“Dogs are not our whole lives, but they make our lives whole.”
—Roger Caras, former President ASPCA

“A meow massages the heart.”
—Stuart McMillan

Liver Conditions

Definition

The liver is the main filtering and clearing house of the body. All blood supply travels through the liver to be detoxified. Causes of liver disease include: genetics, drugs, poisons, malnutrition, parasites, environmental stresses, Cushing’s disease, cancer, trauma, and infectious diseases (bacterial, viral, fungal). Types of liver disease include: hepatic encephalopathy, acute hepatic failure, hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver), liver abscesses and other conditions.

When diagnosed early, the prognosis for treatment of liver disease can be very good. However, because the liver is built with large reserves to handle its job in the body, a significant portion often must be damaged before symptoms appear.

Symptoms

• Behavior changes
• Visual defects (blindness)
• Circling
• Pacing
• Anxiety
• Excessive drooling in cats
• Lethargy
• Seizures
• Acute depression
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Hemorrhage
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• Enlarged liver upon palpation

How using ThePetCheckup regularly can help

Depending on the type of liver disease, surgery may or may not be necessary. Antibiotics, dietary management, vitamins, nutritional supplements and IV fluids are common treatments. Early detection is extremely significant in the success of treating liver disease. ThePetCheckup is an in-home, early-detection test which can be an important tool in helping your veterinarian detect early signs of liver disease.