Owner's Guide to Jaundice in Cats
Jaundice in cats occurs when their bodies have too much bilirubin. Bilirubin is a substance produced after red blood cells have been processed. It's important to distinguish that jaundice is not a disease. It is a sign that your cat is affected with one of many different diseases.
CausesThis condition can occur for many reasons. One of the most common causes is destruction of red blood cells within your cat's body. The cells can be destroyed within the liver, spleen, or blood vessels. Diseases of the liver may also bring about this condition. Another one of the common causes is an obstruction of the bile duct. This can occur anywhere in the bile duct or inside the gall bladder. Certain medications can also cause jaundice.
Symptoms
The most common sign of jaundice in cats is a yellowish color to the skin, gums, or whites of the eyes. Other symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, breathing difficulty, and lethargy. It is also common for cats with jaundice to lose their appetite which usually results in weight loss.
Diagnosis
It is relatively easy for your veterinarian to determine if your cat has this jaundice. However, as mentioned earlier, many different diseases can cause this condition. Therefore, the vet will need to determine the underlying cause.
Treatment
Since jaundice in cats is not a disease, the underlying problem needs to be treated before it will go away. If the underlying disease can be determined, it will need to be treated. However, some diseases that cause jaundice such as certain cancers are very severe and incurable. These diseases are usually fatal.
Besides jaundice, there are many other illnesses that can affect your cat such as feline hyperthyroidism. Luckily, cat-illnesses.com provides all of the information you need to learn about these illnesses. So, stop by today to read up on common conditions like cat ringworm.
By D Swain
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
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