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Monday, July 7, 2008

Propofol for Cats with Hepatic Lipidosis

Posner, L. P., M. Asakawa, et al. (2008). "Use of propofol for anesthesia in cats with primary hepatic lipidosis: 44 cases (1995-2004)." Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 232(12): 1841-1843.

Hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease) is a common disease in cats and is typically found in obese cats that have suffered a period of inappetance. A significant part of successful treatment is nutritional supplemention, often given through a gastrotomy or esophagostomy tube. Feeding tubes must be placed under anesthesia, and care must be taken in the choice of anesthetic regime. Concern has been expressed over the use of propofol in cats with hepatic lipidosis since it is primarily metabolized via the liver, although there is also some extrahepatic metabolism. In this retrospective case series, the medical records of 44 cats (21 female, 23 male) with hepatic lipidosis admitted to the College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, from January 1995 to December 2004 were examined. The age of the patients ranged from 3 to 15 years, and body weights ranged from 1.8 to 9.0 kg. Twenty-seven of the cats had been administered propofol. There was no significant association between the use of propofol or the dosage of propofol and any risk factor, including the need for blood products, number of hours in the ICU, or survival. The use of propofol did not increase morbidity or mortality, and the researchers conclude that propofol can be given to cats with hepatic lipidosis for placement of a feeding tube.
>> PubMed Abstract

Related articles:
Bley, C. R., M. Roos, et al. (2007). "Clinical assessment of repeated propofol-associated anesthesia in cats." J Am Vet Med Assoc 231(9): 1347-53.
>> PubMed Abstract

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library


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