When it comes to the most important organs in the body of animals and humans, as well as the function that they perform, the heart and brain immediately come to mind. The liver is mentioned much less frequently. But in vain. This giant gland is the source of constant scientific discoveries and mysteries that have not been fully explored. It is extremely important, and therefore liver diseases in dogs are extremely dangerous, as they directly threaten the life of your pet.
This organ is truly unique. The fact is that the regenerative ability of the liver is simply amazing: when 70-80% of it is affected by the disease, it almost always recovers. Alas, this is not always good: often the animal feels great and does not show any signs of illness, being, in fact, on the verge of death. Simply put, there are considerable problems with the diagnosis in the case of the liver. Since the external manifestations of pathologies occur too late, regular examinations of the pet by the veterinarian acquire a huge role.
Unfortunately, in some cases, to identify a particular disease, you have to resort to a biopsy. This procedure is painful, but necessary. Don't worry, like we said, the liver's regeneration capabilities are fantastic, so your dog's health is in no danger.
General symptoms
To identify liver disease in dogs at the earliest possible stages, you need to be very careful. Record the smallest signs and, if there is any suspicion of a health problem in the dog, immediately take it to the clinic. You may be able to save her life. Here is the general clinical picture, which one way or another manifests itself in any trouble with the liver:
- Unstable, but recurrent digestive disorders: loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation.
- Progressive depression or lethargy. The dog does not want to play, he also goes for walks with reluctance.
- In the most severe cases, it occurs (dropsy of the abdominal cavity). The dog's belly is sagging, almost dragging on the ground.
- Pale gray feces. The fact is that stercobilin, obtained from bile salts, gives color to feces. If for some reason there is no bile (it is not produced, or it does not enter the digestive tract), then the excrement will be “faded”.
- "Orange urine". Again, with problems with the processing of bile acids in the liver, huge amounts of bilirubin begin to be excreted from the body by the kidneys. By the way, this process causes severe damage to the entire excretion system.
- . This phenomenon is also directly related to bile acids. If the liver cannot process them, these substances accumulate in the tissues of the body, staining them in a characteristic yellowish color.
- Occasionally, there are problems with blood clotting. This is due to the fact that some proteins, which are the most important components of this protective mechanism, are also synthesized in the liver.
- Hepatic encephalopathy. Accompanied by severe behavioral anomalies. The dog may fall into a coma, become aggressive, overly affectionate. Perhaps the transformation into a "vegetable", indifferent to what is happening around.
- Pain in the abdomen. This is relatively easy to spot when grooming your dog. A sick animal immediately tenses up, whines; the dog tries to run away as soon as you start stroking its belly.
- Chronic weight loss. It's simple. The liver processes a huge amount of toxins from the digestive tract. If this does not happen, the body poisons itself. The process of intoxication is accompanied by intense weight loss.
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These are the signs of liver disease in dogs that can be observed in the vast majority of cases. And now we will discuss some specific pathologies.
The most characteristic diseases
infectious hepatitis
As a rule, it has a viral nature. Most often, the pathogen is transmitted by the alimentary (along with food) way. Treatment is supportive care with antibiotics to prevent secondary bacterial infections. For all hepatitis, a proper diet should be prescribed. The dog is given only low-fat high-quality chicken, low-fat offal, boiled and finely grated vegetables, and vitamin preparations are prescribed.
There are also many bacterial infections that affect the liver. In this case, loading doses of antibiotics and hepatoprotectors are prescribed, which neutralize the negative effects of the action of antibacterial drugs on the liver itself.
Other causes of hepatitis
Blastomycosis, histoplasmosis, and coccidioidomycosis are mycoses. These are fungal infections that, among other things, hit the liver especially hard. It is very difficult to treat, and diagnosis delivers a lot of problems. Tuberculosis and is also a great danger to the organ. As for the first, it is not treated in animals, since the danger of infecting people is great. Leptospirosis is defeated by strong antibiotics, polyvalent vaccines are used for prevention.
Read also: Treatment of distemper in dogs
Secondary Liver Diseases
This is the name of pathologies that, without directly affecting the liver, still contribute to its defeat. Such, for example, is acute pancreatitis. The pancreas and its ducts are quite closely anatomically related to the liver, and therefore, in the event of their inflammation, there is always a far from zero probability of developing hepatitis. As a rule, quite powerful broad-spectrum antibiotics are used to treat pancreatitis, and therefore no additional measures are taken to treat the liver.
Similarly, inflammation in the large and small intestines. Since the ducts of the gallbladder open into the lumen of these organs, pathogenic microflora can migrate into it. With all the ensuing consequences. The diagnosis is made on the basis of the general clinical picture, as well as by inoculation of pathological material on nutrient media.
