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09-29-2014, 11:21 AM | #1 |
Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Bronx, ny
Posts: 17
| ALT Level Elevated 374!! Hello Friends, Please help i am driving myself insane! Paris had her regular physical yesterday at a local Banfield Hopsital in betsmart and a routine blood test was done and her ALT level was elevated. The doctor recommended we do a Bile Acid Test to see what exactly what is going on, but i am HYSTERICAL!! She is on 1 1/2 and she is showing no symptoms, in fact she seems extremely happy! I am just extremely worried, all i've been doing is reading! I had a thought that maybe they were high because she stills eats her poop, or maybe its toxins coming from her food, etc. She is currently eating Health Extention kibbles , no soft food!! Please help me out i do not want anything happening to my baby! |
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09-29-2014, 11:53 AM | #2 |
I♥PeekTinkySaph&Finny Donating Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Posts: 18,866
| Is she on Heartworm preventative, what kind.... and could she have eaten anything you don't know about? A BAT would be a good idea. Are any other liver enzymes off?
__________________ Kat Chloe Lizzy PeekABooTinkerbell SapphireInfinity Last edited by kjc; 09-29-2014 at 11:55 AM. |
09-29-2014, 12:34 PM | #3 |
Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Bronx, ny
Posts: 17
| She received Her heartworm vaccine yesterday that was the reason for the visit. No the ALT was the only liver enzyme that came back high. I'm just so worried. |
09-29-2014, 12:50 PM | #4 |
I♥PeekTinkySaph&Finny Donating Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Posts: 18,866
| Has she had this vaccine before? Is this ProHeart?
__________________ Kat Chloe Lizzy PeekABooTinkerbell SapphireInfinity |
09-29-2014, 01:07 PM | #5 |
I♥PeekTinkySaph&Finny Donating Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Posts: 18,866
| To ease your distress, there have been quite a few Yorkies on this forum that have had ALT increases over 1000, one was 2300, and they all survived. The ALT just tells you that something is going on in the dog's liver... basically cells are dying, but don't freak out... the liver can regenerate itself, to a point. A good drug to give her would be Denamarin, as it helps the liver in ridding itself of toxins and growing new cells. Ask your vet about it.
__________________ Kat Chloe Lizzy PeekABooTinkerbell SapphireInfinity |
09-29-2014, 01:16 PM | #6 |
Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Bronx, ny
Posts: 17
| She did get the Proheart yesterday. The vet did mention putting her on meds for a month and doing the bloodwork over but then she said no because of her age which confused me. She's only 1.5 y/o. I'm just hoping its minor and nothing serious as this is such a shock for me |
09-29-2014, 01:25 PM | #7 |
Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Tucson,AZ
Posts: 244
| Can you afford to have another Vet test her? I would try finding a Vet recommended by locals, Banefied/Petsmart give me trust issues. We had a great Vet for Sig, when he retired, the women that took over was like a used car salesmen, two visits, two sales talks about $400+ in tests just to see if. A 14+ year old dog and some of the tests were for things that had symptoms that Sig did not have. Then the dirty look when we said no, just the shots we came for! Money, money, money. I went back to a Vet I had 20 years ago, other side of town but worth the drive. Last edited by windwalker; 09-29-2014 at 01:27 PM. |
09-29-2014, 02:36 PM | #8 | |
I♥PeekTinkySaph&Finny Donating Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Posts: 18,866
| Quote:
I'd go to a regular type vet also. They want to rule out Liver Shunt, but with her ALT being off, everything else including her behavior being normal, it may be better to wait till that comes down, as it may adversely affect the BAT results. Also, the ALT may still go up, depending on what it is that's affecting her liver. I'd go with getting her on Denamarin asap, then retest in a month. Also review her diet. What food does she eat, what treats, chews etc.... anything she eats. Check for recalls on any and all products. I, IMHO, would never use ProHeart injections or Triflexis with my Yorkies. I've read about many small dogs having problems with these two heartworm preventatives. There are too many safer alternatives available. If she had a ProHeart injection 6 months ago, that could be the reason for the high ALT. If not, it is something else. Look at her diet and treats. Feed a good quality food and no commercial type treats until you figure out what the cause may be. Also, what other vaccines has she had? And when? I know this is a lot of info but the ALT could also be high from too many vaccines, or ones that she doesn't really need. I know that Banfield will sell as much as they can, so I suspect this could also be a cause of the elevated ALT. Denamarin will help her liver to recover quickly.
