Hepatic Lipidosis

Digg

Del.icio.us

Stumble

Hepatic Lipidosis

By: Dr. Arnold Plotnick

Pages 1 2

Section: Veterinary Care In-depth

Veterinary care should include diagnostic tests and subsequent treatment recommendations.

Diagnosis In-depth

There are a variety of diagnostic tests that may be run so that a diagnosis of hepatic lipidosis can be made. These tests may include:

Medical history review and complete physical exam. A history of obesity and sudden onset of anorexia after a stressful event is a classic finding in hepatic lipidosis. Physical exam usually reveals dehydration, severe weight loss, drooling and jaundice.

A complete blood count usually reveals mild anemia, and abnormally shaped red blood cells (known as poikilocytes), which are often an indicator of liver disease.

Blood tests that test organ function are especially important. Cats will usually have moderate to severe elevations of several liver parameters. A thyroid test is necessary to rule out a hyperactive thyroid as a cause of the liver enzyme elevations.

A bile acid test is a special blood test that may be necessary. It requires a blood sample after a 12 hour fast. The cat is then fed (force fed, if necessary), and another blood sample is taken two hours later. This simple test assesses the function of the liver.

Analysis of the urine may give information concerning the function of the liver.

X-rays of the abdomen allows assessment of the size and shape of the liver, and may help rule out a tumor as a cause of the liver problems.

Ultrasound of the abdomen allows limited assessment of the internal structure of the liver. It allows some assessment of the gall bladder and biliary system, and may rule out cancer as a cause of the liver disease. It may also help provide a method for obtaining a biopsy sample.

A fine-needle aspirate of the liver is a small sample of liver cells that are obtained by inserting a needle into the liver. This technique requires no or minimal sedation, and complications are extremely rare. Results must be interpreted cautiously, however, because concurrent liver diseases cannot be ruled out and may be missed.

A liver biopsy, in which a small sample of liver tissue is obtained, is the definitive test for diagnosing hepatic lipidosis. A biopsy specimen may be obtained surgically, or may be obtained using a special instrument that is inserted into the abdomen while being guided by the ultrasound probe. Surgical biopsies can be obtained by most veterinarians. Ultrasound-guided biopsies are often referral procedures.

Therapy In-depth

Therapy for hepatic lipidosis is aimed at reversing the accumulation of fat in the liver, and treating the signs of liver dysfunction. The primary treatment for reversing the fat accumulation is aggressive nutritional support.

Dietary therapy is the mainstay of treatment. High protein diets are usually recommended (except in cases where the cat is showing mental signs of liver disease). Because nearly all affected cats are completely anorectic, food is administered through a nasal, esophageal, or stomach tube. This requires hospitalization, and sedation or anesthesia.

Several dietary supplements such as carnitine or arginine may be beneficial in treating cats with hepatic lipidosis, and may be recommended or prescribed by your veterinarian.

Vomiting is a frequent finding in cats with hepatic lipidosis. Many cats require a medication to help control vomiting, such as metoclopramide, especially during the initial 1 or 2 weeks of tube feeding.

Some cats with liver disease develop ulcers and subsequent gastrointestinal bleeding. Drugs that control gastric acidity, such as Tagamet, Zantac or Pepcid, may be necessary to help control this. Carafate, a gastric protectant, may be used in conjunction with the antacids.

Antibiotics may be necessary in severe cases. They help kill off bacteria that produce harmful toxins that may lead to various mental manifestations of liver disease (drooling, depression, blindness, seizures).

Blood transfusions may be needed if the liver is so impaired that it cannot produce adequate clotting factors or cannot regulate the ability of the blood to clot properly.

Appetite stimulants (oxazepam, cyproheptadine) may be tried, but are seldom useful. They seem to work best in the recovery phase of the disease.

Ursodeoxycholic acid, a drug that improves bile flow within the liver, may be helpful in selected cases.