Very dangerous for the liver ... congestive, acute and chronic, hypoxia. The fact is that this organ is the largest blood depot. If there is not enough oxygen in this very blood, this is fraught with mass death of hepatocytes (liver cells). Of course, in this case, one should focus on the treatment of the actual anemia or hypoxia. The liver then regenerates, but the brain tissue can no longer be restored.
All injuries of the abdominal cavity are extremely dangerous: they are fraught with ruptures of the liver, the formation of adhesions, and other unpleasant and deadly consequences. Therapy is only an urgent surgical intervention. If a simple liver injury is diagnosed (due to a fall, collision with a cyclist), then the organ regenerates on its own. For the period of treatment, a diet can be recommended, the general provisions of which we have already discussed above.
Toxic degeneration of the liver
Many medicinal substances, mineral fertilizers, pesticides, salts of heavy metals and other compounds, when ingested by animals and humans, have an extremely negative effect on the state of their liver. In particular, all this is fraught with fatty degeneration of the organ, when normal hepatocytes, roughly speaking, are replaced by fat. This leads to a very strong drop in its functionality. The organ can no longer perform its physiological functions. As a rule, such a disease is incurable in the last stages.
The situation can be saved in cases where the dog has at least 10-12% of normal liver tissue. Veterinarians relieve intoxication, prescribe hepatoprojectors and a therapeutic diet, which involves the dog consuming only light, well-digestible food that does not contain much fat.
The role of the liver is difficult to overestimate. After all, this is a very important intermediate organ of metabolism, which takes part in many functions of the body of people and animals.
Up to 82% of all liver lesions in dogs are associated with diseases of other organs.: pancreas, kidneys, intestines, stomach.
With all pathologies of the liver in a dog, the liver increases (or, conversely, decreases), appears jaundice, pain when pressing on the area of the right hypochondrium, light feces. But remember that the presence of these symptoms does not always indicate liver disease. Just as their absence does not mean that the liver is healthy.
Today we will talk about liver diseases.
Hepatitis in dogs
Symptoms
Acute hepatitis in dogs begins with high fever, refusal of food, general weakness. There may be diarrhea, vomiting. The liver is slightly enlarged. Urine becomes the color of dark beer. Chronic gastritis- does not have a clear clinical picture. The animal's appetite worsens, vomiting occurs periodically. The liver and mild icterus may be slightly enlarged.
Treatment
If hepatitis is acute, it is necessary to eliminate the cause of the disease. The dog is prescribed antimicrobial agents (antibiotics), Ringer's solution or glucose is administered intravenously. They give choleretic agents and vitamins of groups K and B.
When sick, diet is extremely important. Meat consumption must be drastically reduced, as the liver does not neutralize the accumulated ammonia in the body. The source of protein should be high-calorie and fast-digesting foods (for example, low-fat cottage cheese). More carbohydrate foods should be given. You can also give a small amount of vegetable oil (preferably olive oil).
Corticosteroids should only be used to bring the dog out of shock. In some forms of chronic hepatitis, they are prescribed, but in this case, the treatment should be carried out by a veterinarian.
Obesity (lipidosis) of the liver in dogs
This disease is not inflammatory.. It occurs due to a deficiency of lipotropic substances. Dogs with diabetes or general obesity suffer from the disease. Sometimes fatty liver occurs due to medications (against malignant tumors, steroid hormones).
Symptoms
In most cases, they appear dimly and irregularly. These are periodic vomiting, diarrhea and constipation, poor appetite. In the urine, crystals of leucine and bilirubin are found. The dog's liver is enlarged.
Treatment
The main thing is to eliminate the cause. Then the animal must be transferred to a diet. Liver function will recover over time. The following agents are usually prescribed: Essentiale, lipoic acid, choline chloride, various choleretic drugs.
Cirrhosis of the liver in dogs
The disease is characterized by proliferation of connective tissues in the liver, loss of its functions and circulatory disorders.
Symptoms
The clinical picture directly depends on the degree of damage. First, the liver increases in volume, pain is possible. Appetite gradually decreases, in the later stages it is absent. The dog gets tired quickly, lethargic. There are tendencies to bleeding (uterine, from the nose, skin hemorrhage). The dog is losing weight. Sometimes there is itching.
When examining an animal, saphenous dilated veins (“head of the Gorgon Medusa”) are often detected. The last clinical sign is abdominal dropsy, the volume of the abdomen sometimes reaches enormous sizes. Then there is shortness of breath and enlargement of the spleen.
