Pet Wellbeing Milk Thistle for Cats - Supports Liver Health, Protects Liver - Glycerin-Based Natural Herbal Supplement - 2 oz (59 ml)

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If your cat suffers from a serious disease, he might need a higher dose, sometimes 3 times more that the usual amount. Stephanie, I'd like to ask you, do you have a diagnosis that tells you what kind of liver disease Malcolm has? Also, did he ever have an ultrasound to rule out cancer? Denamarin is given on an empty stomach, but you can hide the tablet in a small amount of food if necessary.

Allergies: Milk thistle helps alleviate epidermal and other signs of allergy due to high histamine levels ( 1).SAMe is a natural compound made by cells throughout the body. It is an essential part of three major metabolism pathways that the liver uses.

Milk thistle has proven to be useful in acetaminophen toxicity in cats whose well-meaning owners have dosed them with the drug for their aches and pains ( 8). Many practitioners believe that milk thistle should be administered for 3-6 weeks with a 1 to 3-week break. Milk thistle is not intended to be a preventive therapy and, indeed, can be toxic if used in this manner. It should be used when an animal is under unusual stress from detoxification, infection, triaditis or other conditions as listed here. Milk thistle, also known as Silybum Marianum is an herb that has been used for thousands of years by humans for its powerful medicinal properties. The active ingredient is Silymarin which contains flavonoids that have many beneficial properties including: Milk thistle comes both as pills and a liquid form. If your cat refuses to take pills, the liquid form might be a better option.You are correct that Denamarin should not be given with food and this is because food decreases absorption of the SAMe. If you’re using the regular enteric-coated tablets, these should not be split or crushed as it will affect the absorption as well as the dosage, so I wouldn’t do that without speaking with your vet first. There are some vets who will use the Denamarin Advanced chewable tablets for small dogs with a cat, since the dosage is still appropriate and because the chewable form may make dosing easier. Not all offices carry the Advanced formulation though and it is difficult to find online as well. It may not be an available option, but worth mentioning. Acute and chronic hepatobiliary diseases are quite commonly reported in both dogs and cats [ 1– 3]. These conditions recognize many different causes, as well as numerous therapeutic options also depending on several aspects such as underlying cause, chronicity, species involved, and others. Therefore, treatments reported variably include anti-inflammatory molecules (e.g., prednisolone, ursodeoxycholic acid, and S-adenosylmethionine), immunosuppressants (e.g. azathioprine), antifibrotics (e.g. colchicine and D-penicillamine), antioxidants (e.g. ursodeoxycholic acid, S-adenosylmethionine, vitamin E, N-acetylcysteine, and silymarin), dietary management, and management of any possible complications [ 2– 4]. While SAMe and silybin/silymarin (or milk thistle) can be found in supplement form for humans as well, these products can have a great degree of variability in active ingredients and are not designed for pets.

