Feline Liver Ultrasound

A cat with a liver condition may seem tired.

The liver, the largest internal organ in the body, carries out processes required for life. The liver removes toxins from the blood, manages the level of chemicals in the blood, and helps with the digestion of food. If a vet suspects problems with your cat's liver, he may suggest an ultrasound to get more information.

Function

An ultrasound allows the vet to inspect the internal organs. Besides the liver, the vet can also carry out ultrasound examinations of other abdominal organs, as well as the heart, eyes and reproductive organs. According to Cat World, an ultrasound of the liver helps the vet determine the size and shape of the cat's liver and gallbladder, as well as any gallstones and blockages of bile flow from the liver.

Symptoms

A vet may suggest a liver ultrasound if she suspects your cat is suffering from a liver disease. According to Cat World, a cat with a liver disease may have yellow eyes, skin and mucous membranes. The cat may also seem less active, lack appetite, lose weight and have abdominal discharge. It may drink more water and urinate more frequently. Also, it might have seizures, vomiting, diarrhea and bad breath. PetPlace.Com adds that a vet who examines the cat's abdomen may discover that the cat has abdominal pain or abdominal enlargement.

Procedure

Noninvasive and painless, ultrasound presents a good method to determine the problems with your cat's liver. The cat's fur in the abdominal area may need to be clipped before the ultrasound. During the ultrasound, an examiner uses a probe attached to the ultrasound machine. He applies gel onto the probe, places it against the abdominal skin and moves it to see areas of the liver. The ultrasound machine releases ultrasound waves that reach internal organs and are reflected back to the probe. These sound waves create images of the internal organs for the vet to examine.

Liver Diseases

Since the liver carries out important processes, a liver disease could be deadly. Hepatic lipidosis is a common disease in cats, causing them to eat less or stop eating altogether. Because the body starts to burn fat for energy, the liver needs to break the fat down. If the amount of fat sent to the liver becomes too much, a fat build-up forms and disturbs liver functions.

Another liver disorder is cholangitis, which occurs when the liver and the biliary tract becomes infected and inflamed due to parasites or bacteria. A cat's liver may also experience damage because of exposure to drugs or toxins. A cat may have portosystemic shunts, which cause blood to bypass the liver without being processed. A tumor or cancer could also affect the liver.

Treatments

Treatment differs depending on the type of liver disease. According to Cat World, hepatic lipidosis can be treated with intensive feeding of high-calorie, high-protein foods, and possibly fluid and electrolyte therapy. A vet may treat cholangitis with nutritional support, antibiotics and corticosteroids. Toxin damage can be treated with supportive care. Portosystemic shunts may require surgery and a prescription diet. A vet may treat cancer with chemotherapy.

References

• Cat World: Liver Disease in Cats
• PetPlace.Com: Abdominal Ultrasound in Cats
• Pawprints and Purrs, Inc.: Ultrasound Examination
• PetEducation.Com: Cancer Care