The liver is a very important organ in cats, since, among its many functions, is to eliminate toxins from the body of the animal. Unfortunately, it can be affected by several diseases that prevent it from performing its function correctly, with negative consequences for the cat’s health.

One of them is hepatitis, which is nothing more than an inflammation of the liver that can appear as a result of various processes. In addition to an early diagnosis and adequate treatment, the feeding for cats with hepatitis is essential for the control of this disease, as we will see in this article of .

Causes of hepatitis in cats

As we have said, hepatitis is nothing more than an inflammation of the liver that can respond to multiple causes. We will review the most common below.

• Infectious agents. The virus that causes feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is capable of causing hepatitis, either in its “dry form”, in which hepatitis is accompanied by nodules, or in its wet form, in which hepatitis appears in the last stage of the disease. Also certain bacteria like E.coli or some clostridia may be involved, as well as certain parasites (Toxoplasma). In addition, generalized infections of the body, either by viruses or bacteria, are capable of triggering hepatitis.
• Drugs and toxins. We have said that the liver is responsible for eliminating toxins from the body, so one of the most frequent causes of hepatitis is exposure to toxic agents for the cat. Among them we find certain types of medicines, such as paracetamol, very harmful for these animals and that should always be avoided in this species, tetracyclines (a type of antibiotic), diazepam, whose overdose can be lethal in cats, or griseofluvin (a drug used to treat infections with fungi). Also, other toxic compounds that are not medicines can cause inflammation of the liver, such as the poison of wasps or aflatoxins, which are toxins produced by fungi that can be found in food.
• Lipidosis. In these cases there is an accumulation of fat in the liver, which can be accompanied by hepatitis. It can be caused by several processes, but it is typical of cats that lose weight so quickly that the liver is not able to efficiently mobilize fats for energy.
• Other causesof hepatitis in cats: some diseases such as diabetes or pancreatitis can cause hepatitis, as well as certain types of tumors and injuries.

Symptoms of hepatitis in cats

La jaundice is a symptom clearly indicative of liver disease, which is described as a yellowish color on mucous membranes of the animal This can be easily assessed by looking at the animal’s gums.

On the other hand, a blood test allows to observe the values ​​of certain enzymes that rise when there are problems in the liver, such as ALT, AST or GGT.

Also, in many cases of liver malfunction, they may appear nervous symptoms as disorientation, behavior changes or convulsions, derived from the inability of the liver to eliminate toxic substances that pass to the nervous system. This is called hepatic encephalopathy.

In addition, in general, in cases of hepatitis you can see the cat decayed, With the careless hair y less appetite of the usual, although this is common to many diseases.

Feeding for cats with hepatitis

Before considering what foods to give to a cat with hepatitis, it is necessary to emphasize the importance of It can not be long without eating, even if I’m not hungry. For this reason, if you do not accept dry feed you should try to wet foods, in cans or envelopes. In the market we can find special cans for convalescent animals that are a good option in these cases.

As a last option they can be administered restorative sera for cats, with a syringe, although you have to arm yourself with courage and force an animal, you can also try the animal’s gums with honey.

As a general rule, cat food with hepatitis should be easily digestible, so it is recommended that it be of high quality, and have antioxidant substances. If there is hepatic encephalopathy, feed with a high protein content is discouraged because it can worsen the process.

To keep cats with hepatitis, there are specific feed which are strongly recommended, in addition to Food Complements formulated to help the liver recover. These products can be found in veterinary centers and specialty stores.

On the other hand, it is also possible to find some foods derived from plants that can be included in the diet of cats with hepatitis, such as colchicine, which is available in pills whose dosage should be controlled by a veterinarian.

El boldo, which can be used in the form of an infusion although found in many herbalists in liquid form, is of great help in the majority of liver problems and its use is indicated in cases of hepatitis. It is advisable to take a few drops in the animal’s food.

This article is merely informative, in .com we do not have the faculty to prescribe veterinary treatments or make any kind of diagnosis. We invite you to take your pet to the veterinarian in case of any type of condition or discomfort.

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