Milk Thistle for Dogs

Milk thistle, also known in Latin as Silybum marianum or Silymarin, is an effective herb used predominantly for natural liver treatment. It is a bioflavonoid and a flowering member of the aster family, and is originally found in Europe and parts of the United States. The seeds and roots of this herb have been used for medicinal purposes since ancient Roman times, and so it is primarily used for detoxifying and regenerating the liver. Liver as we know helps in breaking down and removing toxins and chemical from the body. Milk thistle's detoxifying properties prevent liver damage due to exposure to these toxins and chemicals in dogs as well as in humans. The active ingredient in milk thistle silymarin, which gets selectively accumulated in the liver, not only cures liver diseases in dogs but also protects against tumor growth.

Milk Thistle Benefits for Canines

• Milk thistle protects the liver against drugs and heavy metals and is highly effective in treating variety of liver diseases. It activates protein synthesis and stimulates growth of new liver cells in place of those that are damaged or dead.
• Milk thistle for dogs with liver problems like hepatitis, fatty liver, cholangitis, pericholangitis and hepatic lipidosis helps curing these problems by increasing the intracellular levels of glutathione, a substance necessary for detoxifying reactions.
• It also has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties which help in destroying oxygen free radicals that causes degenerative diseases including cancer, and treating gallstones and inflammatory bowel disease respectively.
• Milk thistle given to the pet after a drug regime can protect the dog's liver against damage or ill-effects from the chemicals. This may comprise chemicals taken for treatment of any kind of illness or even vaccinations or heartworm, tick and flea preventive applications.
• Ingestion of Amanita phalloides mushrooms by the dogs can cause severe liver damage in them. These mushrooms comprise two most toxic liver poisons phalloidin and amanitin that may lead to liver imbalance and eventual death in dogs. Silymarin in milk thistle if given before ingestion of these mushrooms, is nearly 100% effective in preventing death and liver damage in dogs.
• Leptospirosis (a bacterial infection) and pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) are some common canine liver problems and related diseases that can be treated with milk thistle.

Milk Thistle Dosage

Although no toxic effects of milk thistle have been reported so far, but in some cases it may cause loose stool in dogs as a result of increased bile flow and secretion. Therefore, standard dosage of milk thistle extract contains 70 to 80 percent silymarin and most supplements of milk thistle contain about 100 to 200 mg of the herb. Since milk thistle is safe on dogs, dogs with advanced liver disease are recommended a dosage as high as 200 mg per 10 pounds of body weight and for other liver problems recommended dosage is 75 to 100 mg per 10 pounds of body weight per day. However, if milk thistle causes upset stomach, gas or mild diarrhea in dogs, simply reduce the dosage or consult a veterinarian as long term usage of milk thistle can eventually suppress liver function.

Milk thistle for dogs comes in a powder, capsule or liquid form. However, it's not recommended to give milk thistle in liquid form to dogs as it may contain alcohol. Therefore, consult a veterinarian before giving milk thistle to your pet, and read the ingredients carefully before purchasing.