Granulomatous Hepatitis in Cats
Hepatitis granulomatous is a complicated form of hepatitis, which is characterized by a mass of inflamed tissue (granuloma) growing on a simultaneously inflamed liver (hepatitis). This diseased state is most commonly due to fungal infection, but it can also be brought about by bacteria, viruses, parasites, or cancer.
Hepatitis granulomatous is relatively uncommon in cats, but it is not limited by age or breed.
Symptoms and Types
- Lack of appetite
- Weight loss
- Increased urination (polyuria)
- Increased thirst (polydipsia)
- Abdominal pain
- Yellowish discoloration of the skin and the whites of the eyes due to jaundice
- Distended abdomen
- Fungal infections (blastomycosis, coccidioidomycosis, histoplasmosis)
- Bacterial infections (brucellosis)
- Parasitism (liver flukes, visceral larval migrans)
- Neoplasia/cancer (lymphosarcoma)
- Viral (feline infectious peritonitis [FIP])
- Immune-mediated disorders (involving the immune system of the body)
- Drug reactions
- Idiopathic (cause unknown)
You will need to give a thorough history of your cat's health leading up to the onset of symptoms, including any illnesses your cat has had, even if the illness had apparently resolved. Your veterinarian will perform a complete physical exam, including a blood chemical profile, a complete blood count, a urinalysis and an electrolyte panel. The results of the blood tests may reveal abnormalities related to the underlying disease/condition.
The biochemical tests usually reveal abnormally high liver enzymes and bilirubin levels, low glucose levels, and other such abnormalities. Similarly, the urinalysis may reveal protein, red blood cells, or white blood cells in the urine, indicative of infection. As the liver is important for blood clotting, abnormalities related to blood clotting are common in these patients. In some cases, however, a coagulation check may return normal, unless your cat has reached the point of liver failure.
Abdominal x-rays will often reveal an enlarged liver, an abdominal mass, and excess fluid inside the abdominal cavity. An abdominal ultrasound will give your veterinarian further details related to the liver size and also enable your veterinarian to take a guided biopsy of liver tissue for further microscopic evaluation. The liver tissue sample will confirm abnormalities in the liver tissue, providing the means for a definitive diagnosis.
It is important to keep in mind that hepatitis granulomatous is frequently multisystemic, meaning that several systems of the body are being affected, making the diagnosis difficult to define.
The prediction of a disease’s outcome in advance
Anything pertaining to an organ
A medical condition involving excessive thirst
An in-depth examination of the properties of urine; used to determine the presence or absence of illness
A condition in which the skin becomes yellow in color as do the mucous membranes; this is due to excess amounts of bilirubin.
A certain pigment that is produced when hemoglobin is destroyed.
The process of removing tissue to examine it, usually for medical reasons.
A condition in which the liver becomes inflamed
The space in the abdomen that holds the major digestive organs in an animal. Normally referred to as the area between the diaphragm and the pelvis. Also referred to as the peritoneal cavity.
A medical condition in which the peritoneum becomes inflamed