# Diets for liver damage



## Grace'sMom (Feb 22, 2012)

Hi all....

Until Grace's numbers are normal (for 2 months straight) Dr. Julie wants her on a special diet.

This is what she said:

Less then 20% of calories from protein

The rest from good carbs and good fats. Making sure to get fiber in there.

I've been reading and this diet sounds right in terms of feeding dogs with liver damage. It is also recommended to keep protein separate from the carbs. Which I can do because Grace eats such tiny amounts.

You all know my Grace is a picky eater. Like... one of the pickiest LOL

The not so funny thing is before her blood work was done and we were discussing how her picky eating was Dr. Julie said, "You're like a sick cat, Grace."...... Who knew she'd be right? 

I'm hoping when she feels better Grace will have more of an appetite and be a little less picky.


Does anyone have any ideas for foods?

I am NOT buying food. I'm done with trying that. I get upset when she doesn't eat the food, the bag goes to waste. And with all the recalls... I'm making both Gus and Grace's food.


She ate some whole wheat pasta tonight with some olive oil.

She does not like messy foods.

She LOVES protein .... Of course! She loves meat LOL.... Sigh.

She also has a bit of a sweet tooth and loves things like my nephew's animal cookies and bits of toast with honey that he drops.... Sigh.

Tonight just to get her to eat I resorted to sitting at the table and pretending my nephew was throwing her pasta from his highchair LOL :HistericalSmiley: 

She will lick baby food from the pouches a couple times a day but is picky about which ones.... really has to be sweet for her to like them (more fruit then veg).

So I need ideas. Because she has to eat. Hypoglycemia at this point would just make things much worse. And her liver damage may be why she is still having issues with that at her age and weight (5 lbs even).

So.... ideas.....

Do you think I could bake her a little soft cookie type thing? Does anyone know of a recipe for that? One with mostly carbs....

Would yogurt be okay? I was thinking of freezing some yogurt mixed with peanut butter. She loves peanut butter.

She only eats about 1 TBS at a time. And I'm going to try to feed her mini snacks all day...so 1 TBS in the morning, another a few hours later.... so on.

But with my Lyme and treatment I do need something somewhat easy.

I can boil meat and freeze it.

I could bake soft cookies and freeze those.

I'm stumped tho.... Any other ideas? Even if them seem really simple... my brain isn't working right now.

I know she won't eat noodles again tomorrow. She doesn't do the same thing two days in a row.

Thanks

Tori


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## pammy4501 (Aug 8, 2007)

I have to tell you that we have a resident expert here. It's Marj (Lady's Mom). She home cooked and kept Lady healthy for years, way beyond what the vets thought could be done. Here is a link to her sticky on the subject. 

http://spoiledmaltese.com/forum/60-maltese-food-snacks-treats/95052-dr-dodds-updated-liver-diet.html

And when my Lola was sick and started having terrible liver numbers due to her meds, Marj helped me a great deal. And I can tell you this diet works. My vets were amazed. And I want to say that I am sorry you are going through this with Grace. I know how scary and hard it is to have a sick dog. Hoping for the best for both of you!


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

My Lady had liver damage in the end from ten years of phenobarbital to prevent seizures. The good news is that the liver is capable of repairing itself. I put Lady on a home cooked liver friendly diet and added Denosyl to help heal the damage. She'd been getting Marin (milk thistle for many years to protect her liver). Her live values returned to normal after a change in diet and these supplements.

Here are a bunch of helpful links about diet and supplements:

Liver | B-Naturals.Com Newsletter

Liver Cleansing Diet and Milk Thistle

Dr Dodds' Liver Cleansing Diet

MILK THISTLE

Denosyl | Liver Disease Denosyl for Dogs & Cats

Marin for Small to Medium Dogs (30 Tablets)


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## pammy4501 (Aug 8, 2007)

Marj, are Denamarin and Marin the same? I had Lola on Denamarin.



Ladysmom said:


> My Lady had liver damage in the end from ten years of phenobarbital to prevent seizures. The good news is that the liver is capable of repairing itself. I put Lady on a home cooked liver friendly diet and added Denosyl to help heal the damage. She'd been getting Marin (milk thistle for many years to protect her liver). Her live values returned to normal after a change in diet and these supplements.
> 
> Here are a bunch of helpful links about diet and supplements:
> 
> ...


