The main character of the story is yellow Labrador Archie and also his friend Dora, also Labrador. You might even know them from some picture books, or to be trendy “seen them on Facebook”. You are maybe also one of their followers on that social network, where they share their adventures with others. One day these two best friends were playing, walking, eating, sleeping, enjoying, and being naughty as well. You know when you plant something new in the garden, and then your dog decides to be interested in horticulture, and takes out everything you have planted. Yes, we are talking about these misdeeds. Although you may be smiling now because you know exactly what we’re talking about, not all days are so interesting and playful.
Archie’s owner noticed that there was something wrong with his pet, and he shared his concern with his friends on Facebook.
“Archie started to make squelchy noises with his mouth, move slowly, and lose weight. He became less active, would often curl up in a corner of the house, sometimes whimper, and was clearly in pain. The blood results were awful. This shocked us – there were huge deviations from normal values. Almost developed hypoglycemia; liver and pancreatic parameters were particularly bad. We thought of the worst possibile things. After all check-ups and analyses, it was found that a big amount of corticosteroids entered his body, which damaged his liver. How this happened, and whether this was the only cause, we did not know. In a month we are repeating the blood results and in two months we are checking adrenal function.”
HOW TO RECOGNIZE THE LIVER DISEASE IN DOGS
The liver is an organ that has many functions, such as: purifying blood, helping with drug absorption, storing vitamins and glycogen, producing bile acid needed for digestion, and producing important proteins required for blood coagulation. Because of all these background roles, it has significance in many important body functions.
Liver disease can manifest as a wide range of symptoms, depending on the affected vital function, and it can often affect other systems in the body.
One of the most common symptoms of liver disease is jaundice, a yellowish color most commonly seen in the eyes, gums, and ears. This is because the liver is responsible for bilirubin secretion, a byproduct of red-blood-cell breakdown. When the liver does not function properly, bilirubin builds up in the blood and results in a yellowish appearance.
Neurological outbreaks and intense epileptic seizures occur due to an increase in the level of toxic substances that the diseased liver fails to process in time. Other common symptoms of liver disease are gastrointestinal disorders – loss of appetite, vomiting and diarrhea, weight loss, increased desire for water and frequent urination, and owners may often notice changes in stool color. In dogs, fluid retention in the abdomen, commonly referred to as ascites, can also occur.
IS LIVER DISEASE FATAL TO DOGS?
The answer to the question depends on a number of factors relating to the severity of the disease, and whether the main cause can or cannot be treated or eliminated. If the cause is identified before long-term damage occurs, the prognosis can be excellent.
The liver is the only visceral organ (that regenerates itself), so it is truly remarkable. However, chronic or severe liver diseases, unfortunately, have a worse prognosis. In these cases, treatment is limited to managing the progression of the disease and reducing the symptoms.
The most common medical treatment involves a high-carb/low-protein diet to reduce the amount of ammonia circulating in the bloodstream, taking vitamin supplements, intake of lactulose to bind toxins in the gut, antibiotics and vitamin K, if there is a bleeding problem.
It is immensely important that your veterinarian regularly monitors your pet suffering from liver disease, controls and monitors the symptoms. Even with intensive treatment and monitoring, many pets, unfortunately, fail to cope and die because of the problems caused by liver disease.
What damages your pet’s liver:
• Medicines
• Preparations against ecto and endoparasites
• Household cleaning products
• Fire resistant furniture and carpets
• Mycotoxins
• Heavy metals
• Exhaust gases in cities
• Parasites
• Viruses
• Bacteria and fungi
• Food additives
• Pesticides and herbicides
• Autoimmune diseases
HOW ARCHIE SUCCEEDED TO RECOVER
When we introduced you to the basic symptoms and answered some questions, we are getting back to Archie. The key characters in this part of the story are Archie’s owner, his friend Dora, the vet, and Vetliver.
Everyone played an important role to help Archie. Dora, as his best friend, made sure he always had a good company when he needed it, and gave him generous support.
Of course, the owner, who immediately recognized that something was wrong with his pet and that it was time to visit the vet. Seeking the appropriate therapy on Google is certainly not recommended, as well as giving your pets medications and supplements without consulting your vet. The diagnosis and therapy were given by his vet, who found the solution for Archie. Archie is fine now, thanks to the change in diet, and Vetliver as the therapy.
WHAT IS VETLIVER?
Vetliver is a preparation that is intended to help your pet’s liver to deal with the harmful things that come into it through the bloodstream. It stimulates glutathione in the liver, which is the most powerful antioxidant in the body, and stabilizes liver enzymes.
Moreover, Vetliver reduces inflammation.. It strengthens the walls of hepatocyte and stimulates protein synthesis, leading to faster recovery of the liver. It stimulates bile secretion, and therefore has a positive effect on digestion. The vitamin B complex from Vetliver helps metabolize carbohydrates and fat.
WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW…
The liver of your pet is the central laboratory of the body. After skin, the liver is the second largest organ in your pet (and the largest gland). The liver performs about 1,500 basic functions in the body of a dog or cat. It is the one that eliminates toxins from the body and helps maintain health.
That is why it is important to be a responsible owner, respond timely, let your veterinarian give a diagnosis, and work together to find the best therapy for your pet. Be aware that regular control extends the length and quality of your pet’s life!