Liver, Kidney & Pancreas

The Liver, Kidneys and Pancreas are three important organs in our body and the same goes for dogs. Unfortunately, just like in humans, pancreatitis in dogs can occur, as well as liver problems and issues such as kidney disease in dogs. That is why it is important that as pet owners, we understand how to care for our dog’s pancreas and kidneys and provide liver support for dogs. Unlocking the key to these can help us provide a longer, happier life for man's best friend.

What Does the Liver Do?

The liver isn’t just that organ that you punish on a Friday night out in town, it is an incredibly intelligent piece of biological engineering. It essentially acts as a big filtration system, sorting and separating the good and bad things that come into you and your dog's body so that you don't have any potentially harmful substances floating about your bloodstreams’. The liver is also able to regenerate itself! However, in your dog's case, liver disease in dogs and liver problems in dogs can lead to permanent damage of the liver, which in turn can limit its ability to clean your dog's internal systems.

What Causes Liver Disease in Dogs?

There are many things that can cause liver problems in dogs, namely a poor diet. Giving your dog lots of processed and chemically made food may be okay initially, but a prolonged diet could have some potentially harmful effects for your pooch down the line. That is why it is important to provide liver support for dogs from the off by looking at giving your four-legged friend a balanced and non-processed diet and you may even want to provide liver supplements for dogs to boost the liver care process.

Your Dog’s Kidneys

The kidneys are the second of the triumphant trio of organs in this cleansing bodily system. The kidneys, much like the liver, also work as a handy filtration system for your dog’s body. They regulate the passage of bad chemicals out of your dog's body via urine. However, sadly much the same as the liver, they can come under fire from external factors, such as in the case of kidney disease in dogs.

What Causes Kidney Disease in Dogs?

Unlike the liver, where liver problems in dogs occur typically as a result of a poor and processed diet in general, the kidneys are most severely damaged by one agent in particular, and that is sugar. It is not uncommon with Type 2 Diabetes, which is brought on by the bodies’ failure to regulate sugar levels. Just like with humans, kidney disease in dogs could be accelerated dramatically by a diet that is too high in sugar. That is why it is important to take preventative measures to ensure that your dog is consuming a healthy diet that is low in sugar.

What does your dog’s pancreas do?

Last, but by no means least, is the pancreas. This organ isn’t as well known as the kidneys or indeed the liver, but it plays a series of essential roles in the body of your dog. Firstly, it works to take the food that your dog eats and help convert it into fuel to power their daily activities. It is also a key player in regulating your dogs sugar levels, keeping them well balanced. You can begin to see here where the pancreas and the kidneys are working in tandem to deal with the sugar in your dog's blood.

The final function of the pancreas is to produce and release hormones into the body. Hormones are the special natural chemicals which direct processes in your dog's body. For example, testosterone, which when released, prompts protein synthesis which constructs muscle in your dog’s body. However, pancreatitis in dogs can occur just like in humans, where the function of your dog's pancreas function can become compromised and this, in turn, can lead to other problems in your dog's body.

What Causes Pancreatitis in Dogs?

The most common cause in humans is alcoholism, but pancreatitis in dogs is more typically the work of an unfulfilling diet that is rich in chemicals and sugars. Essentially, when talking about your dog’s pancreas, you get out what you put in so it is important that you provide your dog with a balanced and healthy diet with plenty of exercise. Failure to do so could result in acute pancreatitis or even chronic pancreatitis in dogs.

How to Help Your Dog’s Liver, Kidney and Pancreas?

Just like with all disorders that develop over time, pancreatitis in dogs, liver disease in dogs, and kidney disease in dogs can all be helped if met with certain preventative measures. The most common theme across all three was diet; if you feed your dog a poor diet that is full of sugar and processed ingredients, you are creating too much work for your dog’s liver, kidneys and pancreas which serves to increase the likelihood of them running into trouble in the form of liver problems in dogs, as well as pancreatitis and kidney disease.

For that reason, it is necessary to feed your dog a balanced diet from ingredients that are well sourced and not processed. In the case of kidneys, these benefit from routine and regulation of fluid, so it is important to not only ensure that your loyal companion gets a balanced diet, but also that they get enough water on a regular basis and have the opportunity to go to the toilet too.

Dog Liver, Kidney and Pancreas Supplements

In addition to adjusting your dog’s diet and exercise routine, they could also benefit from supplementation to help enhance their nutrition profile and help to put in place preventative measures. There is a whole range of liver supplements for dogs out there as well as overall wellbeing supplements that provide a rich supply of vitamins and minerals which will work to help support your dog's natural defences and vitality which will have application in the liver, kidneys and pancreas. However, the best avenue to providing liver support for dogs, as well as support for the kidneys and pancreas, is to provide your dog with a balanced diet that benefits from the addition of a tailored supplementing routine.

When it comes to supplementation, it is also great to give your dog a supplement that is sourced naturally. Firstly, natural supplements are more likely to contain a higher concentration of the active ingredients that you want to help support your dog’s wellbeing. Secondly, they are far less likely to carry unwanted additives and chemicals that could otherwise cause the supplement to do more harm than good. And lastly, they are is typically designed with your dog’s enjoyment in mind and will make for the most pleasant supplementation experience possible.