The bile acid test was developed at Cornell by Dr. Center. They wrote the initial protocol and have since updated it.
This is taken from Page 5 of the handout Dr. Center gives out at her seminars:
7. Random "Fasting" Bile Acids ARE NOT reliable for RULING OUT liver dysfunction or abnormal portal circulation. Rather, you need PAIRED SAMPLES AROUND A MEAL. We no longer collect 12-hr fasting bile acids but instead collect a bile acid sample before a meal (pre-meal) and 2 hours after a meal (post-meal or postprandial)." (all emphasis was added by Dr. Center)
This is from Page 22:
2: The best approach to avoid "over diagnosis" is to test bile acids in young dogs of highly affected breeds (at 4 mths of age) while they are clinically healthy and before they are adopted into pet homes. Highly affected breeds include: Yorkshire Terrier, Cairn Terrier, Maltese, Tibetan Spaniels as well as many other "terrier" type breeds (Miniature Schnauzer, Lhasa Apso, Shih Tzu, Dachshund, Bichon Frise, Pekingese, Toy and Miniature Poodles, and Havanese and others). Proactive assessment of serum bile acids will limit the awkward circumstance imposed when an MVD dog, with minor health issues, is suddenly recognized to have abnormal bile acids by a pet owner's veterinarian. This circumstance can lead to unnecessary diagnostic confusion and unwarranted invasive tests such as liver biopsy and portovenography. How old dogs should be at he time of initial testing has not been established. Typically, abnormal bile acids DO NOT normalize as a dog ages ..... " (all emphasis added by Dr. Center)
Since Yorkies are
thirty-six times more likely to have a liver shunt than all other breeds combined, I can't imagine why a breeder would not have a BAT done or a buyer insist that it be done before the puppy goes home. 12 hour fasting is no longer required and the test is so inexpensive.
Sadly, just because the parents are clear doesn't mean they won't produce a puppy with liver disease. We have two puppies on our Maltese forum from reputable show breeders whose parents were clear, had a CBC done before they came home with normal ALT's who have both been diagnosed with liver disease since - one with a shunt, one with MVD.
