Todayโs path rounds are on ๐ก๐๐ฉ๐๐ญ๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐!
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ญ๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ is a nutritional condition (dietetica) affecting the liver (hepatosis)! It is now quite uncommon due to development of properly formulated diets for pigs.
๐๐ก๐จ ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
This condition affects pigs!
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
This condition is basically caused by deficiency in ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ข๐ฎ๐ฆ and ๐ฏ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ง ๐. Unfortunately, itโs not quite as simple as selenium/vitamin E deficient diets causing the disease. There are actually a few other factors that can affect the levels of these nutrients in the diet, even if the nutrient level would otherwise be appropriate. For example, having low protein in the diet can increase the animalโs selenium requirement, or certain compounds may prevent appropriate selenium absorption by the gut. Similarly, vitamin E levels can be altered by high vitamin A levels in the diet or presence of ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐๐จ๐ญ๐จ๐ฑ๐ข๐ง๐ฌ (toxins from fungi).
๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฆ?
Unfortunately, the exact pathogenesis of hepatosis dietetica is poorly understood, however it is likely related to selenium and vitamin Eโs roles as ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข-๐จ๐ฑ๐ข๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ, which bind to and inactivate ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐จ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ง ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ข๐๐ฌ that can damage tissue. Ultimately, the condition results in multiple small hemorrhages throughout the liver that can be seen at necropsy.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ฌ๐๐?
Typically the diagnosis is made based on identifying the liver lesions at necropsy, then combining those findings with an assessment of the diet.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐?
Treatment primarily involves increasing selenium and vitamin E levels in the diet, or giving injections of these nutrients to rapidly increase the availability for the animal.
๐๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐จ๐ฌ
1-3) Examples of hepatosis dietetica at necropsy!
4) What those small areas of hemorrhage look like under the microscope! The disease causes ๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐ฅ๐จ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ซ ๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ, or cell death in the center of the โlobulesโ of the liver. So, in this example, the red central areas are areas of dead cells with hemorrhage.
๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ
Maxie, G. Jubb, Kennedy and Palmerโs Pathology of Domestic Animals, Volume 2. Sixth Edition.
Smith GW. Nutritional myopathies in ruminants and pigs. Merck Veterinary Manual 2021.
Photos 1-4 ยฉ Noahโs Arkive contributors Jakowski, Harrington, King, Doster licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
