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06-09-2008, 07:52 AM | #1 |
Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Indiana
Posts: 66
| Bile Acid Tests Elevated, I'm Panicked... Maggie, my two year old yorkie is scheduled for bladder surgery tomorrow to remove a stone. The vet did a blood panel last week and bile acid test, but she did it at rest and Mags had eaten breakfast beforehand. The test came back elevated. Maggie has occasionally staggered, is a low enery dog, sleeps a lot, and night before last after dinner of canned chicken, she was restless all evening, up during the night. Of course, I'm panicked. The vet said blood panel looked fine, everything was okay. I no nothing about liver shunt. What should I be asking my vet? I know it's liver disease, can a dog live a relatively long life with it? She is going to retake the test 10 days after Maggie's surgery, this time before and after feeding. And by then the stone will have been analyzed so we will know more about what's going on. I don't want to worry prematurely, but I just have a feeling that she has it. Thanks for any info you can give me. I'm so worried. |
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06-09-2008, 08:16 AM | #2 |
Donating YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: North Carolina
Posts: 8,317
| Do you know what the bile acids test number was? That would tell you if you may be dealing with a shunt or perhaps just asymptomatic mvd. Before you panic, retest her. Then if her BAT is still high, a protein C test should be done to see if a shunt is likely. Here are some good links to information from two experts on liver disease, Dr. Center and Dr. Tobias. Hepatic Vascular Disorders - WSAVA 2006 Congress The University of Tennessee - College of Veterinary Medicine - Portosystemic Shunts |
06-09-2008, 08:38 AM | #3 |
Slave to My Rug-Rats Donating Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Long Island
Posts: 7,247
| What were her Pre and Post #s ???? |
06-09-2008, 08:48 AM | #4 | |
Donating YT 10K Club Member | Quote:
__________________ Deb, Reese, Reggie, Frazier, Libby, Sidney, & Bodie Trace & Ramsey who watch over us www.biewersbythebay.com | |
06-09-2008, 08:49 AM | #5 |
Donating YT 10K Club Member | She didn't have the fasting one performed.
__________________ Deb, Reese, Reggie, Frazier, Libby, Sidney, & Bodie Trace & Ramsey who watch over us www.biewersbythebay.com |
06-09-2008, 10:19 AM | #6 |
Donating YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: North Carolina
Posts: 8,317
| A fasting BAT is no longer recommended. Two paired samples around a meal is the updated protocol according to Dr. Center who developed the BAT. This was taken from page 5 of Dr. Center's handout: "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, not me) |
06-09-2008, 12:09 PM | #7 |
YT Addict Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: AL
Posts: 465
| We just went through this with Logan. His bile acid results were slightly elevated, so the vet put him on a low protein dog food, Lactulose, and Denamarin. He was retested last week, and his post-meal level was almost normal. His was 33, and normal is up to 20. I would retest your Yorkie after going through a similar regimine. Don't panic yet! |
06-09-2008, 02:44 PM | #8 |
Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Indiana
Posts: 66
| Why would you hold off the surgery? Why should the surgery be held off? Doesn't the stone need to come out of her bladder? I don't understand why we wouldn't go ahead with the scheduled surgery, and then do the tests after surgery. Could you please elaborate on why you think I shouldn't go thru with surgery. Thank youj. |
06-09-2008, 03:19 PM | #9 | |
Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: May 2006 Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 1,275
| Quote:
It really depends on your pup's test results though — Oscar's was only 51 or something (compared to Ruthie's who's pre was 249 and post was 231 and she had some symptoms) and we caught his by fluke in some bloodwork. He is completely asymptomatic and for now I'm holding off on any more tests, etc. He has been through FOUR surgeries in his life, one was just this past January, and has had ZERO problems. Maybe your pup's results were in the lower range and that's why your vet is confident in going through with surgery? If you do go ahead, then be sure to ask if/what extra precautions they take during the procedure to make sure there are no problems. Good luck with your little one — both my babies are 2 years old as well so I thought I was in the clear when it came to LS, etc.... apparently not! Hope everything comes out well
__________________ Janice, Oscar and Baby Ruth "The more people I meet, the more I love my dog." | |
06-09-2008, 03:22 PM | #10 | |
Donating YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: North Carolina
Posts: 8,317
| Quote:
I agree. Anesthesia can be very dangerous for liver compromised dogs. It's important to find out what you are dealing with before risking anesthesia. | |
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