Cirrhosis of the liver usually occurs in older dogs. Therefore, if at least one of the above symptoms is detected, the owners should contact the veterinarian. He will prescribe a biochemical blood test, ultrasound diagnostics, urinalysis.
Treatment
After the studies, the dog may be prescribed lipotropic agents, liver preparations, glucocorticoids. With dropsy - diuretics.
The dog should have a complete food containing carbohydrates, vitamins, proteins.
In the case of development of abdominal dropsy in dogs, the prognosis, unfortunately, is unfavorable.
Lyubov Lozinskaya
When a beloved dog gets sick, the owner does everything to restore health to his pet as soon as possible. Unfortunately, our four-legged friends are prone to a large number of diseases that are long and difficult to treat. These problems include liver disease in dogs.
The liver is one of the most important organs in the animal body, with a unique ability to recover, even if the disease has affected more than 50% of its volume. The quality and life expectancy of your pet depends on the state of the liver.
Symptoms that signal liver disease in dogs
Liver problems in dogs are insidious in that their symptoms appear in the later stages, when treatment already does not help enough or does not help at all, so you need to monitor your pets very carefully.
Common symptoms that may indicate liver disease include:
- poor appetite;
- refusal to eat;
- dog weight loss
- lethargy.
In addition, there are specific signs:
- Jaundice, expressed as yellowing of the whites of the eyes.
- Discoloration of feces - it becomes very pale, almost colorless.
- Increased drowsiness, apathy.
- Hepatic encephalopathy, which is accompanied by a change in the behavior of the dog and can manifest itself as excessive affection, and aggression, as well as inappropriate behavior.
- Problems with the gastrointestinal tract - vomiting, diarrhea, flatulence are the causes of the disease -.
- There may be bruising and petechial hemorrhages on the skin due to the fact that blood clotting is reduced.
- Dry skin, irritation, itching.
- Thirst.
- , accompanied by an increase in the volume of the abdomen due to the accumulation of fluid.
Do not ignore any signs of illness in your dog and contact your veterinarian at the slightest suspicion. Maybe this will save your dog's life.
Types of liver disease in dogs
Causes that cause liver problems in dogs are:
- viruses;
- bacterial infection;
- damage to the liver by protozoa or worms;
- poisoning with chemicals, drugs;
- wrong diet;
- low quality feed;
- autoimmune processes;
- tumors in the liver.
The pathological process in the liver of a pet can be both chronic and acute, it can be inflammatory and non-inflammatory in nature.
Acute inflammatory hepatitis can be primary, that is, arising when a dog becomes infected with some kind of infection - leptospirosis, salmonellosis, as well as secondary, which are the result of problems with other organs, for example, with the pancreas.
Acute non-inflammatory processes occur under the influence of toxic substances, with a lack of certain amino acids in the body of a dog, with liver ischemia due to injury or heart failure.
Chronic liver diseases include:
- chronic hepatitis. Progresses without pronounced symptoms until the liver is impaired and liver failure begins to develop;
- a disease caused by excessive accumulation of copper (Cu) in the liver is typical for dogs of the Doberman, Bedlington Terrier, Dalmatian breeds;
- congenital anomalies leading to enzyme deficiency, due to which metabolic products accumulate in the liver;
- fibrosis and cirrhosis, accompanied by the formation of areas of fibrosis and nodal regenerations in the liver, arising as a result of chronic diseases;
- amyloidosis of the liver, which is a manifestation of a systemic disease of the body and is accompanied by the accumulation of amyloid protein;
- fatty liver observed in overweight animals.
In addition, tumors, which can be both primary and metastatic, become the cause of the disease. Benign formations do not manifest themselves until they reach a decent size and cause compression of the surrounding tissues. In the case of malignant tumors, the symptoms of the disease occur earlier and are characteristic of liver diseases.
Metastatic tumors in the liver result from the migration of malignant cells from the primary tumor, for example, in breast carcinoma.
An anomaly of the hepatic vessels or portosystemic shunt is the process of formation of vessels through which blood from the portal vein of the liver enters the systemic circulation, bypassing the liver itself. Normally, blood from the portal vein enters the liver, where it is cleared of toxins.
If the movement of the blood flow passes through the portosystemic shunt, then the metabolic process is disturbed, and harmful substances that have not been neutralized in the liver enter the bloodstream. Because of this, the dog can develop encephalopathy, or brain damage from toxins.
Such a pathology can be observed in an animal from birth or be formed as a result of chronic diseases, most often dogs of small breeds are affected by it.
How are liver diseases diagnosed?
If the veterinarian suspects that the dog's liver is out of order, then he prescribes a number of laboratory and instrumental studies. Conducting a full range of studies is necessary because the symptoms of various liver diseases are similar to each other.
