Although they are relatively benign and do not cause problems in most cases, liver cysts are nonetheless something that you should be aware of when you're considering your pet's health. Liver cysts in dogs are quite common, although most of them are completely normal and go by unnoticed.
A cyst is, by definition, any small sac that is either empty or filled with liquid of some kind. it can be found virtually anywhere in your pet's body, but in dogs one of the more common areas for a cyst to develop is around the liver. Know what these cysts mean and when you should be concerned about them in your pet.
How and Why Cysts Develop
As your pet gets older, portions of his liver may die and then regenerate. The liver is a self-sustaining organ that is capable of regrowing in certain ways. This is an excellent trait for your pet's liver, particularly if he should happen to damage it in some way as a result of eating a poor diet or causing it some other harm. However, as the cells regenerate, oftentimes cysts are the biproduct. This is why the liver has more cysts in dogs, on average, than most other types of organs and body parts in his body.
The older that your pet is, the more likely it is that he'll have developed liver cysts.
When Liver Cysts Are a Problem
Liver cysts are almost always benign. These benign cysts are not cancerous and will not spread to other parts of your body. This does not mean that they are necessarily not a danger to your pet, however. The biggest concern about these benign cysts is when they grow to a large size. Most cysts remain quite small and will not cause any disruption of your dog's bodily actions. However, in rare cases a cyst may grow to be large enough that it does cause some interruption to your pet's normal liver function. In these cases, the presence of the cyst itself may require that it be removed or decreased in size through careful surgery.
Some cysts do develop as a result of other, underlying conditions or diseases. Hydatic disease is caused by a certain type of tape worm in your pet's system. In this case, the development of a cyst in his liver is a symptom of another condition that requires your treatment. Therefore, if your peet is found to have cysts, it's important that you and your vet rule out the possibility of any underlying conditions that may have caused it.
Finding and Treating Cysts
Most cysts can only be determined through x-rays and examinations. Your vet may be able to guess at the presence of larger cysts if your pet displays certain other symptoms or if he is able to feel them on your pet's body. Generally, once you've found cysts, the course of action will be to leave them alone and to monitor them periodically to check on their size. If the cyst must be removed, you and your vet should talk about different options for surgery for your dog.