European Journal of Zoological Research
Abstract
Author(s): S. Masoud Davoudi
Hepatic disease is usual in large animals. Increases in serum hepatic enzymes and total bile acid concentration may
indicate hepatic dysfunction, insult, disease, or failure. While liver disease is particularlyusual in foals, progression
to liver failure isn't.Diseases that frequently result in hepatic failure in horses include Theiler's disease, Tyzzer's
disease, pyrrolizidine alkaloid toxicosis, hepatic lipidosis, suppurative cholangitis or cholangiohepatitis,
cholelithiasis, and chronic active hepatitis. Obstructive disorders, aflatoxicosis, leukoencephalomalacia, pancreatic
disease, kleingrass or alsike clover poisoning, portal caval shunts, hepatic abscess, and perinatal herpesvirus 1
infections sporadically result in hepatic failure. Less frequently, hepatic failure is relatedby endotoxemia, steroid
administration, inhalant anesthesia, systemic granulomatous disease, and drug-induced amyloidosis,
hyperammonemia in Morgan foals, parasite damage, iron toxicity, or following neonatal isoerythrolysis.
