Acute Hepatic Injury is a sudden injury to the liver as a result of trauma, shock, infectious disease, or drug, chemical, or toxin exposure. Clinical signs involve anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea, increased thirst or urination, or lethargy. Diagnostic testing includes, bloodwork, urine analysis, x-rays, abdominal ultrasound, liver cytology or biopsy, and infectious disease testing. The condition is treated by addressing the underlying cause and protecting the liver from additional damage.
Cholangitis/Cholangiohepatitis Complex of Cats is inflammation of the biliary tree and surrounding liver which can occur as a primary, coexisting, or secondary problem. When this condition occurs in conjunction with inflammatory bowel disease and pancreatitis, it is called a Triaditis. Clinical signs can include fever, jaundice, anorexia, vomiting, and weight loss. Diagnosis is can involve bloodwork, infectious disease testing, pancreatic blood testing, coagulation testing, abdominal ultrasound, liver cytology or biopsy, and culture and susceptibility. Therapy includes intravenous fluid therapy, nutritional support, treatment of the underlying cause, and protecting the liver from additional damage.
Cholecystitis is inflammation of the gall bladder. Clinical signs include vomiting, diarrhea, appetite loss, lethargy, jaundice, and weight loss. Diagnostic testing involves bloodwork, abdominal x-rays, abdominal ultrasound, and biopsy and culture once the gall bladder is removed. Treatment involves medication mild cases and surgical removal in moderate to severe cases.
Cirrhotic Liver Disease occurs when fibrotic tissue and regenerative nodules form in the liver causing irreversible damage. Clinical signs include lethargy, weight loss, anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal distention, increased thirst and urination, and jaundice. Diagnosis is made by bloodwork, urine analysis, analysis of the abdominal fluid, coagulation testing, x-rays, abdominal ultrasound, and liver biopsy. Therapy involves nutritional support, treatment of the underlying cause, and protecting the liver from additional damage.
Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency is the insufficient secretion of pancreatic digestive enzymes resulting in maldigestion. Clinical signs include weight loss, ravenous appetite, loose stools or diarrhea, and poor haircoat. Diagnostic testing includes bloodwork, fecal testing, and TLI blood testing. Treatment involves pancreatic enzyme replacement, vitamin supplementation, and treating concurrent intestinal disease.
Hepatic Encephalopathy is a metabolic neurologic disease as a result of liver disease. Clinical signs include neurologic signs (wandering, head pressing, disorientation, seizures, blindness, or coma), gastrointestinal signs (vomiting, decreased appetite, diarrhea, and poor weight gain), and urinary signs (increased thirst and urination, straining to urinate, or blood in the urine). The condition is diagnosed with bloodwork, urine analysis, bile acids testing, abdominal ultrasound, and liver biopsy. Treatment includes fluid and electrolyte therapy, controlling seizures, medications, nutritional therapy, and vitamin supplementation.
Hepatic Lipidosis is the excessive accumulation of fat as a result of prolonged anorexia by the cat. Clinical signs include anorexia, lethargy, depression, vomiting, constipation, or diarrhea. Diagnostic tests include bloodwork, urine analysis, chest and abdominal x-rays, abdominal ultrasound, bile acid and pancreatic blood testing, and liver cytology or biopsy. Treatment includes fluid therapy, vitamin supplementation, appetite stimulant medication for feeding tube placement, and additional therapies dependent on severity of the illness.
Hepatic Neoplasia is a primary malignant cancer of the liver or biliary tract. Clinical signs include anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, weight loss, increased thirst and urination, and abdominal distention. The condition is diagnosed by performing bloodwork, bile acids blood testing, chest and abdominal x-rays, abdominal ultrasound, and liver cytology or biopsy. Treatment may involve supportive care, removal of the tumor, or chemotherapy.
Hepatic Nodules are benign nodules found in the liver usually as an incidental finding on routine bloodwork and abdominal ultrasound. This condition rarely causes clinical signs. Additional diagnostic testing may include bile acids testing and liver cytology or biopsy. No treatment is necessary unless occurring in conjunction with cirrhosis of the liver.