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

pammy4501 said:


> Marj, are Denamarin and Marin the same? I had Lola on Denamarin.


Denamarin is a combination of Denosyl and Marin. I gave them separately because Denosyl is supposed to be given on an empty stomach (at least an hour before a meal) and Marin is best given with food.


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## Grace'sMom (Feb 22, 2012)

Sorry there has to be a resident expert on this...

Thank you Marj  I will read these and learn.... Will get my Grace back to healthy.


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## Grace'sMom (Feb 22, 2012)

Where do I get Calcium carbonate?


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

Grace'sMom said:


> Where do I get Calcium carbonate?


Calcium Carbonate is actually Tums. Very easy to find!


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## Grace'sMom (Feb 22, 2012)

LOL  Thanks!


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## harrysmom (Sep 28, 2007)

I also found a lot of useful information in this book. I have (or had) the ebook on my laptop and I would refer to it when I had a question. Unfortunately my hard drive crashed last week,so I can't forward it to you. But here's the link if you're interested Hope for Healing Liver Desease In Your DOG Harry eats a tofu/cottage cheese/rice mixture much like the one in this book. 

I also try to reduce the number of toxins that Harry's liver has to deal with around the house. We have hardwood floors and I clean them with only vinegar and water. I also stopped using any kind of scented candles or scented anything, especially things like air fresheners or febreeze. And when I wash Harry's bed I always re-rinse it with vinegar. It may sound crazy, but at least I feel like I'm helping him in some way. :blink:

Sending good vibes your way. 
Grace is very lucky to have a mom like you :thumbsup:


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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

Do what you feel is best, but this is one of those situations where I would feed what the doctor recommends, which I assume would be something from science diet. I am not nuts about that brand but when it comes to health issues and needing special diets under vet supervision I do think they are good for that.

If you really want to do home made durring this time I would get a consultation with a holistic vet to make a specialized diet for what she needs.


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## Grace'sMom (Feb 22, 2012)

Thanks Debbie,

Great advice about lowering their environmental toxins! We often forget that part of things when trying to heal ourselves or out pets.

Luckily (or not?) since I have Chronic Lyme, our house is very near toxin free...or as close as we can get it. I can't handle chemicals. I have severe reactions. When we first moved in and they were patching the paint in some areas, my throat closed up. So we keep toxins out. Everything has to be natural (truly natural).

Thank you for th ebook I will look it up


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## Grace'sMom (Feb 22, 2012)

shellbeme said:


> Do what you feel is best, but this is one of those situations where I would feed what the doctor recommends, which I assume would be something from science diet. I am not nuts about that brand but when it comes to health issues and needing special diets under vet supervision I do think they are good for that.
> 
> If you really want to do home made durring this time I would get a consultation with a holistic vet to make a specialized diet for what she needs.



Actually it is not Science Diet or vet food.

Dr. Julie is a holistic vet and loves home cooking. She does not push or recommend the vet food.

Yesterday was REALLY a blur though and we didn't have time to sit down and talk specifics...she just gave me the ratios.

I can figure a lot of things out on my own  I do try to be informed. But Grace is so picky.... it is difficult to plan a diet for her. So I wanted ideas


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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

Grace'sMom said:


> Actually it is not Science Diet or vet food.
> 
> Dr. Julie is a holistic vet and loves home cooking. She does not push or recommend the vet food.
> 
> ...


Gah I would love to find a holistic vet here that did everything. We have many in the area but none that I have found that takes care of everything for you. The ones that I have found refer you to a regular vet for the basics.


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## MoonDog (Jun 6, 2011)

Tori, I just want to say that you are, and will continue to do such an amazing job! Your dedication and determination shows and I truly believe little Grace's health will be restored! Thank you for sharing this journey with us.


