The liver is an organ of great importance because it intervenes in vital functions such as waste disposal, detoxification of the blood and the production of enzymes. In this article by Animal Expert, we will talk about the consequences that cause pathologies that affect its functioning, which in this case causes canine liver failure.Here’s what liver failure is like in dogs, their symptoms and their treatment.Read!
The main problem with liver disease is that your first symptoms are not specific, so they can be confused with other diseases, delaying diagnosis, the dog can stop eating or start eating less, lose weight, vomit or, to a lesser extent, has diarrhea It is also important to keep in mind that if you drink more water and urine than normal , at this point you should consult a veterinarian.
- As the disease progresses.
- The liver will begin to burn and its cells will begin to die.
- Causing a change in its conformation.
- Irreversible hardening.
- Is what we call cirrhosis.
- The liver has the ability to compensate for its functions until most cells die.
- At this point it will fail and symptoms will appear as we will see below.
What are the symptoms of a dog with a liver problem?The most common, caused by hepatic impairment in dogs, are:
It is important to know that liver failure has several causes, so the source disease should be diagnosed to treat it.
As we have already said, various problems can cause liver failure, such as poisonings (by insecticide, lead, drugs such as acetaminophen, etc.), hepatitis, leptospirosis, filariasis, Cushing syndrome, diabetes or tumors, both primary and derived from metastasis..
The liver may also be damaged by gallstones or pancreatitis.In addition, certain abnormal veins, called shunt, can prevent blood from reaching the liver, so toxins are not removed and the dog will suffer liver encephalopathy.There are different types of shunt, some may be congenital, while others may appear in a cirrus liver.
As we have already said, the treatment of liver failure in dogs depends on the cause that causes it, to reach the diagnosis the veterinarian can resort to blood tests, ultrasounds, CT scans or biopsies, if you are facing an infection you should treat it with the adequate medication, always prescribed by the vet. Blockages and some tumors can be resolved by surgery. In the case of a shunt, many times it is also necessary to intervene and, if this is not possible, the encephalopathy that it produces have to be treated.
In short, it will be the veterinarian who decides on the treatment of the disease, which usually involves the establishment of a specific diet and various medicines to improve clotting, prevent seizures or prevent ulcers; recovery and prognosis will depend on the damage to your liver.
Read also: Hepatitis in dogs: symptoms and treatment
This article is for informational purposes only, in Animal Expert.com.br we cannot prescribe veterinary treatments or make any type of diagnosis, we suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case of any condition or discomfort.
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