First of all, a general analysis and a biochemical blood test, an ultrasound examination of the abdominal organs are performed.
A clinical blood test tells about the degree of anemia in a dog, about inflammation in the body and about the general condition of the animal. During the biochemical analysis, the level of the main liver enzymes - AST, ALT and bilirubin is determined, which give an idea of the functioning of the organ and the presence of inflammatory phenomena in it.
In the process of ultrasound, the size of the liver is assessed, their deviation from normal sizes is determined, the presence of neoplasms is detected, and the structure of the organ is examined.
If there is a suspicion that an infection or helminthic invasion has become the cause of the liver disease, additional tests are carried out for the relevant diseases.
To confirm the diagnosis of hepatic encephalopathy, a blood test for the presence of bile acids is used.
If a portosystemic shunt is suspected, angiography is performed, and a liver biopsy is performed to determine the causes of chronic pathologies.
After a complete examination of the dog, the veterinarian can make the correct diagnosis and prescribe adequate treatment.
How to treat a dog with liver disease?
After establishing the diagnosis, the veterinarian prescribes a set of therapeutic measures. At the same time, for each specific case, a specific set of measures is selected, which will take into account all the features of the four-legged patient's condition.
Often there are situations when the dog has combined pathologies of the liver. Acute periods of the disease can be replaced by subacute ones, and then the treatment regimen is adjusted in accordance with the current state of the animal. Also, in the course of treatment, many additional analyzes and studies are carried out in order to obtain the maximum result from the treatment and exclude the transition of the disease into a chronic form.
If chronic liver disease is diagnosed in a dog, then supportive therapy is carried out, a diet is observed, tests are taken regularly and ultrasound is done. Such measures will prevent exacerbation and prolong remission.
The main points in the treatment regimen for liver diseases in dogs are the following activities:
- First of all, detoxification of the animal's body is carried out in order to alleviate its condition.
- A sick dog is put on a strict diet using a light food that does not require much effort to digest. It is advisable to use premium medicated food and reduce fat intake.
- The dog's physical activity is limited, it should rest more. Large loads associated with training, long walks are completely contraindicated for your pet.
- Antibiotic injections are prescribed to prevent the development of secondary infections.
- During the acute period, antispasmodics, antiemetics, enterosorbents, vitamins are used to support the animal until the recovery of liver function occurs.
- Hepatoprotectors are used to help in the process of cell regeneration and in restoring the function of a damaged organ.
- A thorough examination of the animal is carried out in order to identify concomitant diseases that can cause liver problems.
- In some cases, for example, when a portosystemic shunt is detected, surgical intervention is performed.
Prevention measures
In order for your pet to please you for many years, carefully monitor its health. It is advisable to undergo an annual medical examination with the control of the norms of blood tests and ultrasound - diagnostics of the abdominal organs, which is especially important for breeds that are at risk for liver diseases.
Vaccinate your dog annually to prevent infection with infectious diseases.
Watch her nutrition and feed only special feeds that are balanced in composition. If there is excess weight, then put the dog on a diet to avoid obesity.
Be attentive to all changes in the behavior of the dog and contact the veterinarian in time, as a timely diagnosis greatly increases the likelihood of recovery.
May your dog be healthy and energetic for years to come!
Liver problems in dogs can lead to serious consequences. It is very difficult to diagnose this kind of disease at an early stage. On the other hand, if the signs of the problem are not identified in a timely manner and treatment is not started, the pet may die. How to prevent this and draw up a scheme of a drug course, read on.
Before finding out about common liver diseases in adult dogs, you first need to know what functions this organ performs. The dog's liver has a high ability to regenerate. Even if about 70-80% of this organ is affected, it will still be able to recover with complex treatment.
This is both an advantage and a disadvantage at the same time. The thing is that the animal will feel fine to the last, in any case, there are certainly no signs of the disease at the initial stage. As a rule, a diseased liver makes itself felt when it is almost impossible to achieve a full recovery of the dog.
In general, the dog's liver is an organ that takes an active part in the processes of metabolism, digestion and blood circulation. It is in it that toxic components that enter the body with food are processed. The liver is responsible for normalizing your pet's blood sugar levels. Among the key functions of this body, it is also worth highlighting bile formations.
It is essential to take care of her health. Given the fact that it is almost impossible to notice the early manifestations of ailments, it is recommended that the dog owner regularly take the pet to the veterinarian. Only a scheduled, timely examination will make it possible to identify foci of liver diseases at a stage when nothing threatens the health of your four-legged friend.
If these symptoms are present, it's time to go to the veterinarian, diagnose the disease, and then promptly treat it.
