What Does the Liver Do?
The liver is one of the largest and most important organs in the body. It performs a wide range of functions and is involved in many of the body's normal physiological processes.
The liver plays an important role in digestion through the production and secretion of bile. It is also involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins, helps regulate blood glucose levels and stores certain vitamins and minerals.
Another important role of the liver is processing substances that enter the body. The liver helps metabolise medications, hormones and other compounds so they can be processed and eliminated from the body.
Because of the wide range of functions performed by the liver, maintaining healthy liver function is an important part of overall animal health.
What Can Affect Liver Health?
The liver is continually processing substances from the diet and environment. These can include naturally occurring compounds as well as medications, chemicals and other substances an animal may encounter.
The amount and type of exposure will vary considerably between animals and their individual circumstances.
Some environmental considerations include:
- Household cleaning products
- Pesticides and herbicides
- Paint fumes and solvents
- Exhaust fumes
- Chemicals used around the home and garden
- Certain medications
- Preservatives and additives in food
- Contaminants in food or water
This does not mean that every exposure will cause liver problems. The liver has highly effective systems for processing and eliminating many substances. However, reducing unnecessary exposure to potentially harmful chemicals is a sensible part of supporting overall animal health.
Signs That May Be Associated With Liver Problems
Liver problems can develop for many different reasons and may range from mild changes in liver function through to significant liver disease.
Some animals may show obvious signs while others may have few noticeable symptoms, particularly during the early stages of a problem.
Signs that can occur with liver disease or impaired liver function may include:
- Reduced appetite
- Vomiting or digestive upset
- Weight loss
- Lethargy or reduced energy
- Increased thirst or urination
- Changes in stool
- Yellowing of the gums, skin or whites of the eyes
- Abdominal enlargement
- Changes in behaviour or neurological signs
These signs can also occur with many other health conditions, so they should not automatically be attributed to the liver.
Nutrition and Liver Health
Nutrition plays an important role in supporting normal liver function.
A balanced, nutritious diet provides the protein, essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients required for the body's normal metabolic processes.
For dogs and cats, the quality and composition of the overall diet is more important than focusing on a single ingredient or nutrient.
Fresh, minimally processed foods can be incorporated into an appropriately balanced diet where suitable for the individual animal. Care should be taken, however, to ensure that homemade or raw diets are properly balanced rather than simply adding individual ingredients to an existing diet.
Reducing Unnecessary Chemical Exposure
Where practical, reducing unnecessary exposure to household and garden chemicals can be another consideration when caring for your animal.
Animals can come into contact with substances on floors, grass and other surfaces. They may also ingest residues when grooming themselves.
Consider where chemicals are being used around the home and garden and follow the product instructions carefully. Store cleaning products, pesticides, herbicides, paints and other chemicals safely away from animals.
Supporting Healthy Liver Function
The liver has its own natural processes for metabolising and eliminating substances from the body. Rather than thinking of the liver as something that needs to be routinely “cleansed” or “detoxed”, it is more useful to focus on supporting the body's normal liver function.
This includes:
- Providing a balanced and appropriate diet
- Maintaining a healthy body weight
- Ensuring access to fresh drinking water
- Minimising unnecessary exposure to chemicals
- Avoiding inappropriate supplementation
- Supporting good digestive health
- Providing appropriate exercise and enrichment
Certain herbs and nutrients are traditionally used to support healthy liver function. Their suitability will depend on the individual animal, their diet, medications and overall health.
What About Liver Support Supplements?
Herbal and nutritional supplements are sometimes used as part of a broader approach to supporting liver health.
Milk thistle, for example, is traditionally used in herbal medicine to support normal liver function. Other herbs and nutrients may also be selected depending on the individual animal and the purpose of supplementation.
However, more is not necessarily better. Animals with existing liver disease or those taking medications may require particular care when introducing herbs or supplements.
Supporting Your Dog or Cat's Liver Health
The liver is remarkably important to the overall health of dogs and cats, with roles extending across digestion, metabolism and the processing of substances within the body.
Rather than focusing solely on “detoxing” the liver, consider the bigger picture of your animal's diet, environment, digestive health and everyday care.
If you're concerned about your animal's liver health or have noticed changes such as reduced appetite, vomiting, weight loss, lethargy or yellowing of the gums or eyes, further investigation may be appropriate.
For animals with known liver disease, dietary changes and herbal or nutritional supplements should be considered carefully as part of their individual health needs.
Liver Support Supplements -
Petz Park Liver Support for Cats
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