Poorly Jack-Liver Disease

MrsAtobe

How's Jack doing now, Pulliptears? I'm hoping that no news is good news?

pulliptears

A very happy, waggy Scottie marched into the vets this morning for the final results. To say she was astounded is an understatement, her words were "He shouldn't be here!". She went on to say that she had seen dogs with less cirrhosis die so immediately wanted to know what we'd done to him

Jack has something called Canine Copper Storage Disease. In a nut shell his liver cannot process the copper found in everyday foods. Over his 8 years the copper has built up in his liver to the point where cirrhosis has started. It cant be cured and the prognosis is 'guarded', however, given that Jack's liver is still functioning (and according to the vet amazingly trying to regenerate) we are hopeful we can hold him in his current condition.

By strange coincidence the diet I've been feeding him over the last week is ideal for his condition, so it would seem his amazing recovery has been down to the food he's been eating along with the Milk Thistle and Turmeric. He's put a kilo on in weight which I'm over the moon about.

We were given the hills Liver Diet to try but have decided against it for a few reasons. One, he wont touch it (nose well and truly turned up!), Two, OH and I are of the opinion that he's well so why mess with it, and finally hills LD seems to contain Brewers Rice and Pork, neither of which are recommended for a Copper Dog.

I need to make a few tweaks to the diet now, no more gravy unfortunately because of the salt. I can make a parsley sauce from flour, fresh parsley and the milk I use to poach the fish but if anyone has any suggestions for a salt free gravy for chicken and beef I'd be very grateful (may start another thread actually). I need to add courgette into the diet as well as Vitamin E which should all help. I think we've decided while we are getting results to carry on doing this holistically alongside the medicines he needs to help him process copper.

We don't know how long we have him for, thats a question nobody can answer, but he's a little fighter and far from ready to give in yet! Incidentally, skin biopsies etc revealed he is immune to the antibiotics so a new set should see his skin improve too!

gunsandbanjos

Great news, hope he stays happy and healthy.

rising_from_the_ashes

Glad to hear that Jack's doing so well and you've finally got a diagnosis (I did see your new thread but have never heard of Copper Storage disease) so didn't want to post on there ....

Re salt free gravy - you make chicken stock when you have a whole chicken (would be salt free) and freeze in wee individual blocks - something like an ice cube tray would do. It would be easy to defrost a block each day add to his meal for a bit of extra flavour? (the same would work if you had any meat on the bone). HTH

MrsAtobe

Oh my word, he's eating better than I am - will you adopt me please?

Glad to hear he's doing well, always nice to confound the medical profession!

lizzyb1812

So glad he's doing well now - I think that Kallo do a salt free stock cube, Marigold too, although their's is a powder (just to be clear these are in supermarkets and for humans, not a specific pet product)

pulliptears

lizzyb1812 wrote: »

So glad he's doing well now - I think that Kallo do a salt free stock cube, Marigold too, although their's is a powder (just to be clear these are in supermarkets and for humans, not a specific pet product)

I found this earlier I may have a crack at:

Chicken Liver Gravy
Boil chicken or beef livers until they are cooked and no longer pink inside.
Mash with a potato masher in a medium bowl, or use a food processor.
Combine milk, livers and olive oil until blended.

Sounds delicious

mrputney08

SO glad to hear your darling boy's doing so well with your tender loving care!! :j