Liver disease in older dogs is incredibly common. However, it isn’t talked about as often as kidney disease or diabetes.
We know it exists. We know dogs are afflicted with it.
But we rarely hear it mentioned until we’re faced with a diagnosis and trying to navigate this challenging time.
While dogs of any age may be affected due to genetics or external/environmental factors, we most commonly see liver problems in older dogs.
Last Updated: Nov 28, 2023
What is the Function of the Liver?
I have heard the liver referred to as the “workhorse” of the body.
This vital organ performs an essential role by regulating many chemicals in the body necessary for performing regular bodily functions.
This includes:
- Producing bile to aid in digestion
- Metabolizing fats, carbs, and proteins
- Supporting blood to clotting
- Breaking down drugs/medications
- Removing toxins from the body
- Storing important vitamins and minerals
With so many vital responsibilities, your senior dog’s liver health is an important topic to understand.
What is Liver Disease in Senior Dogs?
Liver disease is a term used to describe any medical condition that affects the liver.
This could refer to primary liver disease, meaning that it directly affects the liver, or secondary liver disease, where the damage results from another underlying condition.
Mild stages of liver disease in older dogs may go unnoticed for some time.
However, when you do recognize signs of trouble, it needs to be addressed as quickly as possible.
Not all forms of liver disease can be cured. Some may require ongoing supportive care and management to give your dog the best quality of life.
Left untreated, it can cause permanent organ damage. In the most severe cases, it can be fatal.
Common forms of liver disease in dogs include:
- A portosystemic shunt, or liver shunt, happens when blood bypasses the liver, either due to a congenital condition or damage to the liver later in life. This prevents the liver from filtering toxins out of the blood, causing those toxins to build up in the body.
- Cirrhosis refers to a condition where the functioning tissue of your dog’s liver is replaced by scar tissue.
- Copper storage disease involves excessive amounts of copper in the liver. This could happen due to a diet high in copper or a genetic predisposition.
- Liver cancer can occur in dogs in several forms. The most common is hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer may originate in the liver or have started somewhere else and spread to the liver.
- Hepatic lipidosis, or fatty liver disease in dogs. This occurs when fat cells collect in the liver, preventing it from functioning properly.
- Fulminant hepatic liver failure is characterized by sudden loss of liver function.
Symptoms of Liver Disease in Dogs
Many of the signs of liver disease in dogs are the same as for other illnesses, making it difficult to know for sure that the problem is related to the liver.
Signs of liver disease include:
- Increased urination
- Dark-colored urine or blood in the urine
- Pale-colored bowel movements
- Drinking more
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Enlarged abdomen caused by fluid build-up
- Jaundice (yellowing of the skin, gums, or whites of the eyes)
- Temporary Blindness
- Depression
- Weakness/lethargy
- Apathy
- Confusion
Dogs with advanced liver disease often suffer neurological and behavioral changes.
This is due to the high levels of toxins in the body that would usually have been filtered out and removed by a healthy liver.
Signs of neurological trouble include:
- Excessive drooling
- Seizures
- Disorientation
- Restlessness
- Pacing or wandering
Skin disorders may also occur in dogs with advanced liver disease.
If you notice that your dog is showing any behavior changes or signs of feeling ill, no matter how slight they may be, contact your veterinarian.
It’s better to be safe than sorry!
The 4 Stages of Liver Disease in Dogs
When diagnosing liver disease, your veterinarian will categorize your dog’s illness in one of four stages based on how advanced it is.
The 4 stages of liver disease are as follows:
- First Stage: Early onset of the disease is characterized by liver inflammation. It can usually be treated easily with dietary changes or medication if diagnosed at this stage.
- Second Stage: As the disease progresses, the liver begins to harden. This moderate liver damage, known as fibrosis, may still be treatable without long-term effects.
- Third Stage: The disease has progressed far enough that, even if it can be treated, there will be permanent liver scarring or Cirrhosis.
- Final Stage/Fourth Stage: At this point, the liver is failing. It can no longer function as needed to maintain necessary bodily functions.
What Causes Liver Disease in Dogs?
One reason there is such a wide variety of symptoms is that there are many possible causes of liver disease in older dogs (and younger dogs, too).
Some causes can be prevented or addressed, while others are entirely out of your control.
The most common causes of liver diseases in dogs include:
- Infection
- Medication
- Trauma (such as an accident or heat stroke)
- Ingestion of a toxin (plants, herbs, some mushrooms, pesticides)
- Exposure to blue-green algae
- Long-term use of painkillers
- Fatty foods
- Other underlying diseases and medical conditions
Some breeds are genetically predisposed to liver disease.
