Milk Thistle

Dr. Walsh instructed me to begin adding milk thistle to my glider staple mix when I had a glider come in that had a history of liver disease. I asked him about it, and he said that it would be fine to give it to all of my gliders from time to time, and I have since added it to every 3rd or 4th batch of food I make up. I also add it to my smoothies every time I make them up.

Milk thistle is used with pets for the treatment of:

Chronic Liver disease
Acute Hepatitis
Viral Hepatitis
Liver poisonings including aflatoxins
When using drugs that can injure the liver (NSAIDS, Phenobarbitol)
Preventative in animals with history of liver disease
Early stages of liver enzyme elevation
Lead and Zinc poisoning
Inflammatory cardiac (Heart) diseases
Kidney disease
Immune modulation
Antioxidation
Delays the onset and severity of diabetes
Effective for pancreatitis
Liver cirrhosis
Fatty Liver

Milk thistle is a great anti-oxidant (more effective than Vitamins C and E). This means it can counteract free radical damage that can cause degenerative diseases including liver disease, cancer, and renal failure. It works to rebuild cells in the liver and helps the liver to break down toxins.


Here are some links to help you in your own research:
http://www.lowchensaustralia.com/health/thistle.htm

http://www.bukisa.com/articles/28237_is-your-pet-on-drugs-why-they-need-milk-thistle-too

http://www.liversupport.com/wordpress/2008/08/can-milk-thistle-help-your-pet/

Milk thistle can be purchased in a dry leaf form or in a liquid tincture. Priscilla Price states that she also adds it to her vitamin mixture.

Updating that I now use milk thistle in every batch of food I feed my gliders. I purchase milk thistle seeds and grind it to a powder in my coffee grinder.

I have used milk thistle every since my first glider died of liver issues. I buy the liquid and put a drop or two in the HPS or yogurt.

I, too, use milk thistle in every batch.

I have been using it in every batch for several years. I also take it, myself now.

How many drops of the liquid should you use in a batch of HPW?