Hepatitis in a cat: symptoms, treatment, prognosis

Furry friends are more likely to get hepatitis than people. In them, it is a liver disease. There are chronic and acute hepatitis in cats. The disease often develops against the background of gastritis, various kinds of poisoning, toxicosis during pregnancy and many infectious diseases.

First signs of the disease

The consequences of gastroenteritis, prolonged treatment with drugs, poisoning by poisons for pests or low-quality products can cause liver cell breakdown. The first call for the owner should be a change in the color of the mucous membranes. Hepatitis in cats is characterized by the fact that the tongue and oral cavity become icteric. An affectionate animal can usually be anxious when stroking, especially when it touches the place where the liver is.

Vomiting, diarrhea, sudden weight loss can complement the picture of the disease. The pet must be immediately shown to the doctor. Do not treat the disease on your own. Properly prescribed treatment will help to avoid negative consequences. Hepatitis in a cat is not a sentence. In the veterinary clinic, tests will be done, on the basis of which they will make a diagnosis and prescribe the appropriate treatment.

Why is the liver an important organ?

1. The liver is the connecting link between the digestive and circulatory systems.
2. It forms bile for the breakdown of food.
3. The liver regulates the metabolism. Forms substances for the work of all organs. It monitors the hormonal background.
4. Normalizes glucose levels.
5. Engaged in the purification of blood from poisons and harmful substances.
6. Saves the body from infections by sacrificing its cells.

Infectious hepatitis in a cat

This type of disease most often affects the liver. Hepatitis can be an independent disease. In any case, getting into the body of a cat, viruses or microbes strike the liver, because this organ with its cleansing function assumes the main threat. Especially often susceptible to viral hepatitis are animals that freely walk along the street. They can catch microbes from communicating with other cats and cats or simply by eating poor-quality food.

Non-Infectious Hepatitis: Causes

The causes of this disease are more diverse. One non-infectious species is toxic hepatitis in cats. Poisons and toxins that enter the animal’s body cause this form of the disease.

Food poisoning is most often the main cause of the disease. The habit of cats not to eat up the entire portion at once can lead to the fact that the food in the cup will acidify and cause poisoning. Mouse cats can catch a poison poisonous rat. In some cases, even the slightest contact with the pest is enough to get severe arsenic poisoning. Pet love for indoor plants can turn into a big disaster. An animal can easily get poisoned by eating a poisonous leaf. Owners need to be careful when starting plants in the house that can harm furry pets. Some cat owners try to treat lung diseases on their own. In this case, do not comply with the dosage or just give the animals preparations intended for humans. Such love can do much more harm than good. It must be remembered that the body of the pet is very different from the human. And that which helps the owner, the cat can kill.

Other causes of non-infectious hepatitis

An animal can also get poisoned by inhaling toxic fumes. Starting repairs in the house or engaging in the persecution of insects, it is necessary to isolate the pet. Although, breathing in the evaporation of paint, the cat will not heal with hepatitis, but nothing good will happen.

Why does hepatitis occur in a cat? Parasites are often the cause of a non-infectious type of disease. They destroy liver cells, affecting it with the help of excreted waste products. In addition, a damaged organ becomes more susceptible to other infections and viruses.

Hepatitis in cats: symptoms and treatment

How does hepatitis manifest in cats? Symptoms of it are as follows:

1. Yellow whites of the eyes and mucous membranes of the oral cavity.
2. Body temperature rises with a viral form. In this regard, the animal may become lethargic, lose appetite.
3. Isolation of bile with vomiting.
4. Diarrhea. The color of feces is almost colorless or gray.
5. Dehydration due to diarrhea. A cat often asks for water and drinks eagerly.
6. Failure of the full functioning of the liver affects the kidneys. Urine may become dark due to bile pigments. Laboratory analysis will reveal the protein in it.
7. Painful lump in the liver. The organ is enlarged and causes pain. The animal does not give in to his hands, hisses and bites.
8. A biochemical blood test shows an abnormal bilirubin content.

