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Section: Overview
A portosystemic shunt is an abnormal communication between blood vessels, which causes blood to bypass the liver. The portal vein is a major vessel in the body which enters the liver and allows toxic components of the blood to be detoxified by the liver. When a shunt is present, the portal vein, or one of its related veins, is inappropriately connected to another vein which creates blood flow around the liver. The most common type of shunt is a single congenital shunt. This means that the animal is born with the problem. Acquired shunts may occur secondary to liver disease.Congenital shunts occur in both dogs and cats. Most animals start showing signs by six months of age. However, shunts have been diagnosed in adults as old as 10 years. There is an increased risk of shunts in Persian and Himalayan cats, but most affected cats are mixed breeds. Male cats seem to be over-represented in this population.
Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is a viral disease of domestic cats that impairs immune system function and causes some types of cancer.
A seizure (convulsion or fit) is sudden excessive firing of neurons in the brain. The seizure results in involuntary muscular activity, abnormal sensations, abnormal behaviors or some combination of these...
Toxoplasmosis is an infectious disease caused by the protozoal organism Toxoplasma gondii. This disease is zoonotic, which means it is transmissible to humans, and pregnant women especially must be careful...
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