If there’s one thing that causes your cat a lot of health problems, it’s a lack of appetite, in some cases either because of stress or as a result of another illness, or for other reasons, the cat stops eating and is much more dangerous to him than you think.
One of the problems that causes the lack of appetite of the cat is the appearance of liver diseases, that is, diseases that compromise the functioning of the liver, pathologies that can become fatal in 90% of cases.Liver disease includes fatty liver disease in cats.Animal Expert explains, in this article, what the symptoms and treatment of this problem are.Read!
- Fatty liver disease.
- Also known as feline fatty liver lipidosis.
- Is the organic disease that most affects cats.
- Whether male or female.
- Consists of a buildup of fat in the liver that impedes its proper functioning.
- The body is compromised.
- Resulting in very high mortality with this disease.
It can affect cats of any age, but is more common in animals older than 5 years, especially if they live indoors and have weight problems.It is usually useful when the animal’s food cycle is interrupted, either because it is subject to an overly strict diet (which you should never do), or because, due to other health conditions or stressful situations, the animal has lost its appetite.
What happens is that due to the lack of food, the body begins to carry the fats that reaches the liver for processing, however, when the lack of appetite spreads to the liver, the liver is overloaded, unable to synthesize all the fats, accumulating them in that organ.Given this accumulation of fat in the region, the liver collapses.
A cat that suffers from physical discomfort that stops eating for a day is not a cause for concern, but on the second day the veterinarian should be consulted immediately, as the feline organism is damaged very quickly by the lack of food.
First of all, obesity is a determining factor when it comes to suffering fatty liver in cats, especially when for some reason the feline begins to lose extra kilos more very quickly, in addition, anything that causes the cat to stop eating is dangerous for the cat, whether it refuses to do so in a stressful situation , or don’t like food (if you’ve changed your usual diet or because you’re fed up with the same taste), among other problems.these factors cause anorexia, which also involves liver failure.
In addition, certain diseases, such as heart disease or kidney disease, cause a lack of appetite, as well as pancreatitis, gastroenteritis, cancer and any type of diabetes.Similarly, mouth-related problems, such as injuries, infections such as gingivitis, trauma, and anything that makes eating a painful or difficult act, make the cat not want to eat.
Similarly, the lack of a regulated meal schedule, which results in inconsistency in food administration, causes eating disorders and creates stress in the cat, since it never knows when its next meal will be (remember that they are routine animals), causing this disease in the liver.
Lack of appetite and, therefore, weight are the most obvious symptoms. The cat may vomit and have diarrhea or even constipation, accompanied by dehydration and general weakness, so you will notice that you are tired.
When liver failure occurs bilirubin levels increase and jaundice, yellowing skin, gums and eyeballs may be noticed; the cat can also show tremors and adopt an indolent attitude towards itself, causing it to stop making its hygiene; a veterinarian examining the abdomen may reveal inflamed liver in cats.
If hepatic steatosis in cats is advanced, the veterinarian may, at first glance, identify yellow signs of jaundice, in addition to feeling the inflamed liver. To confirm that this is feline liver lipidosis, additional tests are needed:
In addition, in addition to a physical examination and any information you may provide to the veterinarian about the signs of the disease and the condition of the feline, tests will be needed to determine the source of liver disease.
At an early stage, it is likely that after being diagnosed with hepatic lipidosis (or fatty liver disease in cats), the cat will need to be hospitalized for a few days, during which time it will receive fluid therapy, necessary to combat dehydration.lack of nutrients and weakness of your body.
After that, which is only an emergency treatment, the most important thing is that feline eats again, but this is usually complicated in most cases, it may not be enough to offer you your favorite dish, but the most common thing is that continue without eating.For this reason, assisted feeding may be required.The first is to try puree administered with a syringe, but if it does not work, the veterinarian will place a tube in the nose or neck of the animal to carry the food directly in the stomach.Treatment may be necessary for weeks or even months.The specialist will indicate the type, size of portions and daily frequency of food.
In addition, it is necessary to treat the disease that causes liver failure, and food that stimulates appetite is also recommended because the ultimate goal is not only to control the disease, but also to allow the animal to lead a normal life by eating alone.
This article is for informational purposes only, in Animal Expert.com.br we cannot prescribe veterinary treatments or make any type of diagnosis, we suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case of any condition or discomfort.
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