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Hepatic Lipidosis Hepatic lipidosis, or fatty liver syndrome is a relatively common liver disorder of cats. It is associated with a build up of fat within the liver tissue and a prolonged period of inappetance. Cats that are obese are especially prone to this disorder. It can develop as a result of another disease process such as cholangiohepatitis, liver tumours and obstruction or inflammation of the bile ducts. The normal clinical presentation involves inappetance, weight loss, jaundice and vomiting. In order to diagnose this problem your vet will wish to carry out blood tests to check the liver enzyme levels and the blood cell types (there may be a degree of anaemia). Definitive diagnosis is achieved through liver biopsy and histopathology but this procedure does carry some degree of risk. X-rays will reveal any change in the size of the liver and ultrasound is useful in assessing liver architecture. Treatment involves rehydration and maintenance with intravenous fluids, nutritional support by feeding with a nasogastric tube if necessary, and antibiotics due to the likelihood of infection underlying the disease process. Initial stabilisation can take several days. Over the following weeks the goal is to provide adequate nutritional support and control of vomiting until the cat returns to normal eating habits. Survival rates vary from 50-90% and the majority of fatalities occur during the first week of illness. Recurrence is possible if a prolonged interruption of food intake occurs. |
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