Liver disease - experiences

Jamboat

My dog is having problems with his liver. Two weeks ago his blood count was very high and when he was scanned the vet said the liver was pitted and didn't look good. He gave us antibiotics for him and liverpak which has some milk thistle and other herbs in it.
We brought him back today and the bloods have doubled and there's no improvement. He has another 2 weeks of same tablets and then has to go back again. The prognosis is that the liver may or may not regenerate. It's a waiting game to see how things pan out.

I've decided, after some research, to strip back his diet to a more natural anti inflammatory diet and also to give him tumeric. Anything that might help really as he's very uncomfortable after eating.
I'm hoping there are others who might have had to deal with this and what they did to help improve the outcome. I love him to bits and I'd like him around for another while.
Thanks

boomerang

I think ideally OP he would be on a commercial hepatic diet as it's precisely formulated (e.g. low copper, increased zinc). Unlike other ailments like kidney disease, it's difficult to feed an appropriate home-made diet to a dog with liver issues.

However there is great information on diet and supplements here:http://www.dogaware.com/health/liver.html

(This website was a godsend to me when my dog was diagnosed with kidney disease.)

cocker5

Jamboat wrote: »

My dog is having problems with his liver. Two weeks ago his blood count was very high and when he was scanned the vet said the liver was pitted and didn't look good. He gave us antibiotics for him and liverpak which has some milk thistle and other herbs in it.
We brought him back today and the bloods have doubled and there's no improvement. He has another 2 weeks of same tablets and then has to go back again. The prognosis is that the liver may or may not regenerate. It's a waiting game to see how things pan out.

I've decided, after some research, to strip back his diet to a more natural anti inflammatory diet and also to give him tumeric. Anything that might help really as he's very uncomfortable after eating.
I'm hoping there are others who might have had to deal with this and what they did to help improve the outcome. I love him to bits and I'd like him around for another while.
Thanks

Try Tumeric paste and milk thistle (both daily) will help the liver

https://www.holistichound.ie/product-page/golden-paste

DBB

boomerang wrote: »

I think ideally OP he would be on a commercial hepatic diet as it's precisely formulated (e.g. low copper, increased zinc). Unlike other ailments like kidney disease, it's difficult to feed an appropriate home-made diet to a dog with liver issues.

However there is great information on diet and supplements here:http://www.dogaware.com/health/liver.html

I'd broadly agree with boomerang here... Liver problems in particular seem to respond well to the available hepatic diets available commercially.
That said, I did live with a dog with liver cancer, and I contacted Tom Farrington (well known holistic vet in Cork), and he helped me formulate a home-made diet for her.
This consisted of severely limiting any foods that would challenge her liver or make it work any harder than it had to... Low fat, no bones, no eggs, and added root veg such as boiled carrots, parsnips, and some easy greens such as broccoli and peas.
We discovered as we went along that she had a strong preference for her food to be cooked, which we felt was due to her feeling somewhat "liverish", akin to how your guts feel with a hangover Once I understood how she was feeling, it made things easier.
We also gave her milk thistle, and liver supplement Samylin (available from vet).

That all said, I wouldn't be at all inclined to take it upon myself to formulate an appropriate home-made diet without having an appropriately knowledgeable vet to advise as we went through the illness. Once the liver becomes symptomatic, it usually means there's a fair bit of damage done already... So I wouldn't be feeling around in the dark with the diet.
Best of luck op. Hope you can keep your dog nice and comfortable for a long time to come.

cocker5

DBB - sorry a little off topic but can you recommend a holistic vet north Wicklow? Or south Dublin?

I treat my guy 100% holistically at present for hip dysplasia , arthritis and heart murmur he’s doing really well but it’s all based on my research .. but I’d like to go to a holistic vet to make sure I’m doing enough etc!

TIA

DBB

cocker5 wrote: »

DBB - sorry a little off topic but can you recommend a holistic vet north Wicklow? Or south Dublin?

I treat my guy 100% holistically at present for hip dysplasia , arthritis and heart murmur he’s doing really well but it’s all based on my research .. but I’d like to go to a holistic vet to make sure I’m doing enough etc!

