 |
 |
| |
| Departments |
Home
Columns, Special
Topics & Features:
The Columns:
Angels, Guides, &
Loving Spirits:
Angel Blessings:
with Dr. Doreen Virtue
Ask Valerie Morrison,
Internationally
Acclaimed Psychic
Trust Your Vibes
By Dr. Sonia Choquette, PhD.
Internationally Acclaimed Psychic Healer & Author
Astrologer's Notes:
Carin Martin,
Astrologer
Donna Cunningham, MSW, Astrologer
Basil Fearrington,
Astrologer
Diana Stone,
Astrologer &
Huna Shaman
Jeff Jawer
Astrologer
Glenn Perry,
Astrologer
Ray Merriman,
Financial Astrology:
MMA Market Week
Noel Tyl,
Astrologer
Daily Aspect Calendar
by Care
MoonWatching with Dana Gerhardt and Friends
Creating Bridges:
The Spiritual &
Philosophical
Act of Power
Discovering the Key to Living Your Sacred Dream
by Lynn Andrews
Avant-Gardening:
Insights by Frank &
Vicky Giannangelo
From The Heart:
Alan Cohen
Teachings from the Western Mystery Traditions: The Esoteric "Paths of Return"
by Jacquelyn Small, Eupsychia
Spirituality in Daily Life: by Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron
The Conscious Column
by David Ault
Spiritual Mastery
for the 21st Century
Dr. Gwen MacGregor
Pearls of Wisdom:
with Care & Aeon
Encounters on the
Shaman's Path with
Dr. Hank Wesselman, PhD.
Anthropologist, Zoologist, Author, Shamanic Healer & Teacher
The Divine Human
by Ornesha De Paoli
Awakenings
by Karen Johnson
Worshipping by Wondering with
Sankara Saranam, MA Founder of the Pranayama Institute
A Woman's Beauty
by Robin Rice,
Shaman & Author
Wisdom Walks
In Circles
Margret Lewis,
Shamanic Practitioner
Feng Shui & Chinese Metaphysics:
Inside Chinese Metaphysics
by Barbara Finch,
Feng Shui &
Chinese Astrology
In Practice:
Juliet's Marketing Wisdom
by Juliet Austin, MA Marketing Coach, Author & Consultant
Kabbalah:
Kabbalah Revealed:
Rav Michael Laitman, PhD, Kabbalalist
"Letters from Heaven:" Spiritual Guidance from
the Hebrew Alphabet
by Avigayil Landsman
Pet Care:
Dr. Carson's Holistic Animal Care
by Dr. Kathleen Carson, D.V.M.
Tarot:
Moment to Moment
by Gigi Miner
Author, Tarot Consultant, & Teacher
Reviews:
Tarot, Cartomancy,
Oracle Decks,
Books, & Software.
by Bonnie Cehovet,
Tarot Master
Humor:
Wake Up Laughing.Com:
Swami Beyondananda
Features:
Blessings & Messages
Event Calendar
Historical Notes & Data
The MetaPersonals
Opinion-Editorial
News Briefs
Symbols, Seals,
Amulets & Talismans
The What in the
World Department
Trivia & Life's Other
Novel Moments
Interviews:
Watch for Upcoming Announcements
Healing & Alternative
Health:
Living in Harmony-Astrology, Yoga & Ayurveda:
Venkat & Christine Machiraju
"Spirit and Practice
of the Wise Woman
Tradition"
By Susun Weed
Tai Chi & Qigong
by Bill Douglas
The Holistic Mystic,
by Lonny Brown
Medical Intuition: Tune
in to Your Body and Improve Your Health
by Caroline Sutherland, Sutherland Communications
Transformational Healing through the Violet Flame!
by Eva Kettles
Herbs for Health
with Kami McBride
Lose Weight Permanently: Stop the Endless Cycle of Dieting
Rena Greenberg,
Practitioner of Neuro Linguistic Programming & Hypnotherapist
The Directory
The Book Nook
Archives:
Past Issues
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Healing & Alternative Health
Dr. Carson's Holistic Animal Care:
Signs of the Aging
Dog and Cat
Part 15:
Organs of the Abdomen: Diseases of the Liver: Treatment
by Kathleen M. Carson, D.V.M
|
|
|
|
|
|
How would your geriatric dog or cat be treated if he/she is diagnosed with liver disease?