Possible diseases
Hepatopathy in adult dogs, hepatoencephalopathy, lipidosis, neoplasia - all these ailments are associated with impaired liver function. The variety of these diseases is amazing. They differ among themselves in the causes of occurrence, the nature of development, as well as key methods of treatment.
Among the most common diseases of this kind in dogs, it is worth highlighting the following:
- diseases of an infectious type (viral hepatitis, leptospirosis, etc.);
- toxic diseases (liver failure);
- helminthic invasions;
- tumors;
- cirrhosis, cholecystitis, fibrosis, etc.
No matter how much you take care of a dog, you should not forget about a possible congenital pathology. This includes liver failure. That is, the liver does not cleanse the blood of toxins that are simply carried throughout the body. However, many animals live with it, because the organ itself is not affected by anything.
Video "Liver failure in dogs"
In this video, you will learn the causes of liver failure, what symptoms characterize liver disease, and how treatment is carried out.
Diagnosis and treatment of a pet
Hepatozoonosis, encephalopathy and other liver diseases are not so easy to identify. If you want to get accurate results, it is best to conduct an ultrasound of this organ, which will help to identify various pathologies (calcification, tumors, various spots directly on the liver, as well as seals). Remember that with certain ailments, the liver looks different.
Once the diagnosis is complete, and you know what your four-legged friend is sick with, it's time to take a course of antibiotics and drops of antioxic solutions. Among the most commonly used drugs, Hepatovet (suspension), Divopride, Thioprotectin are distinguished.
If the situation is critical, it is very important to give the dog painkillers ("Novocain" or "Analgin").
Features of the diet
Dog food at home is a separate issue. First of all, it must be dietary. Instead of ordinary water, pour a decoction of chamomile, sage or St. John's wort into the drinkers. It is recommended to feed the dog with low-fat broths, cereals, cottage cheese and kefir, as well as grated boiled vegetables. Another important condition: give food to the animal in small portions at regular intervals - then the pet will be able to digest food less problematic.
Prevention measures
To prevent the development of liver ailments, it is very important to regularly monitor the health of the animal. Get an ultrasound at least once a year. Do not overfeed your dog, give her only balanced, healthy food. If the animal begins to actively gain weight, organize a small diet. At the slightest change in the behavior of the pet, be sure to show it to the veterinarian. Then your four-legged friend will continue to live carefree.
One of the most important organs of humans and animals is the liver. A huge gland, the significance of which has not yet been fully studied ... But it is known for sure that any of its pathologies lead to very serious consequences. One of the most dangerous diseases are hepatopathy in dogs.
Strictly speaking, this is not one disease, but a whole complex of them. These pathologies are often combined under the term "liver failure". As a rule, this definition refers to various dystrophic and degenerative processes occurring in the parenchyma of an organ. It is known that some animals have a pronounced predisposition to the development of liver diseases.
The predisposing factors are:
- Breed "tendency" to diseases of the adrenal glands (hypercorticism or). This includes miniature poodles, dachshunds, boxers, Boston terriers.
- Contributes to diseases and obesity, as well as the consumption of feed with a high lipid content. Scottish terriers are especially predisposed to this, as well as miniature schnauzers.
In 75% of cases of liver disease develop in middle-aged dogs. The remaining 25% fall on the dogs of advanced years. In young dogs, liver pathology is extremely rare. The main reasons for their development are as follows:
Unfortunately, this list of reasons is not complete. Even chronic periodontal disease, especially severe cases of tartar, can lead to serious liver damage. In this regard, inflammatory pathologies of the stomach and intestines, as well as pancreatitis, are very dangerous. Various cases of oncology also lead to the complete degeneration of the liver (and, accordingly, the loss of its functions). Low levels of thyroid hormone () are also dangerous.
Read also: Giardiasis in dogs - a danger from the world of microorganisms
In a word, those owners who are really worried about the health of their pet should show it to the veterinarian at least once a quarter. In this case, the chance of timely detection of liver diseases and pathologies that can lead to them increases significantly.
Separately, I would like to warn dog owners against self-diagnosis and treatment. There are cases when the liver completely sat down in young dogs ... as a result of the fact that "compassionate" breeders "treated" their pet with paracetamol and aspirin. These medicines are not intended for pets at all! Do not forget also about the banal cases of poisoning caused by the habit of some dogs to pick up everything on a walk that even remotely looks edible.
Symptoms
It is not surprising that the symptoms of hepatopathy in dogs are similar to those of liver failure. Firstly, the visible mucous membranes in the case of an advanced disease acquire a clearly visible yellowish tint, or even turn yellow.
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