Apr

28

How serious is canine liver disease?

Filed Under Canine Healthcare 

How serious is canine liver disease?

I am a 23 year old struggling student and I have a 4 year old Shih Tzu. I took him to the vet yesterday because he was very sick. The vet told me he needed to keep my dog over night to preform tests on him. I called the vet this morning and found out my dog has liver disease and mentioned something about hepatitis (obviously a canine form of it). My vet was not very imformative and just told me I had to start my dog on medication and take him in for a biopsy. He told me that it could be terminal. I have been trying to search Google on this subject, but all I get are symptoms and how to diagnos it. I just want to know how serious this is. Have you had a pet with the same problem? What was the out come. Was it costly to treat?

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4 Responses to “How serious is canine liver disease?”

  1. admin on April 29th, 2009 4:17 am
    I've had 2 cats pass away from liver disease.

    If the liver is going on an animal, it is the same thing as it going on a human: without a transplant, they die. And you just don't do organ transplants on animals. It's too expensive to even consider. And rarely is liver disease something an animal will get better with. The liver is critical to their well being, and it is always in use.

    If the vet comes back and tells you that the liver problem is terminal, do yourself and your pet a major favor. Put it to sleep.

    I am not being cruel here. The first cat that my family had that was diagnosed with this, we kept alive for almost a year. He lost over 50% of his body weight, his whole body began to stink, and he threw up constantly. Because he associated most closely with me, the only time he held food down was if I held him for a full hour or more after he ate. The poor cat was completely miserable, and our whole family suffered with him.

    1 year later, that cat's brother started to have his liver fail, as well. After all the pain and suffering we had put the first one through, we made the quick decision to put the second one down, and fast.

    I am sorry to hear about your potential loss, but please don't make your pet suffer, and through your pet, you and your family. Remember your dog as a healthy animal, instead of having the memory of how he looked when he was near the end.

    I am still upset with myself for keeping my cat alive for that year. It is one of the only real regrets I have.

  2. admin on April 29th, 2009 4:17 am
    In veterinary medicine, hepatitis literally means an inflammation of the liver, not a viral infection like people. If your dog had increased liver values (ALT and ALKP)it could be caused by a number of reasons: ingestion of a toxin, infection, tumor, gall bladder disease or bile duct obstruction, muscle deterioration or injury, liver shunt and certain medications. The seriousness of it depends on the reason causing it. While biopsy is an option, I personally do an ultrasound first, as well as start the dog on antibiotics in case it is an infection. Consider seeing a veterinary internal medicine doctor, they have more experience dealing with these cases.
  3. admin on April 29th, 2009 4:17 am
    You will have to find out the name of the disease. There are many types. Some can be controlled by diet and meds. If it is something really serious, it can be costly if it really is cancer. So until you know what it is, it is a waiting game. sorry if this does not help.
  4. Ruthie Pauley on April 29th, 2009 4:34 am

    Great subject. Thanks for the info.

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