Supplements listed at bottom
Liver Problems In Dogs

By Dr Peter Dobias
Allow me to disagree with some of my colleagues who claim that a raw food diet for dogs is a fad. In over three decades of clinical practice, I am certain that feeding a raw diet cures many ailments, and also helps dogs with liver disease.
Dog lovers are starting to realize that feeding raw food is one of the most effective ways to keep your dog's liver healthy, in addition to providing fermented herbal liver support supplement.
Assessing liver health
The liver has several main functions:
The level of hepatic (liver) activity can be determined by evaluating liver enzymes through a blood test.
Allow me to disagree with some of my colleagues who claim that a raw food diet for dogs is a fad. In over three decades of clinical practice, I am certain that feeding a raw diet cures many ailments, and also helps dogs with liver disease.
Dog lovers are starting to realize that feeding raw food is one of the most effective ways to keep your dog's liver healthy, in addition to providing fermented herbal liver support supplement.
Assessing liver health
The liver has several main functions:
- It is a cleansing organ that rids the body of toxins through chemical transformation or excretion in bile
- Bile also aids in digestion of fats
- The liver produces glycogen, a starch analogue, which serves as energy storage
- The liver is responsible for protein production
The level of hepatic (liver) activity can be determined by evaluating liver enzymes through a blood test.
ALT (Alanine Aminotransferase) is the most important enzyme in the assessment. It's also sometimes called SGPT (serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase). ALT is almost exclusively found within hepatocytes (liver cells). An increase in ALT is highly specific to liver cell injury in dogs and cats.
AST (Aspartate Aminotransferase) activity primarily reflects liver and muscle disease, with less specificity to the liver than ALT. It can be elevated by liver infections, chronic non-infectious inflammation or degeneration of the liver.
GGT (Gamma Glutamyl Transferase) is usually elevated in cases of cholestasis (bile stagnation) in the liver or by obstructed bile ducts.
ALP (Alkaline Phosphatase) may also be elevated in the case of liver disease, drug administration or any inflammatory processes in the body. This enzyme doesn’t have a great practical use in liver function evaluation.
Elevated ALT
Some dogs, even those fed a raw diet, can have an elevated ALT. If it is less than two times the normal value, liver disease may be the cause, especially in dogs fed processed foods. However, it may also be found in dogs fed raw food who naturally have higher enzymatic activity.
(I don't mention specific numbers here as the reference range varies from lab to lab and the units from country to country.)
Values higher than two times the normal range suggest liver disease and medical attention is likely needed.
AST (Aspartate Aminotransferase) activity primarily reflects liver and muscle disease, with less specificity to the liver than ALT. It can be elevated by liver infections, chronic non-infectious inflammation or degeneration of the liver.
GGT (Gamma Glutamyl Transferase) is usually elevated in cases of cholestasis (bile stagnation) in the liver or by obstructed bile ducts.
ALP (Alkaline Phosphatase) may also be elevated in the case of liver disease, drug administration or any inflammatory processes in the body. This enzyme doesn’t have a great practical use in liver function evaluation.
Elevated ALT
Some dogs, even those fed a raw diet, can have an elevated ALT. If it is less than two times the normal value, liver disease may be the cause, especially in dogs fed processed foods. However, it may also be found in dogs fed raw food who naturally have higher enzymatic activity.
(I don't mention specific numbers here as the reference range varies from lab to lab and the units from country to country.)
Values higher than two times the normal range suggest liver disease and medical attention is likely needed.
If you are not ready to feed raw, the first step is to feed the highest quality, non-medicated, unprocessed, raw or cooked food. Feeding most processed food or raw food made of medicated chicken, turkey and poor-quality, rendered meats can cause serious problems, nutritional deficiencies and can also overburden the liver.
Avoid processed prescription liver diets
Processed pet food giants have long seen the opportunity of selling exclusive veterinary diets for the treatment of liver disease. All you need to do is to check the ingredients and you will see what is really going on:
"Brewers Rice, Pork Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Dried Egg Product, Soybean Meal, Powdered Cellulose, Flaxseed, Pork Protein Isolate, Chicken Liver Flavor, Dicalcium Phosphate, Lactic Acid, Soybean Oil, Potassium Chloride, Dried Beet Pulp, Calcium Carbonate, Glycerol Monostearate....."
"Really? Pork fat for liver disease?"
In my opinion, low protein food is harmful considering the ingredients. Feeding such a diet is like trying to purify drinking water by pouring sewage in it!
Processed pet food giants have long seen the opportunity of selling exclusive veterinary diets for the treatment of liver disease. All you need to do is to check the ingredients and you will see what is really going on:
"Brewers Rice, Pork Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Dried Egg Product, Soybean Meal, Powdered Cellulose, Flaxseed, Pork Protein Isolate, Chicken Liver Flavor, Dicalcium Phosphate, Lactic Acid, Soybean Oil, Potassium Chloride, Dried Beet Pulp, Calcium Carbonate, Glycerol Monostearate....."
