Diet For Cats With Hepatic Lipidosis

For all we know of the liver s function we are still unaware of the exact mechanism by which triglycerides deposit within the hepatocytes of a feline hepatic lipidosis fhl case.

Diet for cats with hepatic lipidosis.

Symptoms of liver disease in cats. This condition also known as fatty liver syndrome occurs when triglycerides accumulate within the liver cells and obstruct the organ s function. Liver diet for cats. The typical cat with hepatic lipidosis has recently lost a significant amount of body weight has a poor appetite and is middle aged and overweight.

In most cases a primary disease process causing anorexia sets the stage for hl in overconditioned cats. Hepatic lipidosis in cats. Swelling of the abdomen. If the cat is unwilling to eat anything a feeding tube should be placed to avoid a negative energy state and the development or worsening of hepatic lipidosis fatty liver syndrome.

Factors that may be associated with the onset of hepatic lipidosis include stress obesity anorexia diet change nutritional deficiencies diabetes and hyperthyroidism. If your cat is not eating consult your veterinarian immediately. If cats don t eat for more than 3 5 days they can develop inappropriate fat infiltration into the liver what we call hepatic lipidosis or fatty liver most adult cats average around 200 220 calories day so even skipping a few meals can result in insufficient calories and secondary liver changes. Hepatic lipidosis hl the most common acquired and potentially lethal feline liver disease is a multifactorial syndrome.

Unfortunately a frequently diagnosed ailment called hepatic lipidosis can severely impair the health and proper functioning of a cat s liver and if not promptly reversed can be fatal. While we don t see this as a primary condition in dogs or humans it s not necessarily a disease specific to cats which are obligate carnivores either. Liver diseases in cats can be caused by cancer hepatic lipidosis and toxic hepatopathy. If hepatic encephalopathy is present a diet with low protein levels can help reduce the production of ammonia a by product of protein digestion.

Hepatic lipidosis known commonly as fatty liver is one of the most common severe feline liver diseases in cats. If your cat was just diagnosed with hepatic lipidosis fear not. The liver s main functions include protein synthesis the production of chemicals necessary for digestion and the detoxification of the body.