Liver damage (again!)

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threeponies

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Last year my 15 year old Shetland gelding was pts due to respiratory failure brought on by liver failure. He showed no signs of illness until it was too late and lasted nearly 3 months after diagnosis. At the time I was told the normal parameters for the liver function test was 15-25 (not sure exactly what they are measuring) my pony's was over 1000. Anyway, today my other Shetland had his repeat liver function test and it has come back high. It was 40 last year and is 244 today. Last time there was nothing I could do to try to get my pony's liver to recover but this time there is, so what can I do? My pony is 21 and looks fantastic, not ill or sorry at all. All advice very gratefully received.
 
Milk thistle is supposed to cleans and support the liver and some have had good results after ragwort poisoning. Try Natural Horse Supplies website.
I'm supposing you haven't any ragwort in your fields, don't be fooled by people saying they don't eat it and leave it alone. They can't avoid eating the seedlings coming up through the grass.
Good luck
 
If you immediately start a liver support management there is hope for your pony. This is what you need to do, both now and for ever more:

1. Start a LOW PROTEIN diet, this will give the liver less work to do
2. What protein you do feed must be of the highest quality you can afford
3. Add YEA SAC to his feed - this aids hind gut digestion in liver damaged horses
4. Add Milk Thistle to his feed - it supports the liver. D&H do a high quality dried one
5. Feed little and often as this too gives the liver less work than with big feeds
6. Never, ever feed oils or conditioning mixes. A failing liver can't break down oils
7. Keep the pony out of the summer sun - liver damage causes acute photosensitivity
8. Watch for symptoms that indicate the position is worsening.

Symptoms of liver damage/failure include jaundice, loss of weight, loss of appetite, loss of interest in life, lethargy, depression, bloated abdomen, terrible sunburn, standing in corners pressing the head against the wall, blindness, staggering, unusual vocalisation, self harm and harm to the owner. Start the support plan and there is hope for your pony. My rescued mare Angel - a tough little gypsy cob - was pulled back from the brink with the above management plan that came direct from Prof Derek Knottenbelt, a world expert on ragwort poisoning and liver damage in horses. Shetlands tend to be little toughies too. If your pony begins to rally a little, it's worth contacting Dr Theresa Holland at D&H as they can give you a personalised diet that will fit a shetland pony. They work hand in glove with the Prof. PM me if you need more information. Good luck.
 
Thank you both for replying. As he had a slightly high result last year at the time my other pony was ill, I'm going on the assumption he has had hepatitis like my other pony. Other pony had an ultrasound and biopsy and I was told he had not been poisoned by ragwort or anything else, he had had hepatitis. At the moment I don't want him to have the biopsy, he hates vets and would get really stressed, but if it comes to it he'll have it done.
BoxOfFrogs, he has none of those symptoms at all, I'm really hoping treatment will work for him it was heartbreaking to see my other pony get better then worse then have to be pts. I'll contact D&H about his diet and thanks for the offer of pm'ing you, I no doubt will.
 
My mare is on a suppliment for her liver.
After a high result after pour performance, being grumpy, loss of appitite and generally bring down.
We are 3 months in and she deems a bit better waiting for the next blood results.
 
To add to Box_of_Frogs post- the mare she talks about- Angel, she is known to our local vets and they have said that they would not know she had any liver complaint at all- the diet works so well and she was brought back from the Brink, she copes well with everyday life with 30% liver function, and still thinks go away when shes me come down the field with a head collar to ride! Good luck. xx
 
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