This doesn’t mean that it is guaranteed all dogs of these breeds will develop liver problems, but they are at higher risk.
The following breeds are considered high-risk:
- Australian Shepherd
- Australian Cattle Dog
- Bedlington Terrier
- Bichon Frise
- Chihuahua
- Cocker Spaniel
- Dandie Dinmont Terrier
- Doberman Pinscher
- German Shepherd
- Havanese
- Irish Setter
- Irish Wolfhound
- Keeshond
- Labrador Retriever
- Maltese
- Old English Sheepdog
- Samoyed
- Skye Terrier
- Springer Spaniel
- Standard Poodle
- West Highland Terrier
- Yorkshire Terrier
If your dog’s breed isn’t on the list, it doesn’t mean you are free and clear.
Learning to recognize the signs of liver failure in dogs could mean the difference between getting the treatment your dog needs or saying goodbye.
Diagnosing Liver Disease in Dogs
In your first appointment with your veterinarian, you will be asked many questions, including details of your dog’s diet, any medication they are taking, and any changes (behavioral and physical) you may have noticed.
They will also ask questions meant to understand if there was any chance your dog could have ingested anything they shouldn’t.
Blood and urine tests are a standard “starting point” in many vet offices.
Further testing will depend on the result of these tests and the potential cause of your dog’s liver disease.
This could include abdominal radiographs, x-rays, an abdominal ultrasound, or a CT scan.
If your veterinarian suspects that you may be dealing with liver cancer, they will likely recommend a liver biopsy. Biopsy samples can also be used to test copper levels or check for infection.
Treatment of Liver Disease in Dogs
As with every medical condition, treatment will depend on the diagnosis. How quickly was it caught? How advanced is it?
Some of the common approaches for treating liver disease in dogs include:
Supportive Care (IV, Antibiotics, Etc.)
If it is suspected that your dog is suffering from a treatable condition, like a bacterial infection, your veterinarian may focus on supportive care.
They may be prescribed antibiotics or steroids to take at home. In other cases, IV or subcutaneous fluids may be provided while in veterinary care.
The goal is to ease symptoms and help your dog feel better as they heal from whatever ails them.
Your vet may also make recommendations to prevent the condition from worsening as they go through treatment.
Ongoing medication may be required to support liver function.
Diets for Liver Disease in Dogs
Specific dietary changes may be needed to set your dog up for success.
If excess copper levels have caused liver disease, you may need to focus on a low-copper or copper-restricted diet.
Recommended diets for liver health are low fat and low protein.
Often, veterinarians will recommend purchasing specialty food for liver disease in dogs. This ensures they are getting exactly what they need.
However, if you make your own food, you can work with a nutritionist to adjust their diet and prioritize your dog’s liver health.
Advanced Medical Intervention
Depending on the cause, your vet may recommend surgery or chemotherapy – especially if your dog is suffering from liver cancer.
If caught early, there is a chance that cancerous tumors can be removed, allowing for full recovery.
In more advanced cases, these treatments may be recommended to slow the disease’s progress, giving you more time with your pet.
Hospice Care for Dogs with Liver Disease
Treatment may no longer be a viable option when faced with end stage liver disease in dogs.
At that point, canine hospice may be the best option. This will ensure they enjoy the best quality of life until it is their time.
Prevention of Liver Disease in Senior Dogs
As already mentioned, many cases of liver disease are not preventable.
But you can take steps to potentially reduce the risk while improving your old dog’s overall health and well-being.
- Senior dogs should have twice-yearly check-ups unless your vet is monitoring a condition and more frequent trips are needed. Routine blood tests, for example, can detect elevated liver enzymes so prompt action can be taken.
- Take your dog to the vet as soon as you notice any changes in behavior, no matter how minor you think they are. Early diagnosis means early treatment and can prevent liver damage.
- Provide your dog with a healthy, nutritionally balanced diet. Avoid feeding fatty foods (including just for treats).
- Ensure your dog always has access to fresh, clean drinking water.
- Give your dog appropriate daily exercise.
- Familiarize yourself with your area’s poisonous plants or insects, including the common signs your dog may have ingested them.
- Keep dangerous substances safe and secure out of your dog’s reach.
Final Thoughts: Liver Disease in Older Dogs
If you suspect your dog may be showing signs of liver disease, make an appointment with your vet as soon as possible.
Older dogs can go downhill very quickly, so time is of the essence.
Even if a large percentage of the liver is diseased, it has a remarkable way of still working.
While liver disease can’t always be prevented, you can take steps to reduce the risk, including feeding your dog a healthy diet and prioritizing daily exercise.
Has your dog been affected by liver disease? Was it a result of age or environmental factors? Sharing helps others, so I invite you to share your experiences in the comment section below.
