How Long Can A Dog Live With High Liver Enzymes
Elevated liver enzymes can be detected by performing a simple blood test.
How long can a dog live with high liver enzymes. Detecting high liver enzymes. The enzymes level can be traced by taking blood from the dog and evaluate different enzymes like ast alkp ggt and alt. If the levels are 2 to 3 times higher than the normal the condition may not be severe. Read on to know more about the causes symptoms and treatment for elevated liver enzymes in dogs.
Elevated liver enzymes in dogs can cause your veterinarian to become concerned as can liver enzymes that are too low. As a dog owner you must be informed about all the basic information and important facts of the dog liver enzymes. Elevated liver enzymes in dogs. Some medication can cause elevated liver enzymes in dogs including corticosteroids epilepsy medicine can also raise the liver enzymes.
If your dog s ast is elevated it may come from the liver but this enzyme is also found in red blood cells heart muscle pancreas and bile. Elevated liver enzymes in dogs typically indicate liver damage. Hypothyroidism cam also trigger elevated liver enzymes. If everything else stays in line and the alk p is not rapidly rising maybe even dropping we ll be happy shrug our shoulders and say we ll keep tabs on it.
The blood test checks for raised levels of ast and alt which are enzymes that the liver releases when it becomes inflamed or damaged. Further investigations may be conducted to find the. A blood test can show elevated liver enzymes. But perhaps your dog is acting fine and the elevated liver enzymes show up on a routine blood panel.
For starters if the other liver enzymes are normal the dog has not lost weight bloodwork is otherwise perfect many veterinarians will simply recheck the blood in a couple months. Ast aspartate transaminase formerly sgot or serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase. And this is where it gets. Dogs that have had massive liver tumors removed have a good prognosis and may live for years.
Research shows about 39 percent of healthy and sick dogs will have increased alp and 17 percent high alt. However if the levels of enzymes are 4 or more times higher than normal the dog is severely ill. A sudden rise in liver enzyme levels is a significant indicator that the dog s liver is malfunctioning. Surgical removal of the liver tumor is the preferred treatment for liver cancer and can be curative.
A sudden escalation of enzymes can cause several debilitating symptoms which can worsen the health of the pet.