Dogs
Just like we humans, the liver plays an important role in a dog's body too. Liver failure in dogs can arise due to a variety of causes. The early symptoms of liver failure in dogs are so subtle and generally mistaken as some other health disorder. This is why it is important to know about the signs and symptoms of liver failure. Now, liver takes care of all the biochemical process and helps release energy into the body. Alcohol is not the reason that can lead to canine liver failure. So, what are the causes of canine liver failure? They include viral and bacterial infections that affect other organs of the body and lodge themselves in the liver. They affect the functioning of the liver, lead to scarring and ultimately liver failure.
Liver failure in dogs most commonly occurs due to exposure to toxins. These toxins can be environmental or ingested with food and water. It has been found there are many commercial dog foods that contain a high amount of preservatives and other substances like food coloring agents that tend to become toxic for the animal in the long run. Thus, it is important to feed the dog a healthy diet and take care of the animal's need for physical exercise. Parasites finding their way to the liver, can cause cancer, bile duct obstruction, and liver disease. Liver failure tends to have a silent onset and before you know it, affects the dog's health considerably. Let us have a look at the symptoms that will help any pet owner try to seek help before it's too late.
Signs and Symptoms of Liver Failure
Liver failure will affect your dog's health to a great extent. The early symptoms of liver failure are very subtle. You will find your dog happy and normal as usual. Suddenly, out of the blue, tragedy might strike and you come to know your pet is suffering from liver failure. You should keep a mental note of the symptoms mentioned below as early detection is the key to saving your pet from all the health troubles.
Loss of appetite is one of the most important symptoms of liver failure. Your dog will suddenly begin to eat less than normal or refuse to eat altogether. This causes excessive weight loss as the dog eats less than usual. Liver failure causes the liver to produce less of bile and metabolism of food decreases considerably. Fats, carbohydrates and proteins are not metabolized properly, thus, the dog begins to lose weight.
Apart from weight loss, the dog may suffer from vomiting, diarrhea and constipation. This occurs due to development of frequent gastrointestinal upsets. The stool passed may also contain blood streaks. As the dog loses all the nutrients as well as fluids due to vomiting and diarrhea, he turns lethargic and depressed. You will find your dog will refuse to go for walks or exercise. All he/she wants to do is lie around.
The amount of bile produced reduces and thus the dog begins to pass pale gray stools. Bile consists of cholesterol, bile acids, bilirubin and globulins. It helps in recirculation of red blood cells, absorption of fats into the blood stream from the intestine, etc. Bilirubin is detoxified and sent to intestines for excretion. It is broken down further and results in passing of dark brown stool. When the amount of bile in produced is less, the stool passed tends to be paler. This indicates the presence of liver problems in dogs.
As the circulation in the liver is affected due to scarring of the liver tissues, it causes Ascites. This is a condition that occurs due to low serum proteins and increase in the pressure in the veins passing through the liver. It leads to accumulation of fluid that causes a swollen, bloated stomach. This may be a sign of liver disease in dogs.
Bleeding is another such symptom of liver failure that you may observe when the disease progresses to an advanced stage. You will observe blood in urine as well as stool and vomit. Sometimes, you will observe bleeding gums and unexplained bruises under the lips and skin. Bilirubin as explained earlier is broken down further in the intestines and then excreted. But, when the amount of bilirubin secreted is high and not processed properly, it will cause orange urine. This is because bilirubin is orange in color and when improperly processed, it causes urine to appear orange.
The most important sign of liver failure in dogs is jaundice. You will observe the skin and white of the eyes turning into a yellow tone. This occurs due to accumulation of biliary pigments in the body. The liver fails to process them and thus, the levels of these pigments rise in the body. Polydipsia or excessive thirst and polyuria or frequent urination are also symptoms of liver failure in dogs.
If you spot these symptoms in your pet, make sure you visit the veterinarian immediately. This will help ensure liver problems in dogs are brought under control with medical help. If left untreated, it can lead to early the demise of the dog. Hope the above information proves to be useful in spotting liver problems in dogs.
- Canine Liver Disease
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- Liver Problems In Dogs
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- Bile Duct Obstruction In Dogs
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- Milk Thistle For Dog Liver Disease
Liver is a vital organ that helps in detoxifying the blood and removing all the free radicals and other impurities in a dog's body. Thus, the liver is also one of the vulnerable organs in dogs. It is prone to many liver diseases like liver failure....
- Elevated Liver Enzymes In Dogs
It is often hard to diagnose liver damage in dogs, unless specifically tested for. The liver being a vital organ performs several crucial functions. It metabolizes fats, proteins, and carbohydrates in the body, and plays an important role in the...
