Hepatic Lipidosis
By: Dr. Arnold Plotnick

Section: Follow-Up

Optimal treatment for a cat with hepatic lipidosis requires a combination of home and professional veterinary care. Follow up can be critical, especially if your pet does not rapidly improve. With early detection and aggressive nutritional support, survival rates for hepatic lipidosis are 60 to 80 percent.

Administer all prescribed medications as directed. Alert your veterinarian if you are experiencing problems treating your pet.

Follow strict instructions concerning the care and management of any feeding tube that has been placed in your cat.

Follow strict feeding instructions in terms of the type of food, amount of food, and frequency of feeding, as dietary therapy is the most important aspect of therapy. As the cat improves, tube feeding should be decreased, and palatable food offered so as to encourage the cat to eat on his own. The tube is removed when the cat is voluntarily eating enough to meet his energy requirements.

Your cat should be re-examined every 3 to 7 days to have body weight, hydration status, and degree of jaundice evaluated.

A complete blood count, and a panel of blood tests evaluating the liver should be performed every one to two weeks during treatment.