VD Hepatic for dogs
14. September, 2021
Does your dog have liver problems? Do not despair – this organ has a large
functional reserve and regenerative ability, if the appropriate treatment is
applied quickly and correctly.
The liver can be considered one of the most important organs in the body
- It's the central metabolic organ in the conversion of nutrients from food
- Its function is to detoxify - breaking down ammonia, undesirable substances, and metabolites that would be harmful to the organism
-
It produces bile, which is essential for digestion and the absorption of fats and fat-soluble vitamins
-
It produces the albumin (the primary blood protein) and urea
-
It has a storage function - it maintains stores of glycogen (a source of glucose = energy), iron, lipids, some vitamins (A, D, E, K, B) and minerals
-
It plays an important role in function of immunity
Simply put, the liver is a powerhouse, a battery and a warehouse for the organism.
Stages of Liver Damage
-
Healthy Liver
- Hepatic enlargement of the Lipidosis
(accumulation of fat leads to the liver) - Liver Fibrosis
(fibrous tissue accumulated in the liver suppresses cell function) - Cirrhosis of the Liver
(The final stage of liver disease. Fibrous tissue has replaced functional Cirrhosis liver cells. This stage of the liver is irreversible.)
Liver disease is one of the commonly diagnosed diseases in veterinary medicine
The liver has large functional reserves, and therefore signs of disease often don't appear until the impaired tissue reaches 80% or more.
Symptoms of liver disease are generally mild, subtle, and easily confused with the symptomsof many other diseases. For this reason, liver disease is unfortunately frequently diagnosed in its advanced stages.
Symptoms of liver disease:
- Loss of appetite/vomiting
- Weight loss/cachexy
- Apathy
- Increased tiredness
- Constipation/diarrhea/gassiness
- Elevated temperature
- Excessive thirst and increased urination
- Poor coat quality
- Changes in stool and urine color
- Shortness of breath (dyspnea)
- Buildup of fluid in the abdomen (ascites)
- Jaundice (resulting from reduced breakdown of bilirubin in the liver)
- Blood clotting disorder (hemorrhage)
- Enlargement/shrinkage of the liver
- Enlarged lymph nodes
- Neurological symptoms (hepatic encephalopathy)
Possible causes of liver disease:
- Bacteria
- Viruses
- Parasites
- Diseases of other organs
- Toxins and poisons
- Medications
- Obesity
- Age
- Breed disposition
- Sex (female dogs are more susceptible)
- Autoimmune and genetic defects
- Congenital defects
- Long-term starvation
- Poor quality food/consumption of low-quality proteins in food
Liver disease and right choice of food for your dog
Whenever possible, it's important to get a precise diagnosis with liver disease and to focus on a properly chosen hepato-protective dietconcurrently with medical treatment.
Diet and nutrition are especially important when treating liver disease. Food for animals who are suffering from some type of liver disease must contain sufficient amount of easily available nutrients, while enabling the liver to begin the regeneration process.
A food comprising highly digestible ingredients and nutrients that are often deficient helps to reduce the load on the liver. The diet must be highly palatable to ensure that it is well-accepted. Dogs with liver disease often suffer from a lack of appetite.
It is possible to use either dry food (kibbles) or canned food or mix dry and canned together.
How the Calibra Hepatic Veterinary Diet helps your dog?
-
Supports treatment due to its special composition
-
Helps reduce clinical symptoms of the disease
-
Enables liver tissue to regenerate
- Improves the function and performance of liver issue
- Manages clinical symptoms
- Improves the quality of life with liver disorders
A hepato-protective diet must contain high-quality, easily digestible proteins with an adequate amount of carbohydrates and fats.
Calibra Hepatic therefore contains salmon meat, hydrolysates (proteins that have been broken down into shorter chains, which support easier digestion), and eggs, together with a suitable source of carbohydrates and plant proteins - rice.
When developing the Calibra Hepatic diet, we chose not only highquality proteins and carbohydrates, but we also considered properly selected functional additives.
Functional Additives in Hepatic
Sufficient levels of beneficial additives that complement the diet's primary composition can significantly affect its functionality.
We've chosen the following additives for the Calibra Hepatic veterinary diet:
Fulvic Acids
Are a group of organic acids derived from organic components of soils (humus). By adding them to foods, we revert to the dog's natural COOH OH diet. Their primary function is to help remove toxins and heavy metals from the organism, which it takes in from the environment or through food. They are also known for their positive effect on the absorption of nutrients and for their anti-inflammatory properties.
Zinc
(in organic — chelated form)
Has strong antioxidant and hepato-protective properties.
B-Vitamins & brewer's yeasts
Support a wide range of metabolic processes.
L-Carnitine
Protects against the fat accumulation in the liver, supports the fat metabolism.
Milk Thistle
Contains the active ingredient silymarin, which has significant hepato-protective effects on liver tissue that have been scientifically proven.
Turmeric
Turmeric has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as the ability to increase the production of bile.
Yucca schidigera
Helps reduce toxic metabolites in the intestines, which in turn reduces the absorbed amount that reaches the liver.
...and finally...
The liver is capable of regenerating itself, and studies have shown that if the causes of liver disease and its symptoms are managed properly and on-time, liver tissue and its function is able to recover.
Dietary management is very important part of therapy and it can significantly help improve the quality of life of Your pet.