture on Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA⁺) was identified as Aspergillus sp. with a suspect of A. fumigatus. However, no fungal elements were detected by histopathology, and there was no positivity on Periodic Acid Schiff staining. Thus, a fungal infection is indefinite. Abdominal ultrasound conducted three days post-operation revealed a normal wall’s thickness, normal peristalsis, and no dilation of the small intestine. There was no evidence of ascites or peritonitis. No signs of recurrence were detected during the 78 days post-operation. Nevertheless, the disease relapsed with neoplastic abdominal effusion, and a cat died four months after the operation.