liver health

Question
I have written to you before (about 5 weeks ago), when my 6 year old rabbit had a sudden stomach bloat, and had surgery for decompression. She went through a rough week including hepatic lipidosis,  but I was blessed with a wonderful rabbit-savy vet, and between round the clock feedings of oxbow's critical care mush, b-vitamin shots and subq fluids (yea I got a quick lesson in all this, since giving your own pet shots on a daily basis were quite different) she pulled through, and is back to her own self. I have read somewhere about milkthistle, and allthough my vet wasn't familiar with this practice,I'm sprinkling about 1/4 of a capsule on her morning bowl of greens. It's 175 mg milkthistle exctract in powder form.Do you have any experience or knowledge with this? Is there other things I can do to boost her liver longterm?
She's going back to the vet end of the month for teeth check and another bloodtest for liver enzymes.
Thanks for your advice, now as well as the past, - much appreciated.  

Answer
Dear Nora,

Your bunny is very lucky to be alive after a bloat; most rabbits don't survive this, and it's a real testament to your loving care and the skill of the vet that she pulled through.

I have used milk thistle on occasion, though not often enough to say whether it really works.  I do know that lots of rabbit folk use it for liver support, and some swear by it.  Bottom line:  It won't hurt, and might help.  So give it a try.

Other liver support can be given with Vitamin B injections.  But the liver is very good at healing itself, and in a few weeks she should be better.  Bloodwork to check her liver enzymes will help you and the vet monitor her recovery, so that's a good idea that you've already had.

I'm so glad she's recovering!  She's lucky to have such a caring mom!

Hope this helps, and that she never has an episode like this again.

Dana