Open AccessSpontaneous Occurrence of Hepatic Lipidosis in a Group of Laboratory Cats
Author(s) -
Biourge Vincent,
Pion Paul,
Lewis Julia,
Morris James G.,
Rogers Quinton R.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
journal of veterinary internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.356
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1939-1676
pISSN - 0891-6640
DOI - 10.1111/j.1939-1676.1993.tb03186.x
Subject(s) - cats , medicine , anorexia , weight loss , choline , body weight , physiology , endocrinology , zoology , gastroenterology , obesity , biology
Clinical signs consistent with hepatic lipidosis occurred in six obese adult laboratory cats, housed in a group cage, 6 to 7 weeks after changing their diet from a commercial to a purified diet. The affected cats lost 30 to 40% of their body weight in this time period. This rate of weight loss is compatible with little or no food intake. For treatment, 5 cats were tube‐fed three or four times daily with a high‐fat liquid diet supplemented with L‐citrulline and choline. All cats tolerated the diet, which contained 35% protein on an energy basis. Substantial voluntary food intake resumed 12 to 16 days after initiating treatment. The sixth cat was euthanatized. These observations suggest that 6 to 7 weeks of anorexia, associated with 30 to 40% weight loss, can induce hepatic lipidosis in obese but otherwise healthy cats, and confirm that with appropriate management the prognosis for cats with hepatic lipidosis is favorable.