Feline Cholangitis

Cholangitis is common in felines, including neutrophilic, lymphocytic, and chronic cholangitis (liver fluke). History, physical examination, laboratory testing, and abdominal ultrasound support a diagnosis. Diagnosis using hepatic histopathology and/or bile analysis is ideal but not always practical. Neutrophilic cholangitis is associated with bacterial cholecystitis, pancreatitis, and inflammatory bowel disease. The typical presentation is a short illness with lethargy, inappetence, pyrexia, and jaundice. Lymphocytic cholangitis, suspected to be immune-mediated, can have a prolonged clinical course with weight loss and ascites as the predominant features. The prevalence of liver fluke infestation in cats varies worldwide and clinical manifestations are uncommonly reported.