The liver provides more than 500 vital functions, including producing bile to facilitate waste removal, clearing drugs and poisonous substances from the blood, regulating blood clotting, and resisting infection by making immune factors, and clearing pathogens from the blood. In other words, the liver plays an extremely important role in your senior pet’s life. As your senior pet ages, their risk of developing liver failure increases. They can be affected by primary liver failure, or another condition such as cancer, infection, gallstones, or endocrine disease that initiates the problem.

Signs exhibited by senior pets affected by liver failure

If your pet is affected by liver failure, they likely will not show any signs in the initial stages. As the disease progresses, signs may still remain non-specific, making the diagnosis a challenge. These signs include:

- Lethargy

- Decreased appetite

- Weight loss

- Increased water intake and urination

- Vomiting and diarrhea

As liver disease progresses, your senior pet may exhibit other concerning signs.

Jaundice — Your pet’s skin, mucous membranes, and eyes will turn yellow. When the liver stops functioning correctly, a bile pigment called bilirubin builds up in the body, resulting in jaundice.

Enlarged abdomen — Your senior pet’s liver will expand and fluid will build up in their abdomen, a condition known as ascites that causes their abdomen to appear enlarged. Ascites are caused by increased pressure inside the liver’s blood vessels that force fluid to be redirected to the abdominal cavity.

Blood clotting disorders — As the liver becomes compromised, the organ can no longer produce the proteins necessary for blood clotting. Your senior pet may bleed excessively if they are injured, or you may notice odd, unexplained bruising. They may also eliminate blood in their urine and feces.

Hepatic encephalopathy — As the liver further deteriorates, toxins build up in the bloodstream and affect brain function. This condition can cause several signs, including disorientation, incoordination, blindness, seizures, and coma.

Diagnosing liver failure in senior pets

Blood testing and urinalysis are the initial steps for diagnosing the liver failure. A complete blood count measures your pet’s red and white blood cells, as well as their platelet levels. Liver disease can cause a change in red blood cell shape. If the liver failure is caused by an infection, your senior pet will have an increased white blood cell count. 

A biochemistry profile includes numerous tests to help evaluate the liver. Increases may be seen in several liver enzymes and bilirubin levels, while decreases may occur in albumin, glucose, urea, and cholesterol. 

Urinalysis is performed to assess the urine’s appearance, concentration, and content. An increased bilirubin level can indicate liver disease before levels are increased on the biochemistry profile. Certain crystals that indicate liver disease may also be present.

X-rays or ultrasounds may be performed to assess the liver and the nearby gallbladder. Your veterinarian may also want to obtain a fluid sample from your senior pet’s abdomen, or perform a liver biopsy.

Treating liver failure in senior pets

If the underlying cause is known, treatment is aimed at correcting the problem. If not, supportive treatment is aimed at decreasing liver inflammation and alleviating your senior pet’s signs. 

Surgery — If the liver failure is caused by cancer or gallstones, your senior pet may need surgery to remove gallstones or the damaged liver section.

Antibiotics — If the liver failure is caused by a bacterial infection, your senior pet may need antibiotics to clear the infection.

Fluid therapy — Fluid therapy is a supportive treatment to help correct or prevent dehydration and dilute the toxins in your pet’s bloodstream.

Anti-inflammatories — Decreasing the inflammation in your senior pet’s liver with steroids or non-steroidal drugs can help decrease progression. 

Antioxidants — These agents can scavenge out damaging elements in your senior pet’s blood.

Dietary changes — Your senior pet’s diet will need to be changed to a low protein food containing easily digestible carbohydrates, high-quality fats, and low sodium content.

Liver failure is a distressing condition for you and your senior pet. Taking your senior pet for twice-yearly health screenings can catch liver issues early, and help improve their prognosis if they are affected by liver failure. 

If your senior pet is affected by advanced liver failure, veterinary hospice care can allow them to comfortably live out their final days. When the disease progresses to the end stages, Lap of Love also provides in-home euthanasia in your area.  You can also check out our other liver failure resources for dogs and cats.