Liver problem in Dogs

[CazD]

My dog has raised liver function and I'm getting more and more confused about it.

The problem was discovered about ten weeks ago when I took the dog in (9yr old cairn terrier) for a dental. The pre-op blood tests showed the ALKP liver enzyme was raised to 565 and the op was cancelled. A blood test one month later showed the liver enzyme had reduced to 365 and the op was therefore re-scheduled to yesterday. At the time the vet said a normal reading would be up to 250 and although the level was a little higher than she would like, the op could still proceed.

Yesterday's op went OK. When I dropped the dog off I asked about special diets etc and the vet (different vet as our usual one has gone on maternity leave) said he didnt see the need. The pre-op blood test showed the liver enzyme had reduced again to 340. When I collected the dog the nurse insisted that he did need a special, prescription only diet.

Can anyone advise me??

Urine tests have come out normal and the water intake test shows the dog is not drinking excessively.

I'm currently paying £40 a month for dry eye treatment for this dog and a special diet on top is starting get expensive. Obviously if that's what it takes then so be it - but the conflicting advice from the vet/nurse is starting to confuse me.

 

[brightmount]

Well you obviously need to talk to the vet and say you have been given conflicting advice, as they are there to advise you.

My feeling would be that if it were my dog I would be looking at a special diet, and I have used the Hills range in the past. Not the liver one l/d, but I have used the kidney one, k/d, and the gastro one i/d.

This is the liver one. Probably worth considering and discussing with the vet:

http://www.nutrecare.co.uk/prod5.asp?prod_id=1801&id=143&grpid=1801&msg=&offset=12

 

[FinnishLapphund]

I've had two old dogs that got liverproblems with the age, my mother also have had some liverproblems, both dogs and mother got/has better livervalues when on a less meatdiet.
Specially with the dog whos liver was really bad (not far from top of the livervaluescale), it made a huge difference.

You don't have to go with the Hill's l/d, I did use that one though as their mainfood and then had a food of another brand, that was also mild for the liver, and used that one when I wanted to give them treats.
You should look for a food with less meat, the meat or fish that it does contain needs to be of very good quality, it should be less copper in it also. Foods that isn't complete USUALLY contains less meat.

from Sweden.