A Dog And Its Gallbladder
How often do you think about your dog's gall bladder? If you're like me, you probably don't think a dog has gallbladder and certainly don't think a dog can have gallbladder problems.
However, dogs have bile ducts and although problems with them are not uncommon, dogs do have problems, such as humans.
I think it might be interesting for dog lovers everywhere, to have a bit of history lessons in the many dog-friendly parts of our dog. I think most of us think of a dog, as a creature with a mouth that goes all in, a stomach that seems to be made of iron and back that causes most things to end.
That's not it! Dogs are a complex group that does a lot of work, just as we do. Digestive disorders in dogs may be the most common dog health problem. More than likely because of the things they can put into their mouths. Bile problems are not uncommon, but should be considered. We never know when such a problem will happen.
In fact, most dogs' digestive disorders are caused directly or indirectly by the liver, pancreas or digestive organs, which play an important role in the processing of the food your dog eats. Sometimes, when serious health problems are centered around dog bile.
What is gall bladder? Dog bile is a small structure like cakes like skin in the abdominal cavity that play an important role in the digestion of dog food. It is attached to the liver and to the pancreas. Where small bile, in a large dog such as a German shepherd may be the size of a golf ball, in a smaller dog will be smaller. It is not round, but pear-shaped and lengthened and has the ability to grow when needed.
What does the gall bladder do? It is like a garage, it is a storage area of bile, acids, alkaline liquids containing water, electrolytes, various acids and yellow pigments called bilirubin. This fluid is secreted by the liver and released into the small intestine to aid in digestion and absorption of fat. Dogs produce bile throughout the day and healthy bile produces needed bile.
The liver itself is divided into several sections called lobes and bile that are produced in each of these lobes that have their own bile ducts, which then flow into the normal bile ducts. The common bile duct leads to the duodenum of the first segment of the small intestine. When a normal bile duct has too much bile it gets into the gall bladder, which stores it until needed to help digest fat.
What kind of bile problems are there? Although bile duct problems are not uncommon, they do. There are situations that are obstructive and non-obstructive. The most common obstruction is caused by swollen pancreas, which can be caused by pancreatic tumors or by scar tissue. The normal bile ducts become compressed and the bile cannot escape, causing the bile and bile to return to the bloodstream of the dog.
Another obstruction problem is coral. Yes, dogs can get bile stones, just like people can. These stones are not as hard as a human crescent, but are composed of clay like sludge and can block the bile duct and thus cause the bile to grow and if left untreated, the bile will break.
There is also a third type of obstructive problem caused by the formation of thick bile and mucus called biliary mucocele. This can lead to non-obstructive gall bladder disease if left untreated, as abnormal bile provides a great breeding ground for bacterial infections; inflammation and swelling, which in turn can cause gall bladder rupture.
What are the symptoms of gall bladder problems? Unfortunately, most symptoms are common with many other problems such as vomiting, poor appetite, fatigue, pale stools, weakness and poor coating. However, there are signs of jaundice, a condition in which the eyes and gums have yellowish yellow to those similar to "yellow" in humans.
What are the treatment options? Antibiotics are used to treat non-obstructive problems and there are other drugs that can be used to stimulate bile secretion and transfer it to the intestinal tract.
Surgery will be required if biliary mucocele is present or if there is a mass that does not respond to medical treatment. Gallstones can be removed through surgery if necessary and bile can also be removed without harming the dog's life. Dogs can live without bile, just like humans can.
This is a trip into your dog and I hope it gives you an idea of how many dogs we have. The bodies are of different shapes, but they all work in the same magic order created by the Universe.
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