Symptoms & Treatments for Dog Fatty Liver: A Comprehens

Causes

Primary fatty liver can arise from a combination of factors, including a longterm diet high in fats and carbohydrates, low in protein, inadequate food intake, insufficient exercise, and a deficiency of antifat substances. These conditions can lead to the development of primary fatty liver.

Secondary fatty liver, on the other hand, is triggered by conditions such as acute and chronic hepatitis, other infectious diseases and parasitic infections, chronic pancreatitis, and various chronic metabolic disorders, including diabetes. In these cases, fat is mobilized and stored in the liver, causing the disease.

Symptoms

Pets with fatty liver may exhibit symptoms such as a lack of energy, decreased appetite, occasional vomiting, bloating, and diarrhea, which may alternate with constipation. The liver may also become enlarged, but there is usually no significant tenderness upon palpation.

Pathological Changes

Simple fatty liver is characterized by fat accumulation in liver cells. Fatty hepatitis involves liver cell fat变性 and necrosis, along with inflammatory cell infiltration, potentially accompanied by Mallory bodies and fibrosis. Fatty liver fibrosis is marked by fibrosis around central veins and around liver cells, and even fibrous septa connecting portal areas. Fatty liver cirrhosis is a secondary condition resulting from liver lobular reconstruction in response to fatty liver, leading to the formation of pseudolobules and regeneration nodules. The pathological changes in fatty liver can lead to systemic anemia in dogs, cardiovascular diseases, and even heart failure, posing a threat to the pet's life.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis is primarily based on clinical symptoms, along with blood tests, biochemical analyses, and liver imaging studies. In blood tests and biochemical analyses, aspartate aminotransferase, total cholesterol, and triglycerides are key indicators reflecting liver health.

Treatment

With the significant improvement in people's living standards, many pet owners still exhibit blind spots in pet care, often overindulging their pets and feeding them excessive amounts of highprotein and highfat foods. These practices are direct causes of the disease. Therefore, in addition to medication, it is crucial to alter the pet's diet, stop forced feeding, switch to a balanced dog food, feed at regular intervals and amounts, encourage appropriate exercise, and help the pet lose weight.