HEPATITIC LIPIDOSIS
Hepatitic Lipidosis is also known as “Fatty Liver Syndrome.” It is a very common liver condition found in older cats, especially if obese. Hepatitic Lipidosis results when a cat does not eat for a period of time, for whatever reason. As the cat’s body fat is broken down into nutrients by the cat that is not eating, the liver is unable to keep up. Ordinarily, the liver is responsible for turning fat into glycogen and glucose, the carbohydrates that the body uses for fuel. The excessive amounts of fat that start to circulate in the bloodstream when an overweight cat stops eating are deposited in the liver to be turned into fuel. Soon, the liver can’t keep up. The fat clogs it and prevents liver cells from functioning properly. Other functions the liver performs start to suffer, including the breakdown and recycling of bilirubin from red blood cells. The liver processes and recycles bilirubin as red blood cells die. When the liver isn’t working properly or too many red blood cells are dying all at once, bilirubin builds up in the bloodstream, causing jaundice. Bilirubin is the yellow color that shows up in the mucous membranes, skin and whites of the eyes of a cat or person in liver failure. Once this occurs, the condition will be fatal unless treated very quickly.
Diagnosis of hepatic lipidosis is confirmed by blood tests that show high levels of certain enzymes that leak out of damaged liver cells and are picked up by the bloodstream, and by biopsy. Liver cells viewed under the microscope will contain large amounts of fat.
Recovery from this condition is dependent on getting the cat to eat. If the underlying cause for the lack of appetite can be corrected, the chances are good the cat will recover. Treatment of the disease is directed at nutritional support. Nutrition must be provided so the cat stops breaking down its fat reserves. These cats MUST eat to survive!
Syringe or tube feeding is usually required, as these cats feel too crummy to want to eat on their own. Even when the original problem that caused the cat to stop eating is corrected, by then the liver disease has made the cat feel ill. Force feeding may be required for 6-8 weeks. It is very difficult to force sufficient nutrition into the cat’s mouth to be effective. Painstakingly putting small amounts of food and water into the cat’s mouth little by little is a slow and stressful way to provide nutrition. The cat usually hates it, it’s almost impossible to get enough food and water down this way and aspiration pneumonia is a possible complication.
In most cases feeding tubes are placed into the neck or stomach of the cat for ease of feeding. These simple surgical procedures to insert a tube enable the owner to provide good nutrition to the cat painlessly several times a day. At least once weekly, the cat is offered free-choice food. The tube is removed (which does not require additional surgery) after the cat has been eating on its own for at least 5-7 days. Feeding tubes are not harmful when left in and the cat can swallow past the tube. It is much better to leave the tube in place until you are sure the cat will continue to eat on its own. Otherwise you might have to replace the tube at a later date.
