Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with hair loss linked to liver cancer symptoms
By Marconato, Laura et al.·Published in Veterinary dermatology·2007·Clinica Veterinaria L'Arca, Italy·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Paraneoplastic alopecia associated with hepatocellular carcinoma in a cat.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 15-year-old spayed female domestic shorthair cat was brought in with hair loss on her belly, legs, and tail, along with a decreased appetite, weight loss, and signs of depression. The hair loss started about a week before her visit and was linked to a serious liver tumor called hepatocellular carcinoma. Unfortunately, despite the diagnosis, the cat's condition was severe, and she did not survive. This case highlights a rare type of hair loss in cats that can be associated with liver cancer.
People also search for: cat hair loss liver cancer · why is my cat losing weight · symptoms of liver disease in cats
Abstract
A 15-year-old spayed female domestic shorthair cat presented with alopecia associated with hepatocellular carcinoma. Clinical signs, which had commenced 6 months previously, included loss of appetite, loss of weight, and depression. As reported by the owner, the cat developed alopecia a week before referral. The hair loss was localized to the ventral aspect of the thorax and abdomen, medial aspect of front and hind limbs, and ventral aspect of the tail, and was associated with histological features consistent with paraneoplastic alopecia. At necropsy, multiple hepatic nodules were observed, and subsequent histopathological investigation showed cords and sheets of hepatocyte-like neoplastic cells positive for the hepatocyte marker (Hep Par 1), thereby demonstrating the hepatocellular origin of the tumour, which was diagnosed as a hepatocellular carcinoma. This is the first report of feline paraneoplastic alopecia associated with hepatocellular carcinoma confirmed by the Hep Par 1 marker.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17610493/