Pages 1 2

Printable Version

Digg

Del.icio.us

Stumble

Share this Article with a Friend Email To:

Have a Pet Question?

Send Your Pet Question to Dr. Jon
and His Staff of Veterinarians

Dr. Jon's Newsletter

Yes! Send Me the Latest Health Information, Pet Tips, Pet Stories and more...

Search Over 15,000 articles

1 Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP)
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a progressive and ultimately fatal disease of cats caused by a coronavirus. It infects cats and kittens and transmission occurs through contact with another infected...
Read More
2 Cholangiohepatitis
Cholangiohepatitis is an inflammation of the system that carries bile and the surrounding liver tissue. It is seen primarily in cats of asll breeds, although the incidence is greater in the Himalayan,...
Read More
3 Hepatic Neoplasia (Liver Tumors) in Cats
Hepatic neoplasia is cancer of the liver. Primary liver cancer is most common in pets greater than 10 years of age. There is a slightly increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in males compared to females....
Read More
4 Jaundice in Cats
Jaundice, also referred to as icterus, describes the yellow color taken on by the tissues throughout the body due to elevated levels of bilirubin, a substance that comes from the break down of red blood...
Read More

Over 10,000 Veterinarian Approved Articles

Dogs & Puppies

Dog Breeds

labrador retriever, golden retriever, yorkshire terriers, german shepherds, beagle, boxers

Dog Medication

dog allergy medication, dog pain medication, dog anxiety medication, dog flea medication

Dog Products

dog bowls, dog crates, dog toys, dog beds, dog ramps, dog food storage, dog tags

Dog Symptoms

dog vomiting, dog limping, dog diarrhea, dog bad breath, dog coughing, dog seizures

Dog Health

dog cancer, dog diabetes, dog epilepsy, dog hip dysplasia, dog health, sick dog

Dog Care

dog vaccination, dog microchipping, dog grooming, dog neutering, dog spaying, dogs mating

Dog Training

dog aggression, dog barking, dog chewing, dog behavior, dog jumping, dog whisperer

Dog Pictures

puppy pictures, funny dogs, cute dogs, dog breeds, sleeping dogs, silly dogs, small dogs

Cats

Cat Breeds

persian, siamese cats, devon rex, ragdoll cats, sphynx, maine coon cat

Cat Medication

cat flea medication, cat heartworm control, cat tick medications

Cat Products

cat litter box, cat food, cat bed, cat flea collar, cat carrier, cat urine odor

Cat Symptoms

cat vomiting, cat limping, cat diarrhea, cat bad breath, cat coughing

Cat Health

cat health, cat liver cancer, cat diabetes, cat scratch fever, cat aids, sick cat

Cat Care

cat vaccination, cat grooming, cat microchipping, cat neutering, cat spaying

Cat Behavior

cat urine marking, cat furniture scratching, cat litterbox training, cat toilet training, cat fears

Cat Pictures

cute cats, funny cats, playful cats, fat cats, jumping cats, lazy cats, sleeping cats, cute kittens

1Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP)
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a progressive and ultimately fatal disease of cats caused by a coronavirus. It infects cats and kittens and transmission occurs through contact with another infected...
Read More
2Cholangiohepatitis
Cholangiohepatitis is an inflammation of the system that carries bile and the surrounding liver tissue. It is seen primarily in cats of asll breeds, although the incidence is greater in the Himalayan,...
Read More
3Hepatic Neoplasia (Liver Tumors) in Cats
Hepatic neoplasia is cancer of the liver. Primary liver cancer is most common in pets greater than 10 years of age. There is a slightly increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in males compared to females....
Read More
4Jaundice in Cats
Jaundice, also referred to as icterus, describes the yellow color taken on by the tissues throughout the body due to elevated levels of bilirubin, a substance that comes from the break down of red blood...
Read More

Hepatic Lipidosis

Hepatic Lipidosis

Related Articles

Over 10,000 Veterinarian Approved Articles