Posting on behalf of a friend and wondered whether anyone has experience, or can give some guidance.

By way of background:
Friends lab is 10, (had parvo as a puppy), c12 months ago he started suffering terrible bouts of diarroheah (sp) and lost lots of weight, repeated trips to the vets with bloods done etc, all came back OK given the age and diagnosed with IBS. He's now fed on Hills ID (cans and dry), and muzzled when walked to prevent scavenging, he's still on the trim side, but did regain a lot of the lost weight. He's having a flare up at the moment, and looks like skin and bone, bloods have now shown liver issues. He's on steroids, and a course of antibiotics in case the liver issue is infection related.

Is there anything else they can do? Herbal supplements etc to help boost liver function? Obviously they will be guided by the vets in the first instance, but thought I'd ask in case anyone out there has experienced the same thing.

not 100% sure and hopefully someone more experience will give more advice but i think milk thistle is good for liver function - dorwest herbs do it i think.

Thanks Claire, that's what my friend was wondering as she found mention of it by searching the internet, she will be asking the vet whether they can give this (without it interfering with the other treatment).

My best adice would be to make sure you have a good vet.

Lots of vets are slap happy with steriods, but in concurrent use they can damage the liver.

My elderly poodle was diagnosed with the same problem.  I went down the herbal route.

http://www.hiltonherbs.com/products/puriphy-canine-detox/78

She had this added to her food daily, and I had her for another 18 months.  I had to make the decision to PTS about 12 weeks befor her 17th birthday.

I now routinely add this to food with any dog over 7 years of age.  I stock up at Cruft's every year.  If you want to phone them, you will get loads of help and advice.  They even emailed me a complete list of ingredients to show my vet before I made the decision to try it.

That's a good site, thanks for the link.  mine could just do with support, it won't hurt if she doesn't need it.

B vitamins are good for supporting the liver.  If she can, give a little marmite on toast at least once a week.  This is from the Liver unit at Birmingham for transplant paitents and does work.  Just watch the salt content.

Mine developed a 'sloppy bum' as she got older.  I think some of the food was too rich for her and she hated senior food.  The cheap dry food works very well to keep her firm.  I also found nature diet was excellent with the dry or on its own.  i still give bones as well for firmness.  Oh boy the things we put down.  never thought poop would so topical lol.