Milk Thistle for Cats with Liver Disease
Milk thistle is a natural remedy for cats with liver disease or any liver problems caused by other medications or treatments (such as chemotherapy). Even cats with healthy livers can benefit from milk thistle, and there are many places to purchase this herbal remedy.
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What is Milk Thistle?
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Milk thistle is a plant in the daisy family. It was named milk thistle because of the sap within the leaves---the part of the plant that is helpful for the liver is actually not the sap, but the seeds. For thousands of years, people have been making an extract using these seeds, along with fatty acids and other natural ingredients. Milk thistle is not recognized by the AMA and is considered herbal medicine, although research is being done to prove its effects on the liver and to test for any additional side effects or cures for human disease.
What Milk Thistle Does
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Milk thistle helps repair damaged cells and helps protect healthy cells from being damaged. Because it does both, milk thistle may be helpful for cats who have healthy livers by protecting livers from future damage from other medications, such as aspirin, which is bad for cats' livers.
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Milk Thistle Serum/Tablets for Cats
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Although studies are still being done, what studies have show thus far is that milk thistle serum is good for animal livers, especially older pets with other medical needs. Cats have sensitive livers, and many medications for other problems are hurtful to the liver. Milk thistle has been shown to help combat these medications' effect on the liver, while still allowing them to do their intended job.
Where to Buy Milk Thistle for Cats
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PetWellbeing.com has milk thistle available for $36.95/bottle, which a bottle lasting three months or longer. Marin for Cats is available at 1800PetMeds.com for $24 for 60 chewable tablets, lasting around two months. Amazon.com has many varieties of milk thistle products available ranging from just $3.99 per bottle, which is the best deal found online currently.
Ask Your Vet
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Although milk thistle is a natural product and thus far has proven to be helpful to feline liver disease as well as helpful in the process of protecting livers against harmful drug side effects, your vet will know best. Consult with a veterinarian for more information regarding milk thistle and how it can help your cat.
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- Photo Credit Image released to Public Domain: taken on 5 April 2004, near the Zavitan river, Golan Heights, Israel