Milk Thistle – helps to detoxify toxins from the liver, pancreas, and kidneys while supporting healthier functions. Appetite is frequently a problem in ill pets, so one way to administer formula to your pet is by mixing a capsule or solution with a little blenderized food or baby food and feed it to the pet with a syringe taking care not to dose excessively due to a risk for an upset stomach, gas or diarrhea.These are not the only studies involving SAMe, the other few papers (research and case reports) have previously been cited [ 13, 20, 23, 25]. 3.3. Phosphatidylcholine Twedt, D.C. (n.d.). Emerging newer liver conditions to be aware of in the dog. Colorado State University. Retrieved 2/6/2020 from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/96da/d6174658dc6fe146ad9115b6fceb30027c5c.pdf Leib, M. (n.d.). Icterus in dogs and cats: a practical diagnostic approach. Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Retrieved 2/6/2020 from http://www.dvm360storage.com/cvc/proceedings/dc/Gastrointestinal%20Medicine/Leib/Leib,%20Michael_Icterus_dogs_cats_STYLED.pdf In veterinary medicine, an interesting study has recently been performed on 8 dogs presenting hepatopathy, given a phytocomplex of Silybum marianum pure extract. After two months of administration, a reduction of plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT)/glutamate-pyruvate transaminase (GPT) activity was obtained; remarkably, the study also included other groups of dogs, given other nutraceuticals, and the activity of this enzyme only decreased in the hepatopathy group. Furthermore, in these dogs, the significant increase of paraoxonase and the up regulation of mitochondrial SOD2 suggest an antioxidant activity for this phytocomplex in dogs. Unfortunately, as also stated by the authors, although results are interesting and suggest a positive effect of Silybum marianum in hepatopathies, the inclusion of only eight dogs in the study limits is its clinical relevance [ 12]. Remarkable are also the results obtained by Skorupski et al. that investigated the effect of the combination S-adenosylmethionine and silybin-phosphatidylcholine complex to prevent hepatopathy in dogs receiving lomustine, as affected by different kinds of neoplasm. Additionally, supplemented dogs showed a lower increase of ALT/GPT, alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin, and aspartate aminotransferase than dogs treated with lomustine alone [ 13]. Other less recent experimental studies on silymarin and silibinin have been performed on dogs given Amanita phalloides/phalloidin [ 19]. In one case, the effect of intravenous silymarin (and other molecules) was tested in experimentally poisoned dogs, and this molecule showed to prevent/reduce the increase of alkaline phosphatase (AP), GPT, and aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase (GOT), reduce the severity of clinical signs, and also exerted some positive effects on coagulation [ 18]. Finally, intravenous administration of silibinin in beagles receiving a lyophilysate of Amanita Phalloides, containing α-, β-, and γ-amanitin and phallotoxins likewise resulted in a reduced hepatoxicity (measured by ALT/GPT, AST/GOT, AP, bilirubin, and prothrombin time), reduced liver damage (histological assessment), and absence of mortality [ 17]. Very few studies have been performed on the topic of the present paper on cats. One of these reports the efficacy of silymarin in healthy cats given acetaminophen; in these animals, levels of ALT/GPT, AST/GOT, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, methemoglobin, and bilirubin did not increase as it happened in cats given acetaminophen alone [ 14]. To assess the possible efficacy of nutraceuticals on liver diseases, studies on cell cultures have also been carried out on single molecules/complexes or on their combination, with not always concordant results. A recent study reports the effects of a pretreatment with the combination of S-adenosylmethionine and silybin on primary canine hepatocytes exposed to the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1 β, and these molecules are hypothesized as a possible support to the liver function. Indeed, the presence of this combination was associated with reduced levels of PGE 2, IL-8, and macrophage chemotactic protein-1 (proinflammatory molecules induced by IL-1 β administration) as well as to higher glutathione (GSH) levels (reduction of oxidative stress) [ 20]. Similarly, a previous study by the same authors reported the efficacy of silybin and of a silybin-phosphatidylcholine complex in canine primary hepatocyte cultures exposed to IL-1 β, as demonstrated by a significant reduction of proinflammatory markers (PGE 2, IL-8, and monocyte chemotactic protein-1) and by a decreased NF- κB nuclear translocation, for the silybin-phosphatidylcholine complex [ 22]. On the other hand, in a study on cultured canine hepatocytes, the exposition to silibinin and simultaneously to α-amanitin, a known liver toxin from amanitin containing mushrooms (e.g. Amanita phalloides), did not show protective effects on those cells, which are measured by hepatocytes viability and lactate dehydrogenase activity measurement [ 21]. 3.2. S-Adenosylmethionine (SAMe)

Fortunately, side effects to Denamarin appear to be minimal. Toxicity studies have shown no adverse effects in pets at typical doses that are prescribed, and overdoses are unlikely to cause serious illness. In people, side effects of SAMe are also, rare but vomiting and decreased appetite have been reported.

About Dr. Chris Vanderhoof, DVM, MPH

All NHV Natural Pet Products are pure herbal extracts and contain no artificial additives, preservatives or coloring. Shelf life after opening is 6 months and must be refrigerated after opening. Milk Thistle aids in supporting the liver by decreasing aminotransferase activity (important in the synthesis of amino acids which form proteins that are an important indicator of liver damage). In our experience, using NHV Milk Thistle Extract has greatly reduced elevated blood liver enzymes and helped to treat liver disease. What Are Some Other Beneficial Uses of Milk Thistle For Cats and Dogs? Every batch tested: Every batch of our Milk Thistle is tested to ensure the highest quality and potency. Every single batch.