Dogs Liver and Pancreas Articles

Your dog's liver and pancreas work together to make the digestion process run smoothly and efficiently. The liver stores essential Vitamins A, D, E, and K and it produces bile, which is crucial to the breakdown of fats. The pancreas plays an important role in controlling blood sugar by secreting insulin and glucagons – two very important hormones. The pancreas also produces pancreatic juices. These juices contain digestive enzymes that help breakdown food. If the dog liver and pancreas malfunction, a number of conditions can develop. Learn how to keep your pet’s liver and pancreas healthy, the types of dog liver and pancreatic diseases, symptoms, and treatment.

• Understanding Insulin Action for Diabetic Pets

  Diabetes can be a serious condition but with insulin action it is manageable. It is one of the few conditions that can affect animals and humans.

• Understanding Diabetes in Dogs

  Diabetes in dogs is similar to diabetes in humans; it is caused by an insulin deficiency. The insulin is a hormone that helps the metabolizing of sugar.

• Treating Canine Liver Disease with SAM-e

  The liver affects blood clotting, stores vitamins, produces bile, and is essential to the digestive process. Canine liver disease can seriously affect your dog's health and quality of life.

• The Two Types of Insulin for Dogs With Diabetes

  When a veterinarian prescribes insulin for dogs with diabetes, there are several factors that he must take into consideration to determine the type of insulin he will prescribe.

• The Genetics of Diabetes in Dogs

  Dogs with diabetes develop the disease due to age, disease, injury or genetic predisposition. While research on diabetic dogs isn't as extensive as that for humans...

• The 5 Most Common Dog Liver Diseases

  The dog liver is the largest organ and it is involved in almost every biochemical reaction in the body. Its primary function is removing toxins from the blood and it can continue to function in this capacity, even with extensive damage-up to twenty-five percent tissue loss.

• Tests for Liver Disease in Dogs

  This is done after at least a twelve hour fast. Blood is then drawn for a baseline value for bile acids. A small meal is fed right away and then blood is drawn again in two hours. If the bile acids are elevated significantly on either test, or if there is a significant rise in bile acids between the first and second blood samples

• Symptoms of a Canine Liver Shunt

  A canine liver will sometimes have issues with cleansing impurities because a shunt is redirecting the blood. Many of the symptoms are common to other illnesses...

• Renal Failure in Dogs

  The most basic part of treatment for canine renal failure is fluid therapy. Aggressive fluid therapy early in renal failure (it is important to be certain the kidneys are at least producing some urine output before getting TOO aggressive) can make a big difference in prognosis. Even in chronic renal failure administration of fluids can be very helpful.

• Preventing Liver Failure In Dogs By Removing External Toxins

  Liver failure in dogs can occur from a host of sources. Your dog can get a bacterial infection, or an existing health condition can lead to liver failure.

• Preventing Canine Pancreatitis Through Proper Diet

  Canine pancreatitis is a condition where the dog's pancreas becomes inflamed due to digestive enzymes eating through the living tissue. If allowed to progress, other tissue becomes involved, potentially causing involvement with the liver and creating other problem conditions such as diabetes mellitus.

• Pancreatitis and Pancreas Problems 2

  Dr. Mike, We have a 2-1/2 yr. old miniature schnauzer, Duffy, that is having some difficulty with his pancreas. We lost a 5 yr. old. two years ago to pancreatitis so are reaching out to stave off this horrible ailment before we lose our precious Duffy.

• Pancreatitis and Pancreas Problems

  Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas caused by leakage of active digestive enzymes into the pancreatic tissue. This causes various clinical signs but most pets affected by acute pancreatitis have abdominal pain, depression and decreased appetite or lack of appetite.

• Medication - Rimadyl

  Almost every medication that is used in veterinary medicine has the potential to cause side effects. Many of them have the potential to cause death as a side effect. The list of these medications is very long.

• Managing Dog Diabetes With Vetsulin

  Vetsulin is a type of insulin used to manage dog and cat diabetes. Along with monitoring blood glucose levels at home, using Vetsulin to regulate dog insulin...

