THE MOST COMMON LIVER DISEASES IN THE DOG GASTROENTEROLOGY

摘要

One of the most common laboratory abnormalities encountered in small animal practice are abnormal liver enzymes (ALT, AST, ALP and GGT). Some animals are asymptomatic and the abnormalities are detected after performing a routine health screen. For example, the dog with dental disease that has a pre-anesthesia profile with elevations in the ALT and ALP, what should the clinician do; ignore them, perform additional diagnostic tests or consider a liver biopsy? The second scenario is the sick patient with abnormal liver enzymes. By far the most common cause of abnormal liver enzymes in sick patients are reactive hepatopathies arising secondary to a primary non-hepatic disease. These changes are collectively referred to as reactive hepatopathies. Primary liver disease (chronic hepatitis, cholangiohepatitis and hepatic neoplasia for example) can result in altered liver function.