Pondering the liver

[BarbV]

I'm struggling with how this tread should progress. I just reread the entire thread and for anyone lookong for info, it would be hard to point anyone to a plan for cure.

The problem, as I see it, is many of the symptoms of liver disease, liver shunt, hypo, gallbladder, etc are so interrelated and often comes in tandem.

This makes diagnosis so very difficulty and treatment even more so. It's like a huge spider web of symptoms and test and treatments.


I think this a great conversation, but I don't know where it's going to go.


Thinking out loud....what if we broke up the thread into "what are the dogs symptoms". Then maybe we can parse it out better.

I don't know if this works. I just know that this thread will get out of control soon. And it is a ver important thread.

 

[Katagaria]

This thread has reminded me of something I saw online earlier: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...1-canines-develop-lesions-kidney-failure.html

 

[Calliesmom]

This thread has reminded me of something I saw online earlier: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...1-canines-develop-lesions-kidney-failure.html

very interesting article- especially the reference to Alabama Rot- hadn't heard of it but don't follow greyhound issues........

 

[Mom2Melli]

That article totally frightened me.

 

[Caro]

The thread is a little hard to follow. I've picked out a few things that I wanted to add to though.

I wonder if it is a predisposition to liver problems in the breed.

Liver problems aren't a problem for shelties here in Australia. And neither hepatic nor gastroenteric diseases showed up as an issue in the (UK) Kennel Club health survey. So if it showing up in Shelties there it may be something being bread in.

I have two options -- are shelties particularly prone to liver failure? If so is there any connection to pedigree/lineage and such? Any known predictor?

Other option -- environmental. Are there certain foods or other factors such as flea/tick, HW med, some substance, that don't work well with shelites? Thinking maybe of protein levels? Anything come to mind?

My gut instinct tells me that it's vaccination, or rather, the abuse of vaccination.

As I mentioned, I just don't see liver problems in shelties here - nor in many other breeds.

It can't be vacs - we have a much higher vacc rate in Australia. We also have flea, tick and heartworm problems so most dogs are also on these

However, it also appears that pancreas and gallbladder are happening very frequently too. What is the reason? Congenital or environmental?

Are we feeding with something or supplementing with something or medicating with something that could be causing any or all of these? Have these gotten genetically embedded and there could be a pedigree link (sort of a few patient zero's and it is seen in certain lines) or even a regional hotspot (meaning a certain group of breeders who all share genes)?

We had Pixie's bloodwork done which was normal on all counts except for one thing: her triglicerides were high. I've been feeding her a duck-based food because of her history with seizures but since duck is a fatty food.

Gastroenteric problems are something different. Particularly pancreatitis. Small dogs are prone to pancreatitis due to excess fat in their diet. I know a lot of dogs that have had pancreatitis (including Deska) and it's almost always diet related. I've also seen high triglycerides in dogs I know - pre-diabetes basically which is again often diet related.

We don't have the wide selection of dog foods here that you have there. The only commercial food that is high in protein is the working dog food. So maybe that's something, or maybe it is the lines. Or it could just be that sheltie owners who have liver problems do a search and come up with this site.

 

[Mom2Melli]

So, if we go with some predisposition to liver problems in US, what is the best protocol to manage or ease the burden or support organ health?

Early on several people covered that.

If someone wants to "close out" the thread --
Maybe a nice little chart suggesting some protocols for organ health support.

Best way to support liver health:

Best way to support pancreas health:

Best way to support gallbladder health:

The info is in the thread (sorry I can't do it today -- majorly busy work schedule -- I think it is good to educate everyone about ways to support health organ health for overall benefit.