[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by katy-yorkie

So, I'm confused...the dog behaviorist that I have been taking Maggie to see suggested that she have a couple of tests run due to some side effects that Maggie had when she was given a certain medication. She recommended that I have a T4, Free T4 by ED, TSH and autoantibodies - all of these together, and the Bile Acid Test. To my shock the Thyroid was normal but the BAT wasn't normal. The Pre was 2.0 and the Post was 120.0. Her food in between the test was her normal kibble and not very much of that. Maggie will be six in September and has been very healthy. I somehow thought at her age the chance of the BAT being off was not even an issue. When the vet called to explain it, he was busy (story of my life these days) and is ready to send me Texas A&M for a biopsy. I don't know if I should get the liver biopsy done, of course this would be the call of the vets at TAMU or just change her kibble and have the test run again in a few months. Whatever she eats needs to be a kibble that Buster can also eat. They are currently eating Fromm's adult, small breed. Any suggestions?

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

Except for the high Bile Acids and smell of vomit on her breath, she sounds like she's doing well but those two are biggies. Tibbe would likely have cleaned his vomit himself if I hadn't stopped him as dogs routinely eat their own vomit soon afterward in the hopes they can hide their illness from predators and for the food value in it. But I used to hear him wretching when he was symptomatic and then he would spit up bile and that no one can miss. Afterward, he was anorexic for a whole day, just refusing all food. These bouts of nausea, spitting up and refusal of food and usually water would then go away, he act and eat normally for two or thee days or more and then another bad bout of nausea/vomiting/anorexia and lethargy. He'd just lie about.

If the repeat bile acids aren't wildly high or she isn't very symptomatic, what is the purpose of putting her through a surgical procedure to get a liver biopsy when nothing about her treatment likely will be changed? Ask your vet what difference it will make in how he treats her if he has a positive liver biopsy result and if he says no difference will be made, then what's the purpose? But maybe he's not sold on the MVD diagnosis and wants to try to nail a specific diagnosis down and if a liver biopsy shows no MVD and she's still having symptoms or further elevated Bile Acids, then he would go on looking with more testing. It is time for a second opinion.

Jeanie, please read her original post. She is not doing what they suggested ... they were ready to jump to a liver biopsy just based on elevated BATs...she actually IS on her second opinion with a very well respected board certified internist.