1. Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad- Pakistan
2. Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi-Pakistan
3. Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad-Pakistan
Author
Correspondence author
International Journal of Molecular Veterinary Research, 2012, Vol. 2, No. 7 doi: 10.5376/ijmvr.2012.02.0007
Received: 03 Dec., 2012 Accepted: 18 Dec., 2012 Published: 28 Dec., 2012
This is an open access article published under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Raza et al., 2012, Use of Chellidonium® (A Homeopathic Medicine) for the Treatment of Icterus in Cats, International Journal of Molecular Veterinary Research, Vol.2, No.7 25-28 (doi: 10.5376/ ijmvr.2012.02.0007)
Icterus (jaundice) is meant for the yellow pigmentation in the blood and tissues. It mostly occurs due to high levels of chemical bilirubin in blood. The presence of fleas, lice or ticks is the predisposing factor for jaundice in animals. In cats, in addition to these, other risk factors include infection with feline leukemia virus or feline infectious peritonitis virus. This case report is about the successfully treated cats suffering from jaundice. Physical and laboratory examination supported and confirmed our diagnosis. After diagnosis, these animals were treated with chellidonium® drops (a homeopathic medicine) orally, for ten days along with other supportive therapy. All the cats successfully recovered after ten days. This led us to the conclusion that icterus in animals could be overcome with the help of chellidonium® drops orally along with supportive therapy parentally.
Introduction
There are certain conditions that arise as complication of other diseases. Icterus is one of those conditions that can develop at any age, sex and breed (
Tilley and Smith, 2000). Icterus, also known as jaundice, meant for the yellow pigmentation in the blood and tissues, mostly occurs due to high levels of bilirubin in blood (
Morgan, 1988;
Radostits et al., 2007). It is the most obvious clinical sign of the jaundice often arises in diseases of liver and biliary system and can easily seen in the gums, the sclerae, and the pinnae. If these tissues normally have a dark color, icterus may not be seen (
Morgan, 1988). Companion animals especially cats and dogs are more susceptible to this condition. In cats, risk for icterus may include the presence of fleas or ticks, infection with feline leukemia virus or feline infectious peritonitis virus, residence in or travel to areas endemic for liver flukes or fungal diseases, prolonged anorexia, and ingestion of drugs or toxins (
Tilley and Smith, 2000;
Morgan, 1988). Other than these factors, jaundice also occurs when the body has too much of a substance called bilirubin, which comes from red blood cells that have been processed by the spleen, liver and by bone marrow. In a normal animal, the liver absorbs, metabolizes and excretes the bilirubin through the bile duct system. Problems result when too much bilirubin is being produced and liver is unable to adequately process the bilirubin or when excretion of the bilirubin is prohibited (
Tilley and Smith, 2000;
Radostits et al., 2007;
Collier et al., 2010).
1 Case Histories, Clinical sings, Diagnosis and Treatment
Case No. 1: A cat (Persian breed) aged approximately 1.5 years was brought to outdoor clinic of Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, with a primary complaint of anorexia and depression. On physical examination, it was found that skin coat of patient was rough, had yellowish sclerae, pale mucous membranes, lip commissures were also pale and CRT was more than 4 seconds. Animal was debilitated and excrete yellow colored urine. Among clinical parameters, the body temperature was 100.2 ℉, respiration rate was 45/min and pulse rate was 140/min.
Diagnosis of icterus itself is straightforward. It could be made on observing physical signs of the animal’s sclerae and mucous membranes.
Treatment: Chellidonium® drops (homeopathic preparation) 30 potency were given orally i.e. two drops, thrice a day as a specific treatment. Following 10 consecutive days treatment, CBC and LFT was again performed which showed positive results towards recovery, the mucous membranes and sclerae became normal and animal showed good recovery in its health status as well.
Case No. 2: Another 2 years old cat of exotic breed was presented to the outdoor clinic of the Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad- Pakistan, with a complaint of fever and off feed. On examining the animal, mucous membranes were found pale, yellow colored skin, gums and base of ear. The history revealed increased water intake, polyuria and polydipsia and also changes in animal’s behavior. Animal was severely dehydrated. Body temperature was 102 ℉, respiration rate was 56 breaths/min and pulse rate was 130 beats/min.