How is hepatitis treated in cats? The choice of treatment option depends on the form of the disease. First, it is necessary to eliminate the cause that affected the liver.

1. If this happened from poisoning, then detoxification is needed. Perhaps the introduction of antidotes. Often, intravenous saline is required. At the first sign of poisoning, the owner of the animal can give a small dose of adsorbent (for example, activated carbon).
2. B vitamins and hepatoprotectors will help restore the function of the affected liver.
3. To reduce pain in the acute phase of the disease, antispasmodics and painkillers are prescribed. Perhaps the use of "Drotaverinum" in small doses. The doctor can calculate the amount of medicine, taking into account the indications for taking the drug, the weight and condition of the animal.
4. With viral hepatitis, antibiotics are used. Appointment of them requires caution. The affected liver can hardly cope with additional treatment. But only certain drugs can destroy the virus. To maintain the health and strength of the pet, immunomodulators are used.
5. A complex complex of drugs can cause an allergic reaction of the body. In this case, antihistamines are prescribed.
6. Perhaps the use of alternative methods of treatment as additional. But without eliminating the cause, no home remedies can cope with the disease. Decoctions of chamomile and rosehip will help support the body. They are used as vitamin supplements and antiseptics.
7. The doctor will prescribe diet food. Observe the regime strictly. Proper nutrition will help reduce the burden on the diseased organ and alleviate the condition of the pet. In the early days, most likely, you will have to limit the cat's food to one little water. Next, you need to transfer the pet to porridge. Rice, buckwheat, oatmeal will be the main dishes on the menu. Boiled meat low-fat products can be given no earlier than a week after the start of treatment. Constant consultation with the veterinarian will help determine exactly whether it is time to make changes to the animal's feed.

Disease prevention

It is always easier to prevent a disease than to treat it. Careful attention to the animal’s health will help reduce the risk of hepatitis.

1. Do not neglect cat vaccination. Timely vaccinations will help increase immunity and reduce the load on the liver.
2. A quarterly pet worm treatment according to the instructions will relieve the liver of the load.
3. The opisthorchiasis awaits the cat in unprocessed raw foods. The chance of getting infected is very great if you constantly give your cat raw meat or fish.
4. Food should only be fresh. Do not put portions with a margin in the cup if you have to leave for the whole day. Sour food, especially in the summer, can do more harm than if the animal is a little hungry until the owners return.
5. Do not give fatty foods, especially if from time to time there are problems with the digestive system.
6. Treatment of the animal without establishing a diagnosis and prescribing the correct dosage can cause great harm not only to the liver, but also to other organs. Any drug should be given to the pet only after consultation with the veterinarian.
7. Protect the cat from the accidental use of poisons. Fertilizers, medicines and household chemicals should be stored in closed cabinets so that a curious pet does not accidentally tear the packaging and taste an interesting powder. Planting houseplants in the house, it is worth asking about their toxicity to the animal. You can survive without a beautiful flower, but it will be difficult to save an animal that has been poisoned by it.
8. It is necessary to wash the animal against fleas or treat the skin with preparations with caution. The cat will certainly wash the wet skin with her tongue. Residues can enter the body of the animal and cause poisoning.
9. You cannot let an animal out into the street. Homeless representatives of the cat family are excellent carriers of microbes and viruses. If it turned out that the pet still decided to walk without a master's eye, then it is worth taking a closer look at his condition after a walk and contact the clinic at the slightest sign of illness.

Is it transmitted to people?

Is it true that hepatitis in a cat is transmitted to humans? Not. This disease is not dangerous for people. The etiology of human hepatitis C has nothing to do with animal liver diseases.

Even at the highest stage of decomposition of the pet’s liver, hepatitis does not threaten the host. Although there is still a risk of getting an infection as a present.

The prognosis depends on many factors.

How long a tailed pet will live, depends on how early the owner will pay attention to his condition. Unfortunately, without proper treatment and strict adherence to the diet, the life of the animal can end pretty quickly.

Conclusion

Now you know how hepatitis manifests itself in cats, we described the symptoms of this disease. They also touched on the topic of prevention of such a disease and its treatment.