The treatment of liver disease consists of specific treatments and supportive/symptomatic
treatments.
Examples of the specific treatments are:
1.) antibiotics if infection is found,
2.) anti-inflammatory/immunosuppressive drugs if inflammation/autoimmune disease is found,
3.) chemotherapy if cancer is found.
In addition to the specific treatments listed above, there are many treatments fitting under the category of supportive/symptomatic treatments for the patient with liver disease. How many are used in any given situation depends on how sick the patient is and what symptoms he/she has. If your cat or dog with liver disease is eating and keeping food down, as well as more or less maintaining his weight, then home care will probably be enough. On the other hand, if she is not eating, vomiting frequently, losing weight, and/or is dehydrated and weak, then a hospital stay is in order - at least until stability is achieved.
If your dog or cat with liver disease has to be hospitalized, he will probably be put on intravenous fluids (I.V.), which serve the purpose of rehydrating him. Other things can also be added to the I.V. fluids, such as dextrose for energy and B vitamins. If your animal is vomiting, then injections of an anti-emetic (anti-vomiting) drug will be given. (An oral anti-emetic drug probably would be vomited right back up!).
If your cat has hepatic lipidosis, the liver condition I mentioned last month where the liver becomes infiltrated by fat, then a feeding tube will be installed while your cat is in the hospital. This is an essential part of the treatment for this condition. Without it, your cat will die, for cats with hepatic lipidosis completely quit eating - for weeks or months. With the feeding tube cats can be saved who would have died 20 years ago.
The tube can be inserted through the nose and thence down to the esophagus or stomach (NE or NG tube). However, the NE/NG tubes are uncomfortable for longterm use, and, if your cat is vomiting, the tube probably won’t stay in place.
Most commonly, the tube is placed in the esophagus and thence into the stomach (esophagostomy tube). The esophagus lies close under the skin on the left hand side of your cat’s neck. It is usually placed under shortterm general anesthesia.
In some cases, a tube is inserted through the abdominal wall into the stomach (gastrostomy tube) or into the small intestine (jejunostomy tube). Obviously, a more complex procedure is necessary to insert these latter tubes.
A liquid, high calorie diet is then fed through the tube in frequent, small amounts. This continues until your cat starts to eat on her own again - usually after several weeks or even months.
If your animal has gallstones, then surgery to remove them will be necessary.
Supportive/symptomatic treatments used in home care could include some or all of the following:
1.) Anti-emetic drugs
2.) A drug called Actigall (ursodiol), which increases bile flow (thus reducing bile stasis), is anti-inflammatory, and may protect hepatic cells from toxic bile acids.
3.) Vitamins: K, B12, E, and C
4.) Supplements: Milk thistle, SAM-e, L-carnitine (not R-carnitine), taurine, dandelion
5.) Diet: ideally, one lower in protein and fat and higher in carbohydrates. An example would be Hills’ L/D.
An animal with liver disease sometimes has diseases of other organs in the body, for example, the pancreas, the gastrointestinal tract, the thyroid glands, and the kidneys.
This is especially true in cats, where a condition called triaditis is often seen. Triaditis refers to concommitant disease of the liver, intestines, and pancreas. The diseases of the other organs must be treated at the same time as the liver.
Next month I’ll write about diseases of the pancreas.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dr. Kathleen Carson, DVM
Veterinarian & Author
|
 |
Dr. Carson received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of California at Davis in 1968. She's been a small animal practitioner (dogs and cats ) for all the years since, except for a short stint at the San Diego Zoo when she first graduated.
She belongs to the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association.
Since 1974 she's lived and practiced in the South Bay Area near Los Angeles. She started the area's first house call practice in 1976 and the first pet crisis/loss group in 1989. The human-animal bond is of special interest to her.
She started exploring complementary veterinary medicine in 1987. Her practice became 100% holistic in 1996. She utilizes acupuncture, herbs, supplements, Bach Flower Remedies, homeopathic remedies, nutrition and medications for her patients in her practice.
She's currently taking a leave of absence from her house call practice due to health reasons but continues to do phone consultations and to write.
E-mail:
Critterhlr@aol.com
website:
http://www.holistic
vetconsult.com
|
 |
You'll find it in
The
Directory! |
|
|
|
|