Treatment:
After confirming the diagnosis as jaundice the prescribed treatment protocol was as follows:
1. Chellidonium® drops (homeopathic preparation) 30 potency through oral route, two drops three times a day for 10 days.
2. For the correction of anorexia and energy balance we prescribed one spoon of glucose mixed in milk offered 5~6 times daily.
3. A total volume of 250 mL normal saline was infused through intravenous route for three consecutive days.
After 10 days of treatment animal seemed good in its health status and paled mucous membranes turned to normal.
Case No. 3: A cat of local, non descript breed of about 2 years was presented to the outdoor clinic of the Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad-Pakistan, with a complaint of being off feed and abnormal urine color. The examination revealed that mucous membranes were pale, yellow color to the skin, gums & base of ear and there was increased water intake, polyuria along with change in animal’s behavior. Body temperature was 102.8 ℉, respiration rate was 48 breaths/min and pulse rate was 122 beats/min.
Treatment:
After confirming the diagnosis as jaundice the recommended treatment protocol was as follows:
1. Chellidonium® drops (homeopathic preparation) 30 potency through oral route, two drops three times a day for 10 days.
2. For the correction of anorexia and energy balance we offered one spoon of glucose mixed in milk offered 5~6 times daily.
3. A total volume of 250 mL normal saline was infused through intravenous route upto three consecutive days.
After 10 days of treatment animal seemed good in its health status and paled mucous membranes turned to normal.
2 Discussions
Jaundice (icterus) is not a disease but a condition as symptoms of many diseases (
Radostits et al., 2007). To treat the patient, it is important to diagnose the type of jaundice and to reveal its causes. There are mainly three types of jaundice: pre-hepatic, hepatic and post-hepatic (
Tilley and Smith, 2000). Therefore, the treatment is also different according to cause. After physical and laboratory examination (
Table 1~6), we were able to diagnose that it was pre-hepatic type of jaundice (also known as hemolytic jaundice) in all the cats.
After diagnosing pre-hepatic jaundice, all the animals were treated with oral administration of Chellidonium
® drops for ten consecutive days. After ten days, all the animals showed good recoveries towards normal as their erythrocytic count, Hb. Conc, and haematocrit values became to almost normal (
Table 1~6). Among these, the response of first animal was better than the second and third because those were suffering from other clinical conditions along with jaundice. But within 20 days, the other animals also showed full recovery just like the first one. Chellidonium
® considered to have generalized effect on overall immunity, increases the ability of body to combat infection and also act as liver tonic. As there was not much impairment of liver in the presented cases of cats, that is why the response was very good in all the cases and animals recovered within 10 days of initiation of treatment. After 10 days of initiation of treatment, animals were again subjected to the laboratory tests (
Table 1~6). These laboratory tests assured the recovery of the animals. All parameters started to come towards normal level as shown in
Tables 1~6. Animals observed as active as these were before and their mucous membranes became brightened. They also showed normal feed and water intake.
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Table 1 Hematology of Case 1 before and after ten days treatment
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Table 2 Liver Function Tests of Case 1 before and after ten days treatment
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Table 3 Hematology of Case 2 before and after ten days treatment
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Table 4 Liver Function Tests of Case 2 before and after ten days treatment
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Table 5 Hematology of Case 3 before and after ten days treatment
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Table 6 Liver Function Tests of Case 3 before and after ten days treatment
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References
Collier J., Longore M., Turmezei T., Mafi A.R., eds., 2010, "Neonatal jaundice". Oxford Handbook of Clinical Specialties. Oxford University Press, UK
Morgan R.V., ed., 1988, Handbook of Small Animal Practice. Ed. 1st. In: Diseases of liver and Biliary System. Churchill Livingstone, New York, USA
Radostits O.M., C.C. Gay, K.W. Hinchcliff, and P.D. Constable, eds., 2007, Veterinary Medicine. Ed. 10th. In: Diseases of liver and pancreas. W.B. Saunders, Philadelphia, USA
Tilley L.P., and F.W.K.J. Smith, eds., 2000, 5 minutes Veterinary consults: Canine and feline in: Liver diseases. Ed. 2nd. Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia, USA
