Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver that might also affect cats. Learn about the symptoms, causes and treatments of hepatitis in cats.

What is hepatitis in cats?

Cats hepatitis is a serious medical condition characterized by a liver infection, most commonly caused by a infectious disease or poisoning. The sooner it is diagnosed, most effective the treatment will be.

Symptoms of hepatitis in cat

Most of the time, you will notice that your cat is weaker: they look tired, don't eat as much as they're supposed to, are loosing weight... You might also notice that their eyes and gums are turning yellow. You might notice that your cat is drinking (and thus urinating) more than usual. In some cases, the animal might also vomit and have diarrhoea.

Causes of hepatitis in cat

Different causes might explain hepatitis in your cat :

  • A virus
  • Food poisoning
  • Parasites
  • A bacterial infection 
  • Anorexia (which is caused by stress of an other medical condition)
  • Genetic predisposition : Some breeds are more likely to catch hepatitis, such as Persan or Siamese.

Treatment of hepatitis in cats

After your veterinarian diagnoses hepatitis in your pet (most of the times through blood analysis), they will start fluid therapy with dextrose.

The most important part of hepatitis treatment is food. Indeed, this condition is a vicious circle because if your cat doesn't start to eat again, they can't feel better. Thus, you might have to use appetite stimulators.

Photo credit : Yummypets

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