The illness of a beloved pet is always a stressful event. A four-legged friend cannot complain out loud that he is in pain and the owner has to guess for himself what hides behind the animal’s poor health and apathy. One such disease that may not be immediately identified is liver disease.
The liver is known to be the most important indicator of an animal’s health. It performs vital functions such as:
- removing toxins from the body
- producing substances necessary for digestion of food
- blood bank
- elimination of toxins
- regulation of carbohydrate metabolism
Not only the condition, but also the overall lifespan and life quality in a dog depend on the condition the liver is in.
The animal's liver is susceptible to diseases such as:
- hepatitis
- leptospirosis
- viral infections
- bacterial infections
- consequences of poisoning
If you do not pay attention to liver diseases, this can lead to liver dysfunction; healthy liver cells will become covered with scar tissue and will cease to function at full capacity. Liver disease can also be caused by diseases in other parts of the dog's body, such as the gastrointestinal tract. Note that there are dog breeds that are prone to liver problems. These include:
- Dobermans
- Rottweilers
- Yorkshire Terriers
- Cocker spaniels
Often, they are already born with or are prone to certain liver problems. Some breeds, such as Bedlingtons and West Highland White Terriers , are known to have difficulty excreting copper, which can affect the dog's liver function. This genetic disorder predisposes such breeds to chronic liver disease, which is characterized by a buildup of copper in the liver. Chronic hepatitis in Doberman Pinschers is an inherited copper-related disease that affects female dogs more than male dogs.
Causes of liver disease in dogs
To detect liver disease in a dog, the owner needs to carefully monitor the pet’s health. First of all, find out:
Is the food suitable for your pet? An unbalanced diet can lead to indigestion, which puts additional stress on the liver.
Often, liver diseases are inherited.
Liver damage also occurs as a result of aging.
You should be careful about drug treatments in dogs. Some medications, particularly antibiotics, can cause liver complications.
Additional causes of liver problems also include:
diabetes
problems with the pancreas
frequent intake of painkillers and antibiotics
An important factor is food additives in your pet’s food.
Some plants and herbs, such as ragweed, some mushrooms and blue-green algae, as well as corn mold, cause additional stress on the animal's liver.
Symptoms of liver disease
The symptoms of liver disease are not particularly easy to recognize and can easily be confused with other diseases. Therefore, if there is any suspicion of the disease, the owner should consult a veterinarian. Signs of liver diseases include:
- refusal to eat or vomiting bile after eating
- weight loss
- animal apathy
- hair loss
It is worth paying attention to the whites of the dog’s eyes; in case of liver diseases, these become yellow
excessive drooling may also indicate poor health of the pet
It is important to monitor the animal’s stool. When suffering a liver disease, the dog may experience diarrhea or change in the color of the stool, which tends to acquire a faded color
You should pay close attention to the animal’s urine which darkens in the event of a liver problem
in addition, you should carefully examine the dog’s mouth; pale gums are a sign of liver problems
the second most important sign of illness is increased thirst. A dog can drink three times as much water as when healthy
Types of liver diseases in dogs
Liver diseases are classified into several types. These are:
- chronic diseases
- acute diseases
In a chronic disease, the following may be observed:
- chronic hepatitis
- fibrosis
- cirrhosis
fatty liver, which is typical for overweight dogs.
Acute liver diseases occur due to:
- dog poisoning
- infections
- decreased immunity
These conditions are, as a rule, temporary, but if neglected, may become chronic.
Acute inflammatory hepatitis caused by liver diseases can be classified into:
primary, i.e. arising when a dog becomes infected with leptospirosis, salmonellosis, etc.
secondary, i.e. resulting from problems with other organs, for example, the pancreas.
Acute non-inflammatory processes occur under the influence of toxic substances, when there is a deficit of certain amino acids in the dog’s body, alongside liver ischemia, or as a result of an injury.
The liver is a vital organ, and the overall life expectancy of a dog depends on it. The liver performs such functions as removing toxins, regulating metabolism, detoxifying the body and producing substances necessary for digesting food.
Treatment and diagnosis of liver disease
If you notice symptoms of a liver problem in your animal, you should contact your veterinarian. At the clinic, the doctor will perform a series of laboratory tests. First of all, your pet needs the following examinations:
- biopsy and
- blood chemistry.
An ultrasound examination of the abdominal cavity can also be performed. The ultrasound examination will allow to:
- examine the condition of the liver
- identify neoplasms
- determine the presence of anomalies.
As for biochemistry, its results show the levels of key liver enzymes and give an idea of how well the animal's liver functions.
After conducting the necessary tests, the doctor will prescribe treatment for the pet. Each case of liver disease is regarded as individual, so treatment is selected carefully on a case-by-case basis. If a dog is diagnosed with chronic liver problems, the doctor will prescribe:
- maintenance therapy and
- diet
If your pet has a liver disease, you must strictly follow the nutritional recommendations from your vet.
Drugs helping to treat an animal’s liver include:
- suspensions
- pills
- injections
Often, when treating an animal’s liver, medications intended for human consumption are prescribed. Hepatovet Active suspensions can be used in liver problems.
The drug is suitable for the treatment of both dogs and cats. It contains methionine, L-ornithine, lecithin, dry milk thistle extract and dry immortelle extract. Methionine prevents:
- excessive accumulation of fat-soluble compounds in liver cells
- stimulates the rapid removal of toxins from liver and kidney cells.
L-ornithine:
- reduces the level of intoxication
- removes decay products from the body
- participates in the transformation of urea.
Plant extracts:
- accelerate recovery processes
- increase the protective properties of liver cells
- have a choleretic effect.
Lecithin is a source of essential phospholipids necessary for the construction of hepatocytes - the structural cells of the liver.
Follow the prescription when treating your pet with Hepatovet Active. It is administered orally, most often by mixing with food. The medicine should be dosed according to the dog’s body weight. The instructions indicate the ratio of the medicine to the body weight of the pet. Hepatovet Active is a feed supplement and therefore can be widely used not only in sick animals, but also as a preventive treatment for age-related or poisoning-related problems.