__________________ Kat Chloe Lizzy PeekABooTinkerbell SapphireInfinity | |
09-29-2014, 04:11 PM | #9 |
Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Bronx, ny
Posts: 17
| Thank you guys so much. You've given me some type of relief as I'm still alittle concern not only about her but about this Banfield hospital also. She was due for her heartworm and they didn't give me options on what to give her so she got the shot yesterday the same time they did the blood work. I've had another vet in queens Howard Beach Animal Clinic and I've never had problems with Paris when taking her there and they would do the examinations in front of me. With this Banfield place there was nothing done infront of me and I got questioned very little and very little information. The only thing she said was I'm going to give you information on what I think it is which was PSS and that made me hysterical I have yet to stop crying. Now i am rethinking the BAT tomorrow. Not sure if I should spend another $100 on a test she probably doesn't need. Btw, you guys are amazing !! |
09-29-2014, 05:26 PM | #10 |
I♥PeekTinkySaph&Finny Donating Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Posts: 18,866
| Usually, but not all the time, there is more than one liver enzyme that is elevated in PSS/Liver Shunt. The ALT is... well here it is: http://veterinarymedicine.dvm360.com/vetmed/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=325515&pageID=1&sk=&date= Increases in serum liver enzyme activities are sensitive indicators of hepatobiliary disease, but these activities can be elevated secondary to various endocrinopathies, gastrointestinal disease, pancreatic disease, systemic disease, and enzyme induction. In asymptomatic patients, a systematic approach is required to obtain a definitive diagnosis. A careful review of the patient's history is essential to uncover vague clinical signs that the owner may have missed and to identify any potential exposure to hepatotoxic agents. A complete minimum database, including a complete blood count and urinalysis, is required to rule out an underlying extrahepatic disease. In some cases, sequential monitoring may be elected; however, persistent elevation, marked elevations, concurrent increases in serum bilirubin concentrations, or concurrent decreases in albumin concentrations warrant further investigation, including diagnostic imaging and, in many cases, hepatic biopsy. In patients with portosystemic shunts, twofold to threefold increases in serum ALP, ALT, and AST activities have been recorded while patients with microvascular dysplasia may have normal to mild increases in these enzyme activities.20 Microcytic red blood cells are commonly noted in cases of portosystemic shunts but are not seen in cases of microvascular dysplasia Increases in serum ALT activity have the highest sensitivity (80% to 100%) for hepatic inflammation and necrosis, vacuolar hepatopathy, and primary neoplasia (hepatocellular carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma) but have less sensitivity (50% to 60%) in cases of hepatic congestion, metastatic neoplasia, and portosystemic vascular anomalies.3 Best info on LS/PSS: http://www.vet.utk.edu/clinical/sacs/shunt/faq.php
__________________ Kat Chloe Lizzy PeekABooTinkerbell SapphireInfinity Last edited by kjc; 09-29-2014 at 05:29 PM. |
09-29-2014, 06:12 PM | #11 |
Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Bronx, ny
Posts: 17
| Thank you all. I have gotten good advice and just as a precaution I will be doing the BAT tomorrow morning. Just hoping it is not as serious as it can be as that was the only level that was elevated and she looks great and is acting very normal. I have called my original vet and spoke to the on call doctor and he is as surprised as I am especially with that fact that the new vet offered meds and then suddenly changed her mind. He did think I cando the bile acid test just as a precaution and to reassure myself but I think I will be sticking to my old vet whether it's far or not anything is worth it for my baby girl. Thank you all for your comments and keeping us in your prayers I will update you all as soon as I get some answers. |
09-29-2014, 06:32 PM | #12 |
Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: USA
Posts: 4,285
| Keep us posted. Prayers and best wishes for your pup!
__________________ . Cali , and Cali's keeper and staff, Jay No, not a "mini" Yorkie - She loves to motor in her Mini Cooper car |
09-30-2014, 05:03 AM | #13 |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Eden, NC USA
Posts: 550
| I have nothing supportive to say about Banfield. I've been to two different locations in our area and they were both the same....excessive. I took my Cassie (12 year old 3# chihuahua mix ) there because she had been holding her leg up...they did xrays and bloodwork which cost $400, told me her body was full of cancer and that her leg had broken....then wanted to schedule her to have a pin put in her leg and have a dental...and wanted to do vaccines that day. Through my tears I told them I just wanted to pat my bill and take her home. They were very uncaring....and obviously only about the money. I would find a private vet....I would say your money would be better spent on your baby there. |
09-30-2014, 05:41 AM | #14 |
Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Bronx, ny
Posts: 17
| I just dropped her off to banfield, i have decided to do the test and get a second opinion depending on the results. Its pretty obviously that all they look for is money and I wish i would've stood with my original vet from the get go. |
09-30-2014, 06:02 AM | #15 |
YT 2000 Club Member | dog I do not trust Banfield. I would not take my Yorkies there. I would take them to a regular vet that comes highly recommended. You have to watch out, not all vets are good. Please get a second opinion before you do anything else. I am just picky I guess. I would never use their grooming salon. I have a mobile groomer come to my home and I watch what is going on. These fly by night groomers, some of them hurt the dogs. I am very careful about my vet and my groomer. I will pray that all works out for you and you find a very reputable vet you can trust. |
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