Clinical features of inflammatory liver disease in cats: 41 cases (1983-1993)

Josanne M. Gagne, P. Jane Armstrong, Douglas J. Weiss, Elizabeth M. Lund, Daniel A Feeney, Vickie L. King

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

71 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective - To compare the clinical and clinicopathologic findings in and prognosis for cats with lymphocytic portal hepatitis (LPH) versus cats with acute or chronic cholangiohepatitis (CH). Design - Retrospective study. Animals - 25 cats with LPH; 16 cats with CH (7 acute, 9 chronic). Procedure - Cats with LPH and CH were selected by evaluating records from liver biopsy specimens submitted to the University of Minnesota Veterinary Teaching Hospital during a 10-year period. Clinical and clinicopathologic data were retrieved. Results - Cats with CH had higher segmented and band neutrophil counts, alanine aminotransferase activities, and total bilirubin concentrations than did cats with LPH. Cats with acute CH had higher segmented and band neutrophil counts and lower serum alkaline phosphatase activities and total bilirubin concentrations than did cats with chronic CH. Twelve of 14 cats with LPH or CH had coarse or nodular texture to the liver on ultrasonography, with loss of portal vein wall clarity noticed in 4 of 8 cats with LPH. Sixteen of 23 cats with LPH and 8 of 15 cats with CH survived > 1 year. Of those cats living < 1 year, all cats with LPH and 5 of 7 cats with CH had a serious concurrent illness that may have been responsible for their deaths. Clinical Implications - LPH and CH can be detected and tentatively differentiated through evaluation of clinical laboratory test results, but histologic evaluation of liver specimens is necessary for definitive differentiation. Survival time was good regardless of the type of inflammatory liver disease.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)513-516
Number of pages4
JournalJournal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
Volume214
Issue number4
StatePublished - Feb 15 1999

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