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Liver Disease and Failure in Horses
  by Robert N. Oglesby DVM

Introduction

Introduction » Symptoms » Diagnosis » Causes » Treatment » More Info 

Many of the symptoms of liver failure including loss of appetite (inappetence), weight loss, and depression, are nonspecific for a particular disease. To further complicate the diagnosis of liver failure, you often find elevated liver enzymes in routine equine blood panels on apparently healthy horses. Relatively small insults to the liver, stress, and many drugs can result in increases in serum levels of liver enzymes, sometimes dramatic rises. The reason for the rarity of liver failure is because:
  • The liver has a large reserve capacity and signs of liver failure does not occur until over 70% of the liver is dysfunctional.
  • The liver has a large capacity for regeneration when it is damaged as long as anti-metabolite chemicals and/or scarring are not present.

It is important to remember elevated liver enzymes do not mean liver disease and liver disease does not always equal liver failure. In order to confirm liver failure frequently requires further laboratory work up looking for the toxic metabolites that accumulate with liver failure. Causes of liver failure include poisons, infection, immune disorders, intestinal disease, and cancer. Because many of the symptoms are the same regardless of cause diagnosis of the specific cause may require biopsy though not aways. This article deals with the symptoms, diagnosis, causes, treatment and prognosis of liver disease in general in horses. Links are provided to articles on specific liver diseases where present.
      ~Word Count: 2432 words (The average magazine page contains about 600 words);
      ~Last Updated: September 08, 2009;

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Discussions on Liver Disease and Failure
  Titles Subtopics Posts Updated
iconLiver - acute attacks (corticosteriods?) and metabolism20 Jun 5, 08
icon9mnth Welsh Cob fillyFeb 27, 08
iconTests for liver diseaseJun 12, 03
iconLiver problems, anemia, and weight lossNov 8, 02
iconHigh bilirubins levels 20 Oct 23, 02
iconLeptospirosisMay 8, 02
iconBeginnings of liver trouble or something else?Jan 30, 02
iconLiver problems?Jan 2, 02
iconIndications of liver disease?11 Dec 5, 01
iconElevated liver enzymes and anemiaAug 25, 00
iconRecurring Colic Problem13 Jul 4, 00
iconSmall LiverMay 23, 00
iconPrimary Diagnosis of Liver Failure19 Mar 11, 00
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