Milk Thistle for Canine Liver Problems
Q: What is Milk Thistle?
Milk thistle is a plant derivative from the asteraceae family of plants.
It is scientifically named silymarin and has proven beneficial in treating liver problems.
Q: What does Milk Thistle do for the Liver?
Milk thistle works as a powerful antioxidant helping protect the liver from potential damage and helping to repair the liver after damage has occurred.
Q: How safe is Milk Thistle?
It is considered to be extremely safe both for dogs and people. There have been no toxic side effects reported. At high doses it may cause some stomach upset, gas and mild diarrhea. However, most of these symptoms seem to resolve by just decreasing the dosage.
Even though milk thistle is considered to be very safe, it is still not recommended for use in pregnant or lactating dogs.
Q: What is the dosage of Milk Thistle?
Milk thistle typically comes in capsules that contain 70-80% silymarin extract. The bottle’s label should tell the percent silymarin. The dosage for most dogs is 75-100 mg per 10 lbs body weight per day. However, in cases where there is significant liver disease, up to 200 mg per 10 lbs of body weight has been recommended. It is best to split the dosage up through out the day.
Q: Where can I find Milk Thistle?
You can purchase milk thistle at almost any drug store, grocery store, or health food store. The over the counter capsule form that people take is easy to find.
You can also order milk thistle in a liquid form on-line from:
1-877-633-24011-800-738-4584Q: Is it alright to give Milk Thistle to my healthy dog?
We do not recommend using milk thistle in healthy pets. We would only advise the use of this supplement (like any other medication) to be given under the direction of your Veterinarian.
Q: What types of liver problems can Milk Thistle help?
All types of liver conditions can be helped by milk thistle. Live problems that are viral, bacterial, drug induced, secondary to cardiac problems, or even neoplastic can benefit form milk thistle.
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