• Liver Shunts and Vascular Anomalies

  Some dogs with portosystemic shunts can be maintained long term with dietary therapy, combined with lactulose and an antibiotic such as neosporin or metronidazole. However, surgery is still considered to be the best option for most dogs with this problem.

• Liver shunt

  Liver shunts are a congenital problem in some dogs. During gestation the placenta delivers blood with food and oxygen from the mother through the umbilical vein.

• Liver Problems in Dogs: Holistic Treatment

  Most dogs with liver problems benefit greatly from a holistic treatment approach, which requires a change in your dog's lifestyle as well as the use of medication.

• Liver Disease in Dogs - Hepatic Nodular Hyperplasia

  There is a condition in dogs, hepatic nodular hyperplasia, which causes lumps on the liver that look just like cancer but are benign lesions. It is usually possible for the pathologist to identify this condition from a biopsy sample, but the sample does have to come from an affected area, which is one of the problems with needle biopsies—they produce small samples. 

• Liver Disease in Dogs

  Ultrasound examination can sometimes detect portosystemic shunts, gall bladder stones, bile obstructions and tumors in the liver (and probably some other things that aren't coming to mind right now). Liver biopsy allows specific diagnosis of conditions that affect most of the liver, such as cholangiohepatitis and chronic active hepatitis.

• Liver Cancer in Dogs

  There are two different types of liver cancer in dogs, primary and metastatic neoplasia. The liver plays an important role in detoxifying substances that circulates in the body.

• Liver Cancer and Tumors in Dogs

  The type of cancer present has a tremendous influence on how well chemotherapy will work. If you can tell me what the cancer is (if there has been a biopsy) I will look into it more specifically. In general, though, chemotherapy usually does prolong the lifespan of patients who are treated with it.

• Itching Problems - Causes and Treatments

  Insulinomas, the tumor of the pancreas that leads to low blood sugar and high insulin production, will commonly metastasize (some people say this tumor always metastasizes) and recurrences of the tumor after removal do occur in most patients.

• Is Surgery Necessary for Pancreatitis in Dogs?

  Pancreatitis in dogs is not uncommon but can be painful and life-threatening if not treated. The pancreas is located behind the stomach and aids in the metabolism of sugar through the production of insulin and is necessary for digesting nutrients.

• Is Surgery Necessary for Pancreatitis in Dogs?

  Pancreatitis in dogs is not uncommon but can be painful and life-threatening if not treated. The pancreas is located behind the stomach and aids in the metabolism of sugar through the production of insulin and is necessary for digesting nutrients.

• Insulinomas - tumors of the pancreas

  Insulinomas, the tumor of the pancreas that leads to low blood sugar and high insulin production, will commonly metastasize (some people say this tumor always metastasizes) and recurrences of the tumor after removal do occur in most patients. It is a good idea to have chest X-rays taken prior to making a surgical decision, since it would be much less likely to help if there are already visible tumors in the chest.

• Insulin Management for Diabetic Dogs

  Diabetic dogs require a balance of medication, diet and exercise to properly control their diabetes. All of these components play key roles in keeping the diabetic dog healthy and active.

• Hypocalcemia - Low blood calcium levels in Dogs

  Low blood calcium levels (hypocalcemia) can be indicative of a number of conditions so there are other possibilities. In addition, calcium is one of the lab values that seems to have a high error rate in lab testing. Finally, calcium is bound to albumin (a form of protein) in the blood stream and if albumin levels are low

• Hepatic Encephalopathy in Dogs

  Hepatic encephalopathy is central nervous system illness caused by severe liver disease. To the best of my knowledge, liver failure is the only cause of increased ammonia levels in the bloodstream other than ingestion of ammonia containing products.

