Liver Disease In Dogs
A Helpful Guide To Understanding Dogs with Liver Issues
Liver disease in dogs is a VERY serious diagnosis that we quickly found out when our Lulu was diagnosed. However, this is a disease that if caught early enough
can be treated and reversed.
ALERT: ETHOXYQUIN CAUSES LIVER DISEASE AND MORE ....
It is used to preserve the fats in any type of fish meal such as salmon, ocean fish or menhenden meal, etc.
The fish meal is typically preserved with ethoxyquin by the supplier and before it arrives to the manufacturer of the actual dog food.
This allows the manufacturer to stipulate on the label that
their finished product is all natural and free of chemical preservatives because they didn't directly add it themselves.
This is common practice in the U.S., but not in Canada.
The foods on our 10 best dog food list are all considered safe and free of ethxyquin. Sardines in water are a good, safe fish if you want to provide your dog a little seafood.
Don't Put It Off - Have Your Dog's Liver Checked Twice A Year
Have your dog's liver function checked routinely; 6 months to one year (depending on the age). 
The liver is the largest organ outside of the skin and can do an excellent job of healing itself providing it's not too far gone.
Unfortunately, what usually happens is that by the time the
dog is diagnosed with a liver problem, the disease has already progressed.
Symptoms of Canine Liver Disease
- Weakness
- Lethargy/Depression
- Weight loss
- Loss of appetite
- Jaundice
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Poor coat appearance
- Increase or even a decrease in thirst and urinating (depending on type of liver disease)
- Urine may be orange
- Swollen abdomen due to Ascites which is a build-up of fluid in the abdomen (this happens early on).
- Abdominal pain
- Convulsions and confusion (due to toxic levels of ammonia and other toxins)
- Head pressing
- Drooling
- Personality change
- Seizures and coma (this typically happens when the dog is in final stages of Hepatic Encephalopathy).
- Uncontrolled bleeding could indicate advanced stage liver disease. Urinary tract, intestines and the stomach are common spots for spontaneous bleeding. Bruising may also appear underneath the skin and the lips.
**Symptoms come and go but are often more serious after the dog has eaten a meal that was high in protein.
Diagnosis And Approach
The reason
liver disease in dogs is so hard to diagnose early is due to the subtle nature of the symptoms and the fact that these same symptoms resemble those of many other illnesses.
There is no cure for dogs with liver disease. However, we highly recommend that you talk with a holistic vet in order to develop
a plan that includes supplements and a diet tailored to meet the needs of dogs with liver problems.
This is what holistic vets do and if you're searching for options on what you should do first - seeing a holistic veterinarian is it. Lulu's traditional vet said she couldn't help her.
As a dog owner and care giver to your best friend, you need to understand how veterinarians work in order to make your own informed decision.
Traditional vets do not treat your dog as a whole.
Holistic vets look at your dog as a whole. They not only want to identify what exactly is causing your dog's symptoms, but what exactly caused the disease or illness that is causing the symptoms (eg: toxins, underlying condition, old age, etc.).Holistic vets will also use a natural approach such as diet and neutraceuticals along with alternative therapies in order to strengthen your dog's immune system and regulate the dog's symptoms. Besides underlying disease; drugs, chemicals and other toxins can harm the liver even more.
It's critical that you avoid inferior food sources, drugs, chemicals or other toxins that may harm the liver (eg: chemical flea/tick treatments, heartworm medicine, NSAIDS, etc.) If you're including fish oil
in your dog's daily diet, it's imperative that you know the fish oil is pure and free of heavy metals and other toxins. We recommend KRONCH.
When necessary, holistic veterinarians will include traditional medicines as well.
What's The Difference Between Acute And Chronic Liver Disease In Dogs?
There are two forms of liver disease; acute and chronic. Acute is when liver disease comes about rapidly with sudden deterioration of liver function of roughly 70%.
Whereas chronic happens over a long period causing the liver to become inflammed. This inflammation is caused by either a viral or bacterial infection, kidney disease or something else.
The following table outlines routine bloodwork for diagnosing liver function in your dog.
The Following Tests Are
Routine Bloodwork For Liver Function**However, a liver biopsy is the only sure way to determine a definite diagnosis of liver disease in dogs. |
| ALT | When the cells of the body are damaged or dying, this enzyme will leak into the bloodstream. This number will increase significantly with Acute Liver Disease in dogs.
|
| AST | This number will also be higher with Acute Liver Disease in dogs. AST is an enzyme as well that may also leak into the blood when there's a liver problem. Your dog's vet will often look at the ratio between ALT and AST in order to understand the cause.
|
| Bilirubin | Bilirubin is a result of hemoglobin breakdown. One of the liver's jobs is to remove all Bilirubin from the blood. High levels could indicate an infection, liver cancer, heart failure (congestion) or an obstruction. |
| Bile Acids | Bile acid testing can determine alot about how well the liver is performing. If it's not working correctly, bile acids enter the bloodstream. If this happens, this number will be high. |
| Cholesterol | Low levels of could indicate liver disease in dogs. |
| GGT | When this number is high it could indicate pancreatitis or an obstruction in the bile duct. |
| Potassium | A low number could mean Chronic liver disease. |
Treating Liver Disease In Dogs
An ultra-sound, CT scan or liver biopsy might be needed in order for your veterinarian to make an accurate diagnosis and to determine the best way
to treat the disease. Depending upon the type of liver disease your dog has will ultimately determine the type of treatment necessary.
Your vet will be looking at any underlying diseases that may be causing the liver malfunction. Once he determines the cause, he can then decide on the
best way to treat the underlying cause as well as the liver disease itself.
Diet will play a tremendous role in managing your dog's liver disease. As mentioned above, many traditional vets will recommend a prescription
dog food such as Hills l/d.
We chose to have a nutritionist develop a few dog liver disease recipes including dog treats for Lulu which we share on our blog.
The best advice that we can give you is to talk with a trusted holistic veterinarian who will work to heal your dog's liver problem using
the most natural methods possible.
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