When does a dog become senior? Is milk thistle safe for their liver?

Dogs are typically given milk thistle in combination with Vitamin E, Zinc and s-adenosyl methionine for liver disease. The dose is usually lower when used with these other supplements. Doses ranging from 5 mg/kg to 50 mg/kg per day have been reported to likely be safe, so 400 mg twice daily would be within this dose range. I do not typically recommend giving this supplement unless there is evidence of underlying liver disease because it is not likely to be helpful. There does not seem to be evidence of kidney disease or other problems when milk thistle supplements are used long term in dogs, but there are no studies in dogs without liver disease. I would recommend checking with your veterinarian before starting this supplement since it can potentially cause problems when given in conjunction with some other medications.

Milk thistle appears to be a safe and well-tolerated herb for animals. Side effects are usually mild and often involve the gastrointestinal tract, such as loose stools or mild digestive upsets. It is not recommended to be given to pregnant animals. I would not personally be worried about side effects at all when using this. Hope that answers your questions.

( https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/milk-thistle-or-silymarin ) It is very safe to use and has a wide dosing range. I suggest for most uses, using use up to 100 mg per 10 pounds of body weight of milk thistle extract daily. Split the daily amount into 2 or 3 doses over the course of the day. Example: 13kg = 28.6 pounds. I would round up to 30#. 30 pounds x 100 mg/10# = 300mg per day. I would give 100mg three times per day or somewhere close to that dosing regimen. Too high a dose can cause an upset stomach, gas, or mild diarrhea; these are easily resolved by giving less. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

In theory this would help a pet that is being exposed to a potential liver damaging drug. It definitely won't hurt. It can be expensive however. But it is a good proactive thing to do to potentially help protect the liver from damage over time. Best wishes with your pet Tootsie moving forward. Take care. : )

I'm sorry to hear that Iggy is having so many issues. Milk thistle is helpful for liver disease as it has antioxidant properties. A supplement like Denamarin contains both milk thistle and SAMe which helps the liver. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I hope Iggy is feeling better soon!

You can get general blood work done at his next wellness visit - it's a good idea to do this yearly if possible, to get a good normal baseline established and help spot any problems early on. If his liver is normal, there is likely no benefit to giving milk thistle - but it won't hurt anything if you do decide to give it.

slightly elevated ALT does not require immediate treatment, it could be an accidental finding especially if it is not significantly high. 1 pill once a day is enough and it cannot harm him in any way.