liver failure, please help!

[emma_molly]

My pony has been diagnosed with acute liver failure on sunday 2nd june. her symptins seem to be getting better slightly, wel they are not getting worse. has anyone ever had a horse with liver failure? and suggestions, she is having lactouse every day and varrious medicine from vets. Can any suggest anything to help?

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Emma_Molly - just come back off holiday and saw your post. I have a lot of experience of liver damage in horses at an OWNER'S level. July last year, I adopted a desperately ill mare whose previous owners had left her in a field bare of grass where the only green things growing was ragwort. She was rescued at the point of death, I have never, ever before seen such a truly hopeless animal. Blood tests showed that pts was the most humane thing to do HOWEVER, unbelievably she seemed to know that people were suddenly on her side and trying to help. She perked up with some top notch nursing, gently tlc and loving kindness and her appetite returned: we started to get on top of the other problems she came with like acute photosensitivity and terrible, terrible facial burns. She started to take an interest...just a bit. Vets said, ah, well, hold on then. If she's perked up a little we can do a liver flush and see if that helps further. This is a surgical procedure done under light sedation where a huge bag of glucose and minerals is slowly dripped directely into the horse's neck vein where it goes straight to the liver and absorbs/washes out any still-circulating toxins. We waited 10 days and repeated the blood tests and there was a teeny tiny improvement. She still has a dreadfully damaged liver and - sadly - livers destroyed by ragwort cannot recover. But I spoke directly with Professor Derek Knottenbelt of Liverpool University who is a world expert on ragwort poisoning in horses. He advised me to stop repeating the blood tests. What good would it do he asked? I can't put her on a liver transplant list so it does no good to keep checking her liver function. We know it's at least 70+% wrecked. All I can do now is care for and support the remaining working %. You do this by careful management. Your girl immediately needs a special diet LOW in protein but since all mammals need some protein to live, what protein she DOES have must be very high quality. She also needs milk thistle (D&H do an excellent one) and would benefit from Yea Sac which is rich in B vitamins and will help her hind gut digestion as well as increase her appetite. If she is burning badly in the sun (they can burn even in overcast weater) you will probably need to bring her in from about 10am to 4pm to protect her from the sun. The real question is why does your ponio have acute liver failure? Is it ragwort poisoning or some other liver disease? The liver is an amazing organ and can regenerate itself even when badly damaged but NOT if the damage is from ragwort. I would strongly recommend you immediately start her on a low protein + milk thistle + Yea Sac diet. D&H will draw you one up. Also, you could e-mail Prof Knottenbelt (will PM you the address) and ask for some guidance. And finally I would say that if your ponio can be saved you should see a small but noticeable change in her outlook within a few days of bringing her in daily, correct diet, and possible a liver flush. However, depending on what has caused the disease, you have to consider that you may NOT be able to save her. Sypmptoms of grave liver damage incude depression, lethargy, loss of appetite, disinterest in the surroundings, terrible sunburn that looks more like nuclear radiation burns, unusual and distressing vocalisations, jaundice, blindness, neurological damage, self harm and - possibly - harm to the owner. Prof K says my girl will let me know if she has had enough. She could go on for another 20 years (she's a hardy gypsy cob) or she could only have 20 months or 20 weeks. If you want to talk further EM, please do PM me. Got everything crossed for you and your girl xxx

 

[Maggie2]

Equicell from Equiform Nutrition is THE product for livers, it is amazing stuff and will perk her up anyway

 

[amberleystar]

I have a gelding who suffered liver damage as a direct result of being in a field full of ragwort. This was before I rescued him, 6 ponies died that year in the same fields.

Anyway, 21 years later he is still with me. He is now 35 years old! I tend to use Global Herbs Restore which is a liver tonic. I would speak to Global Herbs directly, it is run by Stephen Ashdown who is a vet.

Milk Thistle is also a very good herb and it would be good to look at Hilton Herbs also as they have some very good herbal blends.

I had another horse who had a very bad liver infection which triggered laminitis, and then heart failure. We were able to bring her back from the brink, she survived another 18 months and with careful management had a good life, but after further laminitic attacks it was kinder to let her go.

Wishing you all the best emma

x

 

[kellyeaton]

emma if you need any help pm me i have just losed my horse due to liver diease/failure i losed her on the 15/06/08 if i can help i will