Dogs
Symptoms of Liver Failure in Dogs
Just like we humans, the liver plays an important role in a dog's body too. Liver failure in dogs can arise due to a variety of causes. The early symptoms of liver failure in dogs are so subtle and generally mistaken as some other health disorder. This is why it is important to know about the signs and symptoms of liver failure. Now, liver takes care of all the biochemical process and helps release energy into the body. Alcohol is not the reason that can lead to canine liver failure. So, what are the causes of canine liver failure? They include viral and bacterial infections that affect other organs of the body and lodge themselves in the liver. They affect the functioning of the liver, lead to scarring and ultimately liver failure.
Liver failure in dogs most commonly occurs due to exposure to toxins. These toxins can be environmental or ingested with food and water. It has been found there are many commercial dog foods that contain a high amount of preservatives and other substances like food coloring agents that tend to become toxic for the animal in the long run. Thus, it is important to feed the dog a healthy diet and take care of the animal's need for physical exercise. Parasites finding their way to the liver, can cause cancer, bile duct obstruction, and liver disease. Liver failure tends to have a silent onset and before you know it, affects the dog's health considerably. Let us have a look at the symptoms that will help any pet owner try to seek help before it's too late.
Signs and Symptoms of Liver Failure
Liver failure will affect your dog's health to a great extent. The early symptoms of liver failure are very subtle. You will find your dog happy and normal as usual. Suddenly, out of the blue, tragedy might strike and you come to know your pet is suffering from liver failure. You should keep a mental note of the symptoms mentioned below as early detection is the key to saving your pet from all the health troubles.
Loss of appetite is one of the most important symptoms of liver failure. Your dog will suddenly begin to eat less than normal or refuse to eat altogether. This causes excessive weight loss as the dog eats less than usual. Liver failure causes the liver to produce less of bile and metabolism of food decreases considerably. Fats, carbohydrates and proteins are not metabolized properly, thus, the dog begins to lose weight.
Apart from weight loss, the dog may suffer from vomiting, diarrhea and constipation. This occurs due to development of frequent gastrointestinal upsets. The stool passed may also contain blood streaks. As the dog loses all the nutrients as well as fluids due to vomiting and diarrhea, he turns lethargic and depressed. You will find your dog will refuse to go for walks or exercise. All he/she wants to do is lie around.
The amount of bile produced reduces and thus the dog begins to pass pale gray stools. Bile consists of cholesterol, bile acids, bilirubin and globulins. It helps in recirculation of red blood cells, absorption of fats into the blood stream from the intestine, etc. Bilirubin is detoxified and sent to intestines for excretion. It is broken down further and results in passing of dark brown stool. When the amount of bile in produced is less, the stool passed tends to be paler. This indicates the presence of liver problems in dogs.
As the circulation in the liver is affected due to scarring of the liver tissues, it causes Ascites. This is a condition that occurs due to low serum proteins and increase in the pressure in the veins passing through the liver. It leads to accumulation of fluid that causes a swollen, bloated stomach. This may be a sign of liver disease in dogs.
Bleeding is another such symptom of liver failure that you may observe when the disease progresses to an advanced stage. You will observe blood in urine as well as stool and vomit. Sometimes, you will observe bleeding gums and unexplained bruises under the lips and skin. Bilirubin as explained earlier is broken down further in the intestines and then excreted. But, when the amount of bilirubin secreted is high and not processed properly, it will cause orange urine. This is because bilirubin is orange in color and when improperly processed, it causes urine to appear orange.
The most important sign of liver failure in dogs is jaundice. You will observe the skin and white of the eyes turning into a yellow tone. This occurs due to accumulation of biliary pigments in the body. The liver fails to process them and thus, the levels of these pigments rise in the body. Polydipsia or excessive thirst and polyuria or frequent urination are also symptoms of liver failure in dogs.
If you spot these symptoms in your pet, make sure you visit the veterinarian immediately. This will help ensure liver problems in dogs are brought under control with medical help. If left untreated, it can lead to early the demise of the dog. Hope the above information proves to be useful in spotting liver problems in dogs.
- Canine Liver Disease
Liver is an important gland that is involved in almost all the processes of the body. It helps in blood purification, waste removal and digestion by producing bile. Due to its role in a number of functions of the body, it is prone to damage by a...
- Liver Problems In Dogs
Liver is the largest organ not only in the human body, but also in a dog's body. The liver is situated in the abdomen behind the diaphragm in dogs. The liver is one of the most important organs as most of the biochemical pathways that help in...
- Bile Duct Obstruction In Dogs
Bile production is one of the most important functions of the liver. This fluid that is produced by the liver aids in digestion. Once produced in the liver, it flows to the gallbladder, where it is stored. The bile is released into the small intestine,...
- Milk Thistle For Dog Liver Disease
Liver is a vital organ that helps in detoxifying the blood and removing all the free radicals and other impurities in a dog's body. Thus, the liver is also one of the vulnerable organs in dogs. It is prone to many liver diseases like liver failure....
- Elevated Liver Enzymes In Dogs
It is often hard to diagnose liver damage in dogs, unless specifically tested for. The liver being a vital organ performs several crucial functions. It metabolizes fats, proteins, and carbohydrates in the body, and plays an important role in the...