Veterinarians have long known that Abyssinian cats suffer from Kidney amyloidosis, which runs in families. Recently it has been discovered that amyloidosis also presents itself in the liver of Siamese cats.
The liver is the main organ responsible for the absorption and metabolizing of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and soluble foods. It also filters toxins and waste and it also stores vitamins and minerals. The liver performs its function by means of blood.
The liver is an amazing organ that is said to effectuate more than a 1,000 different tasks. It continues to function even when it is damaged because each part of the liver performs the same duties. Therefore if one section is no longer functioning the other sections will compensate by working harder to perform its vital life sustaining tasks. Because of this, liver disease is very difficult to diagnose and a cat can live for years with liver problems without it ever being detected. It would take nearly two thirds of the liver to be damaged before severe malfunctioning would begin to show.
The amyloid (which means resembling starch), is a wax-like see through substance made up of protein fibers. When there is a buildup of these proteins they accumulate in various organs of the body. The amyloid substance is also full of polysaccharides which are starch and celluloid and sugar bonds). This buildup of the amyloid substance is known as amyloidosis and is the primary cause of diabetes in cats and other animals. Cats contract amyloidosis far more often than dogs. Amyloidosis damages the organs it attacks and these organs become enlarged and malfunction. This condition can also render the liver vulnerable enough to rupture. When this happens the organ will bleed and the cat will hemorrhage. Another condition known as peliosis hepatica can also happen due to amyloidosis or result on its own, it too can cause hemorrhaging of the liver that will spill into the abdominal cavity. These diseases are most commonly noted in Siamese and Oriental cats but any cat can contract the diseases as well.
Causes
Tissue degeneration
Inflammation which causes the development of Acute Phase Reactant Proteins (APP) and thus produces the amyloid.
Diabetes mellitus - a condition of excessive amounts of glucose sugars in the blood.
Possibility of stress, after surgery or moving to a new home, or any severe stressor for the cat
Not all causes of liver amyliodosis is known at this particular time.
Symptoms
There are very few symptoms that are exclusive to amyliodosis and liver disease but here are the symptoms that can occur and suggest liver disease
Jaundice
Vomiting
Lose of appetite
Distended abdomen due to the enlargement of the liver
gray-white coloring in the stools
fever
Behavior changes
Seizures
Excessive thirst
Diagnostic Testing
A number of tests are used to detect liver disease,
Urinalysis
Blood tests - which test the enzymes and indicates which function of the liver is affected.
Bile tests
Coagulation tests which can help determine if there is any hemorrhaging
Liver biopsy (taking a slice of the liver to determine anomalies)
Different imaging tests such as ultrasound, x-rays, and radiography
Treatment
Intravenous injections might be necessary to keep the cat from dehydrating,
A special diet, reduced in fats and sugars,
Possible drug therapy
However some researchers caution that there are no effective treatments on the market to date.
If you suspect that your cat has any of the above mentioned symptoms, especially if it is a Siamese cat or is overweight, or middle to elderly, seek a veterinarians advise immediately. If your cat does have liver amyliodosis, together you will find a treatment plan that perhaps can make your cat's quality of life more comfortable.
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