"Really? Pork fat for liver disease?"
In my opinion, low protein food is harmful considering the ingredients. Feeding such a diet is like trying to purify drinking water by pouring sewage in it!
Practical steps for a dog liver cleanse
The liver is an important organ in almost every aspect of your dog’s organ function and good health. You will see that doing a cleanse twice a year has a very positive effect on your dog's health, namely in their overall energy level, mobility, digestion, endurance and stamina, skin and coat health, immune system function and cancer prevention.
Even if your dog doesn’t have any liver enzyme elevation, a liver detox every six to 12 months is highly beneficial in dogs. Canines in general, have a tendency for liver imbalances.
Feed lower fat meats. Avoid rich and greasy meats such as duck, fatty lamb, bison, buffalo and beef or meat rendered from meat-packing plants. We also recommend avoiding kibble and canned food.
The liver is an important organ in almost every aspect of your dog’s organ function and good health. You will see that doing a cleanse twice a year has a very positive effect on your dog's health, namely in their overall energy level, mobility, digestion, endurance and stamina, skin and coat health, immune system function and cancer prevention.
Even if your dog doesn’t have any liver enzyme elevation, a liver detox every six to 12 months is highly beneficial in dogs. Canines in general, have a tendency for liver imbalances.
Feed lower fat meats. Avoid rich and greasy meats such as duck, fatty lamb, bison, buffalo and beef or meat rendered from meat-packing plants. We also recommend avoiding kibble and canned food.
Avoid feeding large marrow bones, which have extremely high-fat content.
Beware of cheap treats, even if they are natural. If it's too cheap, it's likely because the ingredients are cheap too.
Avoid any food made in China because of that country's history of tainted foods and heavy use of additives and chemical preservatives.
Start a six week course of Liver Support and Cleanse (LiverTune) - a liver cleansing herbal formula that I've found very effective.
Administer and continue giving GreenMin on an ongoing basis to detox and provide essential minerals and nutrients.
After the liver cleanse is completed start essential supplements to provide the body what it needs to heal and thrive.
Beware of cheap treats, even if they are natural. If it's too cheap, it's likely because the ingredients are cheap too.
Avoid any food made in China because of that country's history of tainted foods and heavy use of additives and chemical preservatives.
Start a six week course of Liver Support and Cleanse (LiverTune) - a liver cleansing herbal formula that I've found very effective.
Administer and continue giving GreenMin on an ongoing basis to detox and provide essential minerals and nutrients.
After the liver cleanse is completed start essential supplements to provide the body what it needs to heal and thrive.
If your dog has elevated liver enzymes to any degree, measure ALT values at least every three to six months depending on the severity of the problem and seek the help of an experienced animal care provider.
If the ALT values do not start dropping within three months, start Zyflamend. I have seen this product reduce ALT by half in some very severe hepatitis cases. Continue this product for two months after the liver enzymes are back to normal.
If the ALT values do not start dropping within three months, start Zyflamend. I have seen this product reduce ALT by half in some very severe hepatitis cases. Continue this product for two months after the liver enzymes are back to normal.
Supplements that support Liver Disease
SAMe
Supplement Dosage:
Toy dog: 200mg every other day
Small dog: 200mg daily
Medium dog: 400mg daily
Large dog: 600 mg daily
This works well given along with milk thistle.
Toy dog: 200mg every other day
Small dog: 200mg daily
Medium dog: 400mg daily
Large dog: 600 mg daily
This works well given along with milk thistle.
Milk Thistle
Small dogs: 1 tsp
Med dogs: 2 tsp
Large dogs: 3 tsp
Give 5 days on and 2 days off
Med dogs: 2 tsp
Large dogs: 3 tsp
Give 5 days on and 2 days off
NAC Supplement (N-Acetyl L-Cysteine)
N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), the supplement form of the amino acid cysteine, can help the body create and use protective antioxidants, especially glutathione (the so-called “master antioxidant”).
N-acetyl cysteine protects the liver and kidneys and improves detoxification pathways, in addition to having anti-inflammatory effects. This is why NAC injections are used to help reverse drug overdoses and toxicity.
Other benefits include treating respiratory conditions, PCOS, infertility, metabolic syndrome and certain types of cancers.
Do not give in high doses.
Best if given every other day or a few times a week unless directed by a holistic vet.
Small dog: 1/4 capsule daily or every other day etc
Med dog: 1/2 capsule daily or every other day
Large dog: 1 capsule daily daily or every other day
N-acetyl cysteine protects the liver and kidneys and improves detoxification pathways, in addition to having anti-inflammatory effects. This is why NAC injections are used to help reverse drug overdoses and toxicity.
Other benefits include treating respiratory conditions, PCOS, infertility, metabolic syndrome and certain types of cancers.
Do not give in high doses.
Best if given every other day or a few times a week unless directed by a holistic vet.
Small dog: 1/4 capsule daily or every other day etc
Med dog: 1/2 capsule daily or every other day
Large dog: 1 capsule daily daily or every other day