• Gastric, Liver and Prostactic carcinomas, adenomas and Adenocarcinoma in dogs

  When the entire tumor is removed and there is no evidence of metastasis to surrounding lymph nodes or organs at the time of surgery the prognosis is still guarded, meaning that recurrence of the tumor is likely even in this case. The average life expectancy post surgery for this type of tumor is probably only six months to a year

• Gall Bladder problems in dogs

  If the gallbladder is not functioning properly it will almost always cause problems with the liver. Usually, if sludging of bile in the bile ducts or gallbladder occurs then there is a rise in the alkaline phophatase level and there is usually a rise in the ALT as well.

• Foods to Avoid When Managing Dog Diabetes

  Careful attention to diet promotes healthy insulin levels in dog diabetes. Following a strict veterinary diet is the best way to prevent unhealthy blood sugar levels...

• Dogs with Liver Problems: Monitoring Urination

  Dogs with liver problems require a certain amount of health supervision from their owners, including monitoring the dog's urination.

• Diagnosing Dog Liver Disease Through Biopsies and Blood Tests

  Dog liver disease has a number of causes, and treatment involves medication as well as a change in lifestyle and diet. There is no ideal test for a dog with liver disease, so diagnosis can be difficult.

• Diabetes in Dogs

  Diabetes in dogs almost always requires insulin administration. Cats can sometimes be maintained for long periods of time using dietary changes and medical treatment, although it may be preferable to start treatment for diabetes with insulin in all cats and then to try to maintain the cat later without insulin if it looks like that might be possible.

• Cushing’s disease and elevated liver enzymes

  Cushing's disease is probably more accurately referred to as hyperadrenocorticism -- the production of too much adrenal hormone, in particular corticosteroids. It can be naturally occurring or due to over administration of corticosteroids such as prednisone (iatrogenic Cushing's).

• Cirrhosis of the Liver in Dogs

  Cirrhosis of the liver can occur as the end result of several liver diseases, which may be why it is hard to find information on this condition as a separate entity. Cirrhosis can occur in copper storage diseases of the liver, as the end result of idiopathic chronic hepatitis

• Chronic Active Hepatitis, Choleangiohepatitis

  This is actually a form of chronic active hepatitis. There is often copper accumulation in the liver with this condition in dobermans and testing biopsy samples for copper levels may be helpful in making a diagnosis, although it is usually possible for the pathologist to identify the condition without this testing.

• Canine Pancreatitis: Symptoms, Treatments and Information

  Canine Pancreatitis occurs in dogs when the pancreatic juices attack the tissue of a dog pancreas creating inflammation. Read about the symptoms, treatment, and recovery for Canine Pancreatitis.

• Canine Liver Disease Treatment Procedures

  Canine liver disease is a serious health condition that can affect numerous body systems; the liver is responsible for a number of crucial body functions, including detoxification, storage of vitamins and minerals and the metabolizing of proteins and fats. Because of the liver's crucial role, it is capable of functioning normally in spite of damage and disease.

• Canine Diabetic Treatments Beyond Insulin

  Diabetic canines are often prescribed insulin therapy, but owners must take other measures to keep canine diabetes in check. A strict diet and exercise regime may even mean your diabetic dog will need less insulin or avoid insulin therapy altogether. Treated early, canine diabetes can indeed be managed, even reversed.

• Bloodwork- Alkaline Phosphatase

  Anything that causes the death of a number of liver cells will raise the ALT and AST levels. This includes trauma, toxins, bacterial infections, lack of blood flow to a portion of the liver for any reason (blood clots, low blood pressure, portosystemic shunts), bile duct blockages, pancreatitis and many other conditions.

• Blood and Lymph Disorders of Dogs

  My dog Thor recently became quite passive and didn’t eat normally. He is a 9 year old diabetic that takes 14 units of insulin twice a day.

• 11 Symptoms of Canine Liver Disease

  Canine liver disease is one of the top five causes of possible death for a dog. The liver removes waste and toxins from the blood as well as produces bile to aid digestion.

• 10 Top Causes of Liver Disease in Dogs

  Liver disease in dogs is one of the leading causes of death in dogs each year. The liver is very important for ensuring a long, healthy life.

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