[107barney]

What medication is your dog on for the two weeks?

I would not change the diet until after the BAT testing is done.
Many dogs who have liver disease do very well on diet changes and many eat Hill's prescription diet L/D.

My dog Daisy who is 10 has liver disease. She can have anesthesia, but only certain kinds of drugs can be used. She has been induced with the drug propofol and maintained on isoflurane during procedures because these drugs are easier on the liver. You might want to talk to your vet about the specific type of anesthesia he/she will use during the spay and ask him/her to use one that is not metabolized by the liver (valium and its derivatives are drugs to avoid if the dog has liver disease). Only your vet can tell you what the right drugs are for your dog but this is definitely something to discuss. I would also discuss post-surgery pain medications as some drugs like Metacam and Rimadyl (anti-inflammatory medications) should not be used in dog's who have liver disease. Our Daisy can take tramadol for pain when needed.

As Ladymom said, the Yorkshire Terrier is much more likely than other breeds to have liver shunt or microscopic shunting of the liver. This is just something we need to be informed about. Your dog may or may not have a liver problem.

I would also like to note that liver enzymes can be elevated for MANY reasons besides liver shunt or microscopic shunting. For example, my dog Barney had pancreatitis last March. His liver enzymes were elevated and many other portions of his blood work were abnormal during this time -- most of the values returned to normal as he got well.

Let us know what your vet thinks when you do more testing. Many of us do different diets for our babies with liver disease. Many do well on the Hill's and some just eat regular dog food. Mine eats a home cooked diet made specially for her by a board certified vet nutritionist and has done very well.

By the way, a cheerio here and there is ok but I'd avoid the cheese because it is processed and loaded with sodium. You can try some fresh veggies as low calorie snacks - - mine love steaed green beans and baby carrot pieces. We also give blueberries sometimes.