A friend of mine has a little Schnauzer that hasn’t been feeling well. He has some fatty tumors, which is common for an older dog, but his liver enzyme count was elevated to 1000. Her vet told her 250 was normal for her dog. My vet said a count of 150 is normal for Mac. Maybe it’s because he is older and larger.
I have a senior panel run on him about every 3 months to test his levels. He is taking Meloxicam (also known as Metacam) for his arthritis and unfortunately, that can elevate both kidney and liver enzymes.
Other possible causes can be from cancer and chemotherapy drugs, anemia, hepatitis, even bacteria from their teeth, which is probably what is going on with her Schnauzer. Also some forms of medication, like the Meloxicam, seizure medicine, and even Prednisone will raise the liver enzymes.
Some of the things to look for include:
- Drinking more frequently
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Chronic irregular vomiting and diarrhea
- Urinating more frequently than usual
- Depression or Laziness
Of course, you need to check with your vet but two things I use and recommend are Milk Thistle and Fish Oil (Omegas). The Milk Thistle helps stimulate new cell production, eliminate toxins and protect liver cells from damage. The Omega 3 contains alpha-linolenic acid, which can help repair and restore a damaged liver.
There are all forms of Milk Thistle and Fish Oil at every price range you can imagine. I buy the pills and bury them in food or a treat. It’s the most cost effective and works for me. You may also want to check their diet. (More on that in another blog).
This is just for an elevated enzyme count, not full-blown Liver Disease, in which case they will need aggressive treatment.
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