Abstract: BackgroundThere is limited information on electrolyte imbalances in feline chronic inflammatory enteropathy (CIE). Animals Three-hundred and twenty-eight client-owned cats from the Royal Veterinary College and University of Leipzig; CIE (139), alimentary small cell lymphoma (29), acute gastrointestinal disease (48) and healthy controls (119). MethodRetrospective study comparing serum electrolyte concentrations between the 4 groups of cats and with WSAVA gastrointestinal total and fibrosis histopathology scores in cats with CIE. Statistical analyses were performed using the Kruskal-Wallis test and pairwise-comparisons. Significance was defined as P<0.05. Results Cats with CIE had higher absolute and relative sodium concentrations than cats with acute gastrointestinal disease (P<0.001). Cats with CIE had lower absolute and relative sodium, higher absolute and relative potassium and lower sodium: potassium ratio compared to healthy cats (P<0.001, P<0.008 and P<0.002, respectively). For the CIE group, cats with a duodenal mucosal fibrosis score of 2 had lower relative sodium concentrations compared to cats with a score of 0 (P<0.017), and cats with a score of 2 had lower relative total calcium compared to cats with a score of 1 and 0 (P<0.015). Cats with a colonic mucosal fibrosis score of 1 had higher relative potassium and lower sodium: potassium compared to cats with a score of 0 (P<0.011 and P<0.005). Conclusions and clinical importance Cats with CIE, particularly those with higher fibrosis scores, have significant electrolyte abnormalities. Further research should aim to determine the pathogenesis for these findings and if intestinal fibrosis could be a therapeutic target in cats with CIE.
