The Truth About Canine Liver Disease

When dealing with an unhealthy liver canine owners do have options. If your dog is exhibiting symptoms, a natural dog treatment program may be your answer. The liver is the largest organ in your dog抯 body, and it is also one of the most important to his health. Canine liver disease is the 5th leading cause of death in dogs. Because so many essential physiological functions happen in the liver, it is critical that the liver is in a healthy state. As with any pet health issue, prevention is always better than treating disease. However, many times we do not recognize that there is a problem until symptoms begin to appear.

Symptoms of a diseased liver in canines can vary widely and are hard to detect in the early stages of the problem. Some common symptoms are:

Loss of appetite

Weight loss ?Obviously the loss of appetite will contribute to weight loss. If the liver is not functioning well, fats, proteins and carbohydrates will not be metabolized properly.

Low energy ?also linked to appetite loss and metabolism problems

Light colored stools - indicating bile production is not normal

Excessive thirst and urination

Vomiting or diarrhea

Tender abdomen

Behavioral changes

Pale gums or orange colored urine ?which can indicate jaundice

You know your dog抯 habits better than anyone, and this information will be invaluable to your veterinarian in making a diagnosis. A blood panel may be ordered to help your vet in the diagnostic process. Because the liver is intimately connected with other important organs, the symptoms it exhibits can mimic disease in those other organs. This can sometimes make the diagnosis challenging.

Causes of liver disease in canines include the following:

Exposure to toxins: Household chemicals (indoor & outdoor), medications found in your home (Tylenol, aspirin, ibuprofen, etc.), molds, medications your pet may be taking, pesticides. All of these can be extremely toxic to the liver.

Trauma: A past injury such as being hit by a car or other severe bruising to the liver.

Infections: Bacterial or viral infections can cause inflammation of the liver.

Secondary diseases: If other systems are not functioning well and are putting stress on the liver canine health is compromised.

Genetic predisposition: Some breeds are more prone to liver problems. Bedlington Terriers, Doberman Pinschers, Skye Terriers and West Highland White Terriers sometimes have a condition in which they accumulate copper in their systems because it is not being excreted properly.

The importance of a properly functioning liver to canine health cannot be underestimated. The canine liver has great reserve power. This can be both good and bad. On the good side it means the liver is only using a small portion of its resources at one time, but on the negative side, it can take much longer to diagnose the problem. Unlike most other organs in your dog抯 body, the liver has the ability to regenerate itself. This is where a natural dog treatment program can prove invaluable. Natural remedies for treating the liver canine owners may be searching for will help protect the liver from disease and also reverse and heal liver damage. Many times a diseased liver can be returned to normal function.