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Section: Overview
Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a degenerative disease of the brain caused by severe hepatic insufficiency in advanced liver disease. It is characterized by abnormal mental status, an altered state of consciousness and impaired neurologic function. The most common cause is a congenital abnormality present at birth called a portosystemic shunt. This is an anatomical defect that causes blood to be diverted around the liver instead of passing through the liver. The liver cannot detoxify the blood and the toxins reach the brain and cause the clinical syndrome. Patients with liver failure due to toxic or infectious causes can also exhibit signs of HE.There is no age, sex, or breed predisposition for animals with toxic or infectious liver disease; however, animals with congenital portosystemic shunts are usually brought to the veterinarian within the first year of life.
A seizure (convulsion) is a series of involuntary contractions of the voluntary muscles, abnormal sensations, abnormal behaviors or some combination of these events. Seizures are symptoms – they are not...
Anorexia is a term used to describe the situation where an animal loses his appetite and does not want to eat or is unable to eat. Appetite is psychological, as compared to hunger, which is aroused by...
At one time or another your dog may have a bout of vomiting, usually from eating too much or too fast. Vomiting may be just a sign of a minor problem – or it could be something very serious.
Diarrhea is defined as rapid movement of fecal matter through the intestines. This usually results in poor absorption of water, nutrients and electrolytes and, consequently, loose, runny stools. Chronic...
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