Red’s Antequera Adventure
Interesting point that liver disease isn’t nearly as highlighted than things such as kidney disease or diabetes etc. I wonder, though, whether chronic liver disease is really as common? The liver, given its function, can get hit for a number of reasons; on the other hand, it also has the ability to regenerate.
So many things can affect the liver, it would be interesting to know the incidence of it being the “only” problem. I’ve had animals with kidney disease and diabetes but never just a liver problem. At the moment it was determined Red has lesions on her liver, but she has other issues as well.
I know there is idiopathic liver inflammation but idiopathic doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a cause, just that nobody knows what it is. I think that if you really get philosophical about it, NOTHING happens in itself as no organ is an island. The insult can come from the outside, though, whether in a form of infection, toxins etc. Even cancer in the liver is extremely rarely primary.
You’re absolutely right Jana. Idiopathic just means nobody knows what the cause is, not that there isn’t one. It’s true no organ is an island, and I know in my dog Red’s case it isn’t always known where or why the problem originated, and as a result of one issue, other organs or systems have been affected.
My dog has high liver “numbers” . He had it over the summer was treated with denamarin and steriods and seemed to recover. When he went for his annual examine the numbers are high again. I know it sounds very harsh but the treatment was so very expensive and if isn’t a condition that can be “cured” for better or worse I have decided to manage it myself. He is back on denamarin but my problem is getting him to eat. He will eat nothing but freshly cooked hamburger or chicken. I know he is not getting well rounded nutrition but I am at my wits end. Any suggestions?
Hi Ginny, I understand the concern about cost and you’re not sounding harsh, it’s just reality. The thing is, you can’t possibly treat an ongoing condition like this on your own. How will you be able to monitor how he’s doing without veterinary intervention? How will you deal with dosages and managing pain? Have you spoken to your vet about your financial concerns and if there’s a way to lower the price of treatment? If the medication is expensive have you looked for generic brands or compared prices with online pharmacies? If he needs blood tests have you found out if you can limit the number you do or the frequency? Liver problems can cause nausea and a lack of appetite. You need to get a list of foods that are safe for your dog to eat and rotate. A canine nutritionist can create a diet for you but that will likely be expensive as well.
Great post as usual, learning so much from them especially with Layla getting older, Happy Easter and thanks
Thanks Ruth, Happy Easter to you as well. I don’t think enough is written about caring for older pets, and the information is so critical at this stage in their lives.
Hi Hindy
I am going through this with my 13.5yrs 3 legged staffy cross.
She had a healthy liver on her last test 6mths ago.
The vet put her on a low dose of steriods for the stiffness in her back legs as yumove advanced seemed to be upsetting her tummy.
She was great for 4 mths then started to not want to go for her walks.
Another blood test revealed high liver enzymes 431 she then started to have seizure so we started her on Delmarin liver support, stopped the steroids and started her on galiprant for her joints and the vet started her on Ephipen, a phenobarbitone for seizures which we stopped when we discovered that they were as bad for her liver as the steriods.
The main cause of High toxins in the liver are Steroids and Phenobarbitone so in my opinion the vets should not be prescribing either of these meds to senior dogs.
We will never know but I am convinced that they are making our senior dogs, like our poor girl, seriously ill and it could have been preventable.
I’m so sorry to hear about your experience Debbie. Thanks for sharing.
I to am just learning about this . My dog has had diarrhea and throwing up since yesterday. Today she is at the vet. Waiting on blood work. Results vet says heart murmur stage 4 or 5. And liver disease she is peeing blood along with other symptoms. She is very very weak. They said she was dehydrated so they r giving her I. Fluids all day. I can already see how expensive it is going to be but I have heard nothing about how much pain she is in Anyone knows about the pain
I learn a lot from reading your blog. It’s good information I can pass along to friends and family members. It’s interesting that Liver Disease is not spoken about as often as Kidney Diseas.
Thank you Lola, I can’t tell you how happy that makes me! It is strange, I don’t know if it’s because the liver isn’t affected as much on it’s own but rather because of another illness.
In our case, medication prescribed by our vet.
This is a very helpful post. Dexter is on medications for his neurological condition, so we check his blood work and a few other things every 4 months. Knock on wood, nothing is wrong with his liver. We are battling the start of some kidney issues, but we’re on a few kidney support supplements and now that is getting back on track too.
Thanks Tonya and glad to hear Dexter is doing well on his medications, and not having any adverse affects. Don’t even talk to me about kidney issues, it’s like almost every cat or dog I’ve ever had suffered from that. I like hearing how helpful the supplements are, I wish I had a holistic vet earlier to help Red.
i appreciate this work, amazing post for us i like it.
