Is Elevated Liver Count in Dog Bad News?

A dog with an elevated liver count may be just fine.

Q. I just took my 7-year-old West Highland White Terrier to the vet. Her blood work revealed that her “liver count was up.” She is going to have follow-up blood tests soon. What do think they are looking for?

A. The results of routine lab tests can sometimes come back as abnormal, and this can wreak emotional havoc on dog owners and human patients alike.

Although early detection of disease is important to successful treatment, there are often circumstances where one or more of the values are up for no apparent reasons. The result can be expensive follow-up tests, anxiety, and possibly unnecessary treatments that carry significant side effects.

If your dog has routine screening tests, it is important to match up any clinical signs, or symptoms, with abnormal test results to help determine if the out-of-range result is significant and warrants follow-up.

In the case of liver tests, it is not unusual for one or two of the liver enzymes to be mildly to moderately elevate in a middle-aged dog. However, if there were to be signs such as vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, fever, loss of appetite or other changes that went along with the abnormal results, there would be more urgency.

Tests such as liver biopsies and ultrasounds can end up being costly wild goose chases for dog owners if there are no clinical signs to confirm possible liver disease.

I would discuss the need for further testing with your veterinarian, specifically asking what diseases are being considered. If your dog has been acting normal, it would not be unreasonable to suggest re-testing in another year, or sooner if anything changes.

One exception to this suggestion is in geriatric dogs (more than 10 years old). It is important to closely follow any abnormal blood values, and twice-a-year routine testing is recommended.

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Give us your opinion on Is Elevated Liver Count in Dog Bad News?

billie virginia b, Virginia

5/7/2013 3:42:11 AM

my dog is 11years old and her blood levels ,enzymes was 100 and in 6 months 250 and now they want to do a liver check . which they want to do blood work and feed her and then check her blood again ..the vet wants to charge me 150.00 for the test ... the reason is that she is due to be put to sleep to have her teeth clean they want to make sure that she is up to be put her threw this teeth cleaning

Ashlee Berwyn, Illinois

12/28/2012 9:10:26 AM

My grand mothers dog rocky has high liver count as well nd the vet gave rocky meds she went bAck today nd the liver isn't better their running more tests

Martha Reidsville, North Carolina

10/10/2012 6:47:58 PM

my min.Schnauzer was diagnosis with high liver enzymes level; he's taking antib. & Denosyl, his energy level is great he eats a little less; sometimes
he
tries to throwup but not often; further testing will be done after 2 more
weeks
but I don't know if I can put him through any more testing; just don't
know.
the next blood test will be the 3rd one. I am hope the level will go down; but

I read some interesting thing on this site; and I will be giving him bottle water from this point on. I am thankful for a great
Vet.
M. W.

Cheryl Lady lake, Florida

10/10/2012 5:40:44 AM

My 11 yr old daschund was just diagnosed with pancreatitis and high liver enzymes, vet wants her to go have other testing done which is very costly, I don't mind spending the money if it is something that can be cured but I am so afraid it is cancer and I don't want to put her through chemotherapy, I just lost my son a year ago with the same symptoms, he lived only 7 weeks after his diagnosis, I don't know what to do, any advise?