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## Aarianne (Jul 22, 2005)

Here's another version of Dr. Dodds' liver diet from Monica Segal: Kidney and Liver (See the section on Liver Issues)

I wouldn't homecook long-term without reading a good book on it personally (like Segal's K9 Kitchen, 2nd ed.). If you're going to wind up adjusting Dodds' liver diet for your picky girl, it's too easy to make it unbalanced without a basic understanding of how to adjust or create a diet per NRC requirements/allowances. :thumbsup:


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

Aarianne said:


> Here's another version of Dr. Dodds' liver diet from Monica Segal: Kidney and Liver (See the section on Liver Issues)
> 
> I wouldn't homecook long-term without reading a good book on it personally (like Segal's K9 Kitchen, 2nd ed.). If you're going to wind up adjusting Dodds' liver diet for your picky girl, it's too easy to make it unbalanced without a basic understanding of how to adjust or create a diet per NRC requirements/allowances. :thumbsup:


:thumbsup: I agree. You must follow a recipe exactly to ensure it is nutritionally balanced.

You can also consult a certified canine nutritionist for a diet specifically prepared for Grace.


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## Grace'sMom (Feb 22, 2012)

Thanks 

Dr. Julie does nutrition.... I am so happy I found her and just wish I would have found her sooner!

She has Grace on a great multivitamin. I will get the name of it next time I'm up and in the kitchen. It will cover all her nutrients - She put her on it about a month ago because Grace is such a picky eater. Wanted to be sure Grace was getting everything she needed for the days (or weeks) when she didn't eat so well.

She emailed me today. I emailed her the diet (just the fish and potatoes) and asked about it. She said it looks good, but that since Grace is so picky not to stress over it. To offer it to her and then if she doesn't eat it, try something else.

The supplements she is putting her on need to kick in... once they are working and cleaning her liver she will most likely eat a little better for me.

But I love that recipe and may do it for my Gus, as well


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

I know you love Dr. Julie, but you really need a diet prepared by a canine nutritionist. Dr. Julie may "do nutrition" but what training and certification does she have? 

I would really urge you to contact one of the canine nutritionists on this list.

Sabine Contreras (see About Page)
Marina del Rey, CA
Ph: (310) 991-6673
E-mail: [email protected]
Better Dog Care, Better Dog Nutrition (site for consults)
The Dog Food Project (for food information)

Susan Blake Davis, CCN
CCN-Certified Clinical Nutritionist 
VCA Arroyo Animal Hospital 
Lake Forest, CA 
Ph: 949-499-9380
E-mail: [email protected]
website: Holistic Veterinarian Pet Nutritionist Holistic Pet Care

Rebecca Remillard (PhD, DVM, MS, DACVN)
Angell Animal Medical Center - Boston, MA
(617) 522-7282
MSPCA-Angell: Nutrition Team
Veterinary Nutritional Consultation, Inc.
Welcome to Pet Diets

Joseph Wakshlag
Assistant Professor of Clinical Nutrition
Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine - Ithaca, NY
E-mail: [email protected]
Ph: (607) 253-4389
Fax: (607) 253-3534

Lisa Weeth (DVM, DACVN)
Redbank veterinary Hospital - Red Bank, NJ
Ph: (732) 747-3636.


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## nycmermaid (May 25, 2012)

*Dog with Liver Damage*

I must say that I have read everything available on Maltese with liver damage....I am an expert of sorts. My maltese Molly was diagnosed with a liver shunt at age 5. Her numbers were terrible, her urine smelled like ammonia, the doctors didn't expect her to live long. Needless to say....I was devastated. I simply refused to let her go without a fight!!

I removed all traces of food containing any proteins from her diet....whether she liked it or not. (We are talking life vs. death!) Even her dog treats were replaced with my kids animal crackers (no protein). I eliminated all vaccinations, shots, and medications. Including flea and tick powders or lotions. Stopped all exposure to chemicals/medicines/floor cleaners/windex etc. (They all take a toll on the liver.) 

Anyway, the vets cannot believe it....but she lived somehow to the age of 13!!! No one can imagine that it would ever happen! She passed away in my arms on May 6th. She was my first baby, my best friend, my love. I miss her more than words could ever, ever express! I just contacted Tammy at Tajon Maltese and purchased a new baby girl that I will name Lola...she should be arriving next week. I am insanely excited!!!


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