Thank you.
My dog was 13 she was blind, she had a dry nose and hot belly. She had a cough but was a gagging cough bought food up collapsed 4 times.we took to vet who did xrays and tests and found she had pneumonia she was dibectic she was weeing and drinking a lot, she was animic found tumor in throat and some forign body in stomach she lost weight and her kidneys and lungs were bad her heart was enlarged also a reading for either lung kidney or heart should have read 22 it was over 2,000 vet said so so bad never seen this before and she could have cancer but didn’t want to opparate due to age. We could bring her home but would have to give her injections for dibitis and not sure how long we sud have with her, so we had our little girl put to sleep. I know we did the right thing but I miss her so much I need closure (did I do the right thing ) please can anyone let me know it was the kindest thing to do it really is tearing a part
Thank you
Joanne, I’m so terribly sorry for the pain and doubt you’re experiencing. While I’m not a vet and certainly can’t comment on any of her issues, from what you’ve written it certainly sounds like you had no other choice but to let her go. Of course the pain you’re feeling is deep, and the questioning whether or not you did the right thing natural…we’ve all been there. The thing is, when we welcome an animal into our hearts and homes we accept the responsibility of taking the absolute best care of them we can, and that includes letting them go when it’s time. They rely on us to love them enough and have the strength to say goodbye, knowing how heartbreaking it will be for us. I hope this helps.
I found out my 9 yo golden retriever had lymphoma and a 13 cm mass in his abdomen on the weekend. The emergency vet was 2000. His prognosis was poor for the future. So we also put him to sleep. Chemo and surgery are very expensive and don’t prolong the life of the dog that much. Yes you did the right thing even though it hurts. Let yourself grieve and eventually your heart will heal.
my 13 yr old west is very sick with liver disease he’s being treated by specialist vet. his recovery is unknown and he is having tests and ultra sound to determine tumor or infection at $1500. per day or more. I feel like I should let him be home with me and not hooked up to IV’s etc in a hospital. I feel guilty I didn’t think he was so sick and waited 2 days before I took him to the vet. I am torn between letting him go and trying to save him.
I understand how you feel.
Echo, my (approx.) 14-year-old French griffon (Korthals?) cross-breed was diagnosed with liver problems a year ago. The cause has not been identified, but an echograph indicated that it’s not due to cancer. Six months ago, the vet said that his blood test showed that it was now terminal and a repeat test a couple of weeks ago showed no improvement. HOWEVER, though there were a few days about 9 months ago when he went off his food, vomited and had diarrhoea, since then he has been his usual hungry self, runs and plays with much younger dogs, jumps into the car or onto the sofa. His stools are now fairly normal. About 5 months ago he had blood in his stools for a few days, but that passed. He doesn’t drink or pee more than normal. No signs of jaundice, confusion or other symptoms of liver failure. His hindquarters do look thin and he has weakness in his hind legs, that may be related to an old back injury and subsequent arthritis. That doesn’t stop him running and jumping. He has recently started having urinary incontinence at night, but not during the day. I can feel his ribs, but they aren’t visible through his short, still glossy, fur.
He went on partial hunger strike when given Hill’s special liver-friendly kibble, so I’ve been cooking for him. His weight used to be 20 kg, and has been stable at 16.5 kg for the past six months. He eats 260 grams of boiled chicken, 260 grams of boiled rice, and 260 grams of mixed veg daily plus jelly from the chicken and 2 tbsp of olive oil, split into two meals. Plus, a couple of rawhide and chicken dental sticks a day. After his evening meal, he usually asks for more, so I’ve increased the chicken to 280 grams. If I’m cooking chicken for the next few days and he comes begging, I generally can’t resist giving him some extra food.
Should I prepare for the worst and expect that he will suddenly decline? Might he carry on living an apparently healthy, active life for another year or two? How safe is it for me to leave him for a few days or even a week or two with a dog sitter?
It’s hard to say whether it’s safe to leave him for any length of time with a dog sitter based on just a description online. With an illness like this, it can progress at different speeds for different dogs depending on a number of different factors. It sounds like you have a vet that you have a good working relationship with – I would have a conversation with them about your dog’s specific case and how he’s doing.
Forgot to mention that we live in France and Echo’s medication is now just Hepagreen, which is a plant-based medication that is used to help production of bile and support liver function, and probiotic food supplement. The amount of food Echo is eating is considerably more than the vet initially recommended, but she is happy with it, given his stable weight. They don’t go in for dramatic treatments here. She did give him a course of CBD to help with a tremor in his hindlegs and that has been effective, but he does now tend to stand with his hind legs bent, though not when he’s eating or barking at “intruders”.