Whether or not a biopsy is done is a very individual decision based on the dog (imo). I personally would never even consider cutting an asymptomatic dog open with a post in the 40's, but if the pup is being spayed anyway, I think that is a vet's call.
The assumption is that if it isn't a shunt, then it must be MVD. But that isn't true. It's likely, but not always.
Ellie's bile acids were 47, then 15, then all the way up to 106, so they fluctuate quite a bit. She did have a biopsy. Only one sample was taken, so things could have been missed. It was a large sample though and no MVD was seen. The pathologist saw no MVD at all and I guess Ellie's vet had her look again. lol. Nothing. So it could be localized, but it also may not be there. So an asymptomatic Yorkie with bile acids that went up to 106 and no widespread MVD... We do treat it as MVD, but what if it would've come back as hepatic lipidosis? Then we wouldn't be. So not saying the OP should biopsy, just that there is definitely a place for it.
__________________ Crystal  , Ellie May (RIP)  , Rylee Finnegan  , and Gracie Boo🐶 |