Hi! Nice to meet you!
You probably don’t think about me much but I’m an extremely important organ in the body called the liver. Take a moment to get to know me!
It’s a tough job being me!
Here’s how I work: Anything that gets into the blood stream, either by being absorbed through the digestive track or from other avenues, travels through me.
I’m a hard worker and never take vacation days! However, things can happen that affect how I work and cause me to feel sick.
Sometimes, there are abnormalities that alter the way blood flows through the body. When this happens, my cells don’t come in contact with the blood and I can’t work my magic by metabolizing or detoxifying substances. An abnormal blood flow also prevents me from getting the building blocks that I need to produce proteins and vitamins. Conditions like this can be acquired or congenital.
When I get sick, it’s called liver disease, and I can show it in many ways. When I’m not doing what I should, it can affect all the body’s other systems and functions and show up as something small like lethargy or loss of appetite. Other times, it can cause severe neurologic signs like seizures and stupor.
To help figure out why I don’t feel well, and why your pet isn’t acting happy and healthy, your veterinarian will use blood tests and imaging tests to look for clues. Based on the results, your veterinarian will determine the best treatment to get us both on the mend.
Concerned about your pet's health? Talk to your pet's veterinarian or call Red Bank Veterinary Hospital at (732) 747-3636 for an appointment.