Hepatitis is a chronic progressive inflammation and necrosis of the liver with an often unknown underlying cause. Clinical signs may or may not occur. If clinical signs are present, they include anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, lethargy, increased thirst and urination, or abdominal distention. Diagnostic testing is directed at finding an underlying cause. Testing includes bloodwork, bile acids blood testing, urine analysis, abdominal x-rays, coagulation testing, infectious disease testing, abdominal ultrasound, abdominal fluid testing, liver cytology or biopsy, or liver metal quantitative analysis. Treatment may include fluid therapy, therapy for coagulopathy or sepsis, nutritional support, liver supplementation, and treating a known underlying cause.
Microvascular Dysplasia is a congenital disorder of dogs resulting in shunts within the liver. Most affected dogs do not show clinical signs. If clinical signs exist, they include lethargy, ataxia, weakness, abnormal behavior, bumping into objects, pacing or circling, seizures, coma, anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea, or urinary signs. Diagnostic testing may include bloodwork, bile acids blood testing, coagulation blood testing, urine analysis, abdominal x-rays, abdominal ultrasound, and liver biopsy. Treatment involves reducing protein intake and preventing the absorption of toxins through the gastrointestinal tract.
Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma is a malignant and highly metastatic cancer of the pancreas. Clinical signs include anorexia, weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal distention, and hair loss (cats). Diagnostic testing may include bloodwork, chest and abdominal x-rays, abdominal ultrasound, abdominal fluid cytology, or pancreatic cytology and biopsy.
Pancreatitis, Feline is an acute or chronic inflammation of the pancreas. Clinical signs include lethargy, anorexia, and vomiting. Diagnostic testing may involve bloodwork, pancreatic lipase testing, abdominal ultrasound, and trypsin-like immunoreactivity testing. Therapy is directed at nutritional support, intravenous fluids, pain medication, and anti-nausea medication. Treatment for inflammatory bowel disease and cholangiohepatitis is also indicated if the gastrointestinal tract and liver are additionally involved.
Pancreatitis, Canine is an acute or chronic inflammation of the pancreas which, in dogs, can occur secondary to the ingestion of high fat foods. Clinical signs include anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, and abdominal pain. Diagnostic testing may include bloodwork, pancreatic lipase blood testing, abdominal x-rays, and abdominal ultrasound. Treatment involves fasting or reducing fat intake, intravenous fluids, pain medication, and anti-nausea medication. Dogs with chronic pancreatitis should receive a diet low in fat and pancreatic enzyme supplementation if chronic pain exists.
Portosystemic Shunt is a congenital or acquired condition where there is an abnormal vascular communication between the portal and systemic circulation without first passing through the liver. Clinical signs include lethargy, ataxia, weakness, abnormal behavior, bumping into objects, pacing or circling, seizures, coma, anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea, or urinary signs. Diagnostic testing may include bloodwork, bile acids blood testing, coagulation blood testing, urine analysis, abdominal x-rays, abdominal ultrasound, and radiographic mesenteric portography. Treatment for a congenital shunt may involve surgical ligation. Treatment for both types includes reducing protein intake and preventing the absorption of toxins through the gastrointestinal tract.
Vacuolar Hepatopathy is a benign reversible liver lesion that occurs secondary to excess glucocorticoids or other systemic disorders. Excess glucocorticoids can occur from oral or injectable steroid administration or secondary to hyperadrenocorticism. Clinical signs may or may not exist. If clinical signs occur, they can include increased thirst and urination, increased appetite, distended abdomen, lethargy, and panting. Diagnostic testing includes bloodwork, bile acids blood testing, abdominal x-rays, abdominal ultrasound, low dose dexamethasone testing, and liver cytology or biopsy. Therapy is directed at treating the underlying cause and the administration of liver protectants or supplements.