Case report links Tritrichomonas infection to Addisonian mimic in cat

A new case report in the Journal of Small Animal Practice describes a 1-year-old female Maine Coon cat with Tritrichomonas foetus infection that developed severe hyperkalaemia and hyponatraemia, creating a biochemical picture that looked like hypoadrenocorticism. ACTH stimulation testing ruled out true hypoadrenocorticism, and the cat recovered after supportive care and antiprotozoal treatment with ronidazole. The report adds an unusual endocrine-mimicking presentation to a parasite more commonly associated with chronic large-bowel diarrhea in young cats, especially those from multicat settings. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

Why it matters: For veterinary teams, the case is a reminder that marked sodium-potassium abnormalities in cats with gastrointestinal signs don't automatically equal Addison's disease. T. foetus is already recognized as an important differential for chronic large- or mixed-bowel diarrhea, and PCR remains the preferred diagnostic test because direct smear and culture are less sensitive. The broader literature also shows that ronidazole is commonly used at 30 mg/kg once daily for 14 days in symptomatic cats, but it isn't effective in every case and can cause reversible neurologic toxicity, so confirmation of infection and close monitoring still matter. (cliniciansbrief.com)

What to watch: Watch for whether this report prompts clinicians to add T. foetus to the differential list more often when a young cat presents with diarrhea plus an Addisonian electrolyte pattern, and whether additional case reports clarify how often this syndrome occurs. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)