Feline Hepatic Lipidosis: Causes and Treatment

1 Feline Hepatic Lipidosis: Causes and Treatment

I. Causes of feline hepatic lipidosis

It has primary and secondary forms. Primary hepatic lipidosis comes from non-disease factors causing anorexia or stress, more common in obese cats. Secondary form follows illness causing anorexia or rapid weight loss. Anorexia or stress drives fat breakdown, flooding the blood with triglycerides and free fatty acids that impair liver-cell function, producing the condition.

II. Symptoms

Affected cats show jaundice, dehydration, intermittent vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation; severe cases bring hepatic encephalopathy with coma and drooling. Clinically, liver dysfunction and intrahepatic cholestasis appear. If a cat refuses food for days with rapid weight loss and yellowed skin/mucous membranes, suspect this and see a vet at once.

III. Treatment

Continuous fluid therapy corrects fluid and electrolyte balance, but the key is restoring appetite and proper nutrition fast. If the cat won’t eat at all, force-feed or use a nasal feeding tube. Severe cases need hospitalization for close care until stable.

If an underlying disease is the cause, treat it; once resolved, symptoms ease and the prognosis is good.

Post-recovery care:

Appetite returns slowly, so most go home with a nasal tube for feeding until they eat on their own. Keep food at a suitable temperature and clean the tube before and after. Test often whether the cat will eat voluntarily. If appetite has returned at discharge, still switch to easily digested food. Appetite usually returns in about 6 weeks; give oral antibiotics for 2–4 weeks. After full recovery, control weight to avoid obesity. If anorexia returns, see a vet to prevent relapse.

Also, impaired liver function lowers heat production, so keep the cat warm. If it has fragile-skin syndrome, handle gently to avoid injury.

In short, feline hepatic lipidosis comes from prolonged fasting and obesity. Control weight within standard range and feed reasonably to avoid anorexia or long fasting.