Category:Liver - Degenerative Pathology

Equine Hyperlipidaemia

Ovine White Liver Disease

associated with derangement of carbohydrate metabolism

Diabetes mellitus

Ketosis

• due to an excessive drain on carbohydrate stores because pregnant and lactating animals have a continuous demand for glucose
• ketosis results when fat metabolism which occurs in response to the increased energy demand is excessive
• ketone bodies accumulate in the blood and there is marked fatty change in the liver
• can occur in starvation but commonly seen in two conditions in livestock:

Ketosis of Cattle

pregnancy toxaemia in sheep

• occurs in ewes in late pregnancy carrying twin lambs 'twin lamb disease'
• drain of carbohydrate stores is due to rapidly growing foetuses
• serious condition and highly fatal
• clinical signs (neurological)
  • apparent blindness
  • dullness
  • convulsions
  • coma
• sequelae
  • foetuses die
  • apparent recovery in ewe until toxaemia from the decomposing foetuses results in the ewe's death

associated with anoxia and toxaemia

anoxia

• passive congestion
• anaemias

toxaemia

• toxins absorbed from the gut interfere with many stages of triglyceride metabolism