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Feline hepatic disease
The Veterinary Clinics of North America. Small Animal Practice
|November 1, 1984
Summary
Feline liver disease diagnosis requires a biopsy, as biochemical tests alone are insufficient. Common feline liver conditions include hepatic lipidosis and cholangiohepatitis, necessitating biopsy for accurate prognosis and treatment.
Area of Science:
- Comparative veterinary medicine
- Hepatology
- Feline medicine
Background:
- Significant species-specific differences exist between canine and feline liver anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry.
- Interpretation of liver function tests, jaundice, anorexia consequences, and metabolic efficiency vary considerably between species.
- Biochemical alterations (total bilirubin, ALT, SAP) can suggest feline liver disease but are not diagnostic.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight key differences in feline and canine liver function and disease.
- To emphasize the diagnostic limitations of biochemical tests in feline liver disease.
- To underscore the critical role of liver biopsy in feline hepatology.
Main Methods:
- Review of species-specific liver physiology and biochemistry.
- Analysis of common feline hepatic diseases and their clinical presentation.
- Emphasis on diagnostic procedures, particularly liver biopsy.
Main Results:
- Biochemical alterations in total bilirubin, ALT, and SAP can indicate feline liver disease.
- Accurate diagnosis and prognosis of feline liver disease are impossible without liver biopsy.
- Hepatic lipidosis, cholangiohepatitis complex, toxic hepatopathy, and hepatic neoplasia are common feline liver diseases.
Conclusions:
- Liver biopsy is essential for diagnosing, prognosing, and guiding treatment for feline liver diseases.
- Understanding species-specific liver differences is crucial for accurate veterinary diagnostics.
- A range of hepatic and systemic diseases can affect the feline liver.