Hepatic Lipidosis

This is a syndrome that is not a disease on its own. There is always another disease present that is causing the hepatic lipidosis. This syndrome occurs when a cat has not eaten for at least 3 days and fat begins to deposit in the liver. The fat will replace normal liver tissue and liver failure will develop.

Any disease or illness that will cause a cat to be anorexic can predispose them to this syndrome. Pancreatitis, inflammatory bowel disease, leukemia, FIP, FIV, and cancer name only a few. Obese cats are also more prone due to their abundant fat stores.

Most symptoms relate to the particular disease that is causing the hepatic lipidosis. Weight loss, anorexia, and jaundice is seen in most cases.

Providing nutrition is the hallmark of treatment. Once the primary disease is diagnosed and deemed to be treatable, a patient is hospitalized on intravenous fluids. A feeding tube is usually placed since most patients will not begin to eat on their own. Some tubes must be kept in place for several months before the patient is willing to eat. Several supplements are needed to optimize liver function during recovery such as: Denosyl, Vitamin K1, L-carnitine, thiamine, and vitamin E.Fortunately, hepatic lipidosis does not cause chronic liver failure and most patients that recover do not have recurrences. If this condition is left untreated, the patient will die regardless of what primary disease caused the lipidosis.