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Liver: Liver Diseases
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Liver disease: Liver disease refers to any disorder of the liver. The liver is a large organ in the upper right abdomen that aids in digestion and removes waste products from the blood.
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Liver enlargement is usually an indicator of liver disease, although there are usually no symptoms associated with a slightly enlarged liver (hepatomegaly). Symptoms of a grossly enlarged liver include abdominal discomfort or "feeling full."
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Liver disease may be diagnosed by a physician during a physical examination that includes a medical history and list of medications. Tests that may be performed include liver function tests, ultrasound, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and liver biopsy.
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Alcohol is a potent toxin to the liver. Excessive intake can lead to cirrhosis and its complications, including liver cancer. Heavy drinkers are not the only individuals at risk for liver diseases, as damage can occur in even some moderate "social drinkers." The hepatitis C virus has frequently been isolated from patients with alcoholic liver disease. In fact, these patients have been found to have a higher incidence of severe liver damage, cirrhosis, and a decreased lifespan, when compared to individuals without the virus. It is suggested that the combination of alcohol and HCV accelerates the progression of liver disease. The consensus statement concerning management of HCV released in March, 1997 from the National Institutes of Health further warned about the dangers of excessive alcohol use, and advised limitation of alcohol to no more than one drink per day.
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One of the most common liver diseases is hepatitis, an inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis may be caused by exposure to certain chemicals, by autoimmune diseases, or by bacterial infections. But hepatitis is most often caused by one of several viruses. The hepatitis A virus (HAV) can produce flulike symptoms and jaundice, but many people who contract it have no symptoms. The disease tends to resolve on its own. Because HAV lives in feces in the intestinal tract, hepatitis A is prevalent in areas where drinking water is contaminated with raw sewage.
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A severe accumulation of fat in the liver, termed hepatic lipidosis, occurs in cats and dogs and is idiopathic in the cat. Underlying causes include-primary liver disease, shunts, diabetes, intestinal disease, pancreatitis, cancer, and other illnesses causing loss of appetite. It may be secondary to diabetes mellitus, malnutrition or exposure to drugs or toxins. Diagnosis is based on finding very high SAP (up to 20 times elevated) and SGPT (up to 10 times elevated), and high bilirubin and fasting bile acids. Ultrasonography and liver biopsy are used for confirmation.
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