Casey Wolfe

 Also know as Feline fatty liver syndrome  It is one of the most common forms of liver disease in cats.  Although it has no known cause, obesity is shown to increase the risk of getting FHL.

 Disease will start when the cats stop eating due to lack of appetite which will force the liver to convert normal body fat into energy that the body cannot use  Once this process has continued to a certain point, the disease has officially onset.

Early Stage Symptoms:  Anorexia  Lack of appetite  Vomiting Late Stage Symptoms:  Jaundice  Seizures  Drooling  Coma

 Treatment of FHL is usually some form of aggressive feeding. If left untreated, cats can die of severe malnutrition or liver failure.  Tube feeding can be considered if the disease has progressed enough.  Feeding through a syringe is another option, but if the cat stops vomiting and regains it’s appetite, regular dish-feeding can resume.

 Some companies make diets that are specifically formulated to help cats with liver diseases.  Hills prescription diet l/d is the best example, but alternative diets such as Hills a/d exist.

 Hills l/d would be a better option than regular pet food because it is highly digestible, with high quality protein sources that reduce the liver workload and aid in the regeneration of liver tissue.  Added antioxidant nutrients like Vitamin E, Vitamin C and selenium help combat oxidative stress.

 Any supplement containing SAMe (S- Adenosyl Methionine) would be a great addition to FHL patients’ diets.  SAMe increases the level of glutathione in the body. Glutathione is naturally produced by the liver, but patients who’s livers have been compromised have been shown to have a decreased level.  SAMe is extremely beneficial in liver health  SAMe is mainly used in the liver for anabolic and metabolic reactions and can lead to liver failure or Alzheimer's Disease (AD) if SAMe body levels get too low.