You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

Liver disease is very common in pets but diagnosis can be a challenge because so many different non-specific clinical signs can be seen. 

The liver is the largest and one of the most important organs in the body, and liver failure is a life-threatening condition. Fortunately the liver has a large reserve capacity so even if large amounts of the organ are damaged and  unable to function the remaining tissue can usually compensate.

The liver has many important functions to perform in the body including the following :

• It is important for many metabolic processes including the breakdown and formation of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
• It detoxifies waste products and poisons
• It is important for the removal (excretion) of useless substances from the body
• It is important in the regulation of body temperature
• It is important for producing substances that are responsible for normal blood clotting
• It is important for normal host immune responses to combat infections
• It is important in the regulation of blood circulation
• It is important as a storage organ for essential nutrients (eg fat soluble vitamins)
• It synthesises bile acids which are important for fat digestion and absorption from food

The liver can suffer from a wide range of different diseases which may be :

• Primary - diseases that affect the liver initially
• Secondary - diseases of the liver that result from other diseases - for example liver disease secondary to Diabetes mellitus.

 Common forms of liver disease :

• Inflammatory disease (called hepatitis) - eg due to chemicals or immune-responses
• Infections - viruses, bacteria, parasites
• Cancer
• Fatty infiltration - especially in obese animals
• Loss of normal tissue and fibrosis - cirrhosis
• Obstruction of bile outflow leading to inflammation
• Congestion due to circulatory problems eg heart failure
• Abnormal blood circulation (congenital or acquired during life) - portocaval shunts
• Copper toxicity in some breeds of dog eg Bedlington Terriers 

Clinical signs associated with liver disease vary greatly , but include :

• Lethargy
• Inappetance (anorexia)
• Weight loss
• Swelling of the abdomen 
  • Due to an enlarged liver, or
  • Fluid accumulation in the abdomen (called ascites or dropsy)
• Increased thirst
• Increased urine production
• Abdominal pain
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Pale (white) feces
• Hair loss (alopecia)
• Bleeding - due to poor blood clotting
• Jaundice - yellow pigmentation of the eyes, skin , gums etc
• Urinary tract obstruction or inflammation due to urate stones (uroliths)
• Breast development in males
• Reduced testicular size in males
• Weakness
• Abnormal walking gait (ataxia)
• Collapse
• Fits (seizures)
• Coma
• Death

The diagnosis of the cause of liver disease often requires :

• Full physical veterinary examination
• Blood and urine tests
• Radiographs or other imaging eg ultrasound
• Biopsy of the liver for histopathological examination

Treatment of liver disease varies depending upon the underlying cause , but includes :

• Surgery for some diseases - eg portocaval shunts, tumours affecting one lobe of the liver. At this time liver transplants are not routinely performed in pets.
• Dietary management - to maintain energy and essential nutrient supply, and minimise toxin build-up
• Drugs - antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, pain killers (analgesics), drugs to reduce toxin build-up.

Updated October 2013