Did you know that fatty liver disease is common in small and toy dog breeds including the Italian Greyhound? A dog’s primary liver function is to produce chemicals necessary for digestion and detoxification of the body. Fatty liver disease can occur for a couple of reasons. For example, if your dog becomes ill and stops eating his body may go into survival mode and begin sending excessive amounts of fat to the liver to be broken down into energy. A dog’s liver is not meant to handle such large masses of fat. An abnormal bile flow in the liver and deficient hepatic function is also noted. Not only is the liver unable to process the fat, but it is also unable to handle other functions including processing red blood cells. Talk with your veterinarian Newmarket, ON about fatty liver disease and ways to prevent it from occurring in your pup. Learn more here.