TIA

Hmmm... Not off the top of my head Cocker. That said, I know Éamon Moore in Blackrock is utterly adored by his clients. I've met him in a dog behaviour context, as opposed to a veterinary one, and I can understand why he's so adored Seems a very open-minded fella.
If anyone else springs to mind, I'll post again! Maybe others can give feedback on other vets in the area too!

cocker5

DBB wrote: »

cocker5 wrote: »

DBB - sorry a little off topic but can you recommend a holistic vet north Wicklow? Or south Dublin?

I treat my guy 100% holistically at present for hip dysplasia , arthritis and heart murmur he’s doing really well but it’s all based on my research .. but I’d like to go to a holistic vet to make sure I’m doing enough etc!

TIA

Hmmm... Not off the top of my head Cocker. That said, I know Éamon Moore in Blackrock is utterly adored by his clients. I've met him in a dog behaviour context, as opposed to a veterinary one, and I can understand why he's so adored Seems a very open-minded fella.
If anyone else springs to mind, I'll post again! Maybe others can give feedback on other vets in the area too!

Yes I know Eamon .. brought Cody to him for years before we moved to Wicklow!

I might just pop back up and see him x

Thanks

Jamboat

cocker5 wrote: »

Try Tumeric paste and milk thistle (both daily) will help the liver

https://www.holistichound.ie/product-page/golden-paste

Thanks yes I'm giving him turmeric paste (with coconut oil) and there's milk thistle in what the vet gave him.

Jamboat

boomerang wrote: »

I think ideally OP he would be on a commercial hepatic diet as it's precisely formulated (e.g. low copper, increased zinc). Unlike other ailments like kidney disease, it's difficult to feed an appropriate home-made diet to a dog with liver issues.

However there is great information on diet and supplements here:http://www.dogaware.com/health/liver.html

(This website was a godsend to me when my dog was diagnosed with kidney disease.)

Thanks for that, I will definitely look at that website

Jamboat

DBB wrote: »

I'd broadly agree with boomerang here... Liver problems in particular seem to respond well to the available hepatic diets available commercially.
That said, I did live with a dog with liver cancer, and I contacted Tom Farrington (well known holistic vet in Cork), and he helped me formulate a home-made diet for her.
This consisted of severely limiting any foods that would challenge her liver or make it work any harder than it had to... Low fat, no bones, no eggs, and added root veg such as boiled carrots, parsnips, and some easy greens such as broccoli and peas.
We discovered as we went along that she had a strong preference for her food to be cooked, which we felt was due to her feeling somewhat "liverish", akin to how your guts feel with a hangover Once I understood how she was feeling, it made things easier.
We also gave her milk thistle, and liver supplement Samylin (available from vet).

That all said, I wouldn't be at all inclined to take it upon myself to formulate an appropriate home-made diet without having an appropriately knowledgeable vet to advise as we went through the illness. Once the liver becomes symptomatic, it usually means there's a fair bit of damage done already... So I wouldn't be feeling around in the dark with the diet.
Best of luck op. Hope you can keep your dog nice and comfortable for a long time to come.

I actually have been giving him egg so yes maybe I'd be better off to get some professional advice. Our vet doesn't think there's any point in doing anything with the diet because it's the enzymes are high and apparently diet won't make a difference. However the enzymes are getting higher and I always think it's worth lookong at the diet when there's any kind of illness. I've heard of tom farrington, he might be worth going to. Thanks.

DBB

You *may* be able to do a remote consultation with Tom by phone or email, though if you can see him personally it's ideal. Remember that it was cancer my dog had, your dog's diagnosis is probably different, and needs to be handled in that context.
My memory is now kicking in... My dog had loved eggs before, but went off them after her diagnosis. Tom felt that he body was just having an "ick" response to them, and to stop feeding them if she didn't want them. It was very much a case of finding stuff that appealed to her appetite as her liver deteriorated.

Jamboat

Thanks DBB. I looked it up on Google maps and he's over 2 hours from me...which might be stressful for Sammy (my dog) to travel. I've rang and left a voicemail for Tom so hopefully he'll get back to me soon.