Category: Liver and Biliary

The 𝐠𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐫 is a big sac hanging out next to the liver, which stores 𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐞. Bile is a product of the liver that contains digestive enzymes to break down fats. Usually the gall bladder is only one “lobe” or sac, but in some cases there can be multiple!

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫’𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 is a mysterious disease that causes 𝐚𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐬 (rapid onset liver inflammation) in horses. Ultimately, this disease results in severe liver failure.

𝐑𝐚𝐠𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭 plants contain the toxin 𝐩𝐲𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐞, which causes liver damage. Other plant species that contain this toxin include 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚 (rattleweed) and 𝐀𝐦𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐚 (tarweed).

𝐗𝐲𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐥 is an artificial sweetener found in candies, peanut butters, baked goods and gum. It can also be found in other products like chewable vitamins, some medications, toothpastes, etc.

𝐇𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚 is a nutritional condition (dietetica) affecting the liver (hepatosis)! It is now quite uncommon due to development of properly formulated diets for pigs.

𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞 is a condition where the 𝐠𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐫, the storage sac for bile from the liver, becomes full of mucus-like bile instead of the normal fluid bile!

𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐬 is a viral disease caused by 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐮𝐬, one of the major pathogens we vaccinate dogs for! In fact, our vaccination policies have been so successful that this disease is now considered rare in North America.

𝐀𝐥𝐬𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 is a common type of clover found throughout North America, that is associated with liver disease in horses. Alsike clover’s scientific name is 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐮𝐦 𝐡𝐲𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐮𝐦.

𝐓𝐲𝐳𝐳𝐞𝐫’𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 is a bacterial infection of the liver that leads to 𝐡𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬, or death of the liver cells.

Icterus or jaundice is the yellowish discolouration of tissues, due to increased levels of bilirubin. Typically, we see bilirubin deposition in tissues with a high elastic content, like the aorta.