There are numerous diseases that cause significant changes in the lives of our pets. The most frequent pathologies in dogs have become popular, but there are many disorders that will only and exclusively need the participation of the veterinarian, both to reach the diagnosis and to make the necessary corrections that return our pet to normal.
In this article, we’ll talk a bit about fatty liver in dogs, a condition that affects the liver and that has important consequences in the life of our best friend.
What is fatty liver in dogs?
First of all, we must take into account certain general considerations about the liver in order to better describe the consequences of this pathology. The liver is an organ of the digestive system that is present in humans and vertebrate animals. He is in charge of numerous functions, in which we can highlight:
- Elimination of toxins from the blood.
- Synthesis of plasma proteins.
- Glycogen storage.
- Lipid digestion (the gallbladder is involved here).
The malfunction or absence of the liver is simply incompatible with life. Fatty liver disease, then, is nothing more than the excessive accumulation of fat in the liver, an issue that hinders its normal function and has consequences that, if not treated in time, can put the life of our hairy at risk. Breed is not a predisposing factor for suffering from the disease, although it has been reported to appear more in large dogs. Age is usually important in this type of case, with elderly dogs being the most affected by the pathology.
Symptoms of fatty liver in dogs
Liver diseases are called liver disease and although they can differ in many things, the symptoms that the patient expresses are practically the same, and generally when they appear, they give us clues that the disease has already developed significantly. It is important to consider the aforementioned, since a misdiagnosis at the liver level can have unfavorable consequences for the evolution and recovery of the dog. Typical signs and symptoms of liver disease include the following:
- Vomiting: it is not present in all liver diseases, or at least not in all its stages, however, it is a fairly common digestive symptom. When they appear, they are not related to diet or obstructions, making clear the possibility of extra intestinal disease. They are not very frequent in dogs with fatty liver, but on some occasions they are present, it all depends on the damage that the organ has.
- Diarrhea: it usually appears according to the animal’s diet, since in the presence of fatty liver, the patient will have much more complicated digestion of lipids, resulting in this characteristic sign.
- Jaundice: this is a yellowish coloration of the mucous membranes that appears in almost all liver diseases. Fatty liver is no exception.
- Hepatomegaly: defined as an enlarged liver. It is important in these cases, as it can be diagnosed on physical examination and will give the vet clues to put fatty liver disease among their presumptive diagnoses.
- Ascites: abdominal inflammation associated with fluid accumulation. Generally, this condition is also caused by cardiovascular diseases, but if the disease occurs with the previous signs, the diagnosis will be associated with liver disease.
Causes of fatty liver in dogs
The cause of this pathology most of the time is unknown, being defined as idiopathic hepatic lipidosis. However, many authors have described that this disease is associated with certain conditions that we will name below:
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Arterial hypertension.
- High fat diet.
- Metabolic disorders
- Excessive intake of steroids.
- Patients who have had hepatitis at some point in their life.
Diagnosis of fatty liver in dogs
The diagnosis of this pathology must be made with laboratory tests, after the veterinarian correctly relates the amnesics and the data that were provided by the tutor with the patient’s clinic. From the physical examination it is very important to take into account:
- The coloring of the mucous membranes.
- The size of the liver.
- If there is pain on palpation.
If everything indicates that liver disease is in progress, the following tests will be performed:
- Hamatology
- Liver function tests (enzymes).
- Imaging tests.
- Abdominal ultrasound.
In some cases, a liver biopsy can be performed and this would be the test that gives us the most detailed information to reach the definitive diagnosis.
Treatment of fatty liver in dogs
So far there is no fixed treatment for fatty liver condition. The pet’s lifestyle should be changed and work based on the possible cause of the pathology. Diet is a huge factor. The dog that is diagnosed with hepatic lipidosis must consume a specific diet for liver patients. It is also recommended that the patient lose weight in case he is obese and, of course, exercise periodically. For obvious reasons, the use of steroids should be stopped if this is the case.
