Is apple cider vinegar safe for a dog with elevated liver enzymes?

I assume when you say liver enzymes you mean ALT? There a few enzymes we look at and elevation in 1 value makes us consider different causes then elevation in another. ALT elevation is caused make liver cell injury and leakage of enzymes in to the bloodstream. As the liver sees all the blood of the body it can be quite a reactive organ. So the question is whether the liver enzyme is up because of something wrong with the liver/vessels to liver themselves (such as an infectious or inflammatory cause (hepatitis) or a shunt (more common in younger dogs)) or something the liver is responding too (toxicity, disease of over organs). Unfortunately all parts of sago palm are toxic to dogs with the seeds (nuts) being most toxic. And it can be quite challenging to know if this is the cause. If it is sago it depends on the degree of ingestion as to how severe the case is. Unfortunately the treatment for this is supportive as you have been doing. The values may continue to increase or hopefully may plateau off and remain mildly elevated or decrease again. Ultrasound will help to rule out other things going on in the abdomen, assess the liver for changes in texture (although a liver can appear normal on an ultrasound and not be functionally normal), and sometimes identify a portosystemic shunt. After the ultrasound then sampling either first by fine needle aspirate or with a biopsy (needed for many cases of hepatitis, some other issues) can be performed. Checking platelets and clotting times should be performed prior to liver sampling in patients whose livers are not normal to decrease the risk of bleeding from sampling. As shunts are more common in younger animals , if this is suspected, additional imaging may be recommended prior to sampling as ultrasound will not identify all shunts. There is also a disorder called microvascular dysplasia that can be found in the liver. This is best diagnosed by liver biopsy and the sample sent to a pathologist who specializes in liver pathology. I hope this has helped and not confused you more. It sounds like your vet has taken the appropriate steps thus far and has recommended the next best steps to try to rule out some other causes. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

My best recommendation to supplement liver function is a supplement called Denamarin. It contains several of the known ingredients we historically used to support liver health all in one supplement. Very often, I observe my patients Liver enzymes decreasing dramatically on this supplement.

Hello and thank you for your questions about Apple Cider Vinegar. Most people use the vinegar topically. They apply it to skin rashes, the under side of the feet or other areas of redness. Vinegar is an astringent so it will help remove pathogenic microbes on the skin and it also soothes the skin. Some people feed it to their dogs to acidify the GI tract but I don't think there's much value in that and thus I don't recommend it. Some people also use it the clean ears but again, I've seen problems when it stays in the ear and is not properly dried out. I think there are much better ear cleaners that are made for dogs and actually dry on their own or remove water within the ear. Some people also see a value in this for a flea repellent but once again, I don't think it works well and that there are much better products. So I don't recommend it for that purpose. Anytime you use the vinegar you want to mix it water in varying concentrations depending on the intended use. Always get the organic formula. For skin issues, I think it has benefits, I don't recommend to use it for the other listed properties. Be careful using it on open wounds, it can sting. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

She can eat her regular food. These values don't mean anything in and of themselves. I would have your vet check Keisty's bile acid levs to determine if she has an underlying liver issue. Now if that comes back abnormal then that means there is abnormal liver function and she should start a 30 day trial of Denamarin or Milk thistle to help he liver recover. I would also consider an abdominal ultrasound to confirm what exactly is wrong with the liver itself. Liver diets are only reserved for pets with a true liver shunt and not just liver disease. I hope this helps!

Hello, No, I would not recommend giving or applying apple cider or apple cider vinegar to your dog in any form. A well formulated canine diet certified by AAFCO will meet your dog's nutritional needs. I hope this is helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello, without knowing the reason for the Pred., I cannot comment fully of this particular situation, but yes, Pred. is often associated with the elevation of liver values. I would definitely have Piluko on a liver protectant like Sam-e with milk thistle ( we have Denamarin here in the US ). As for the vomiting, your vet may recommend the metoclopramide or another medication such as Cerenia to control it. You can also try ginger root as it does have anti-nausea properties. The dose is wide, from 15-200 mg/kg every 12 hours, so start low & look to find a ginger root capsule that contains no other ingredients, especially xylitol. Make sure you tell your vet if you decide to try this. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

If there is an indication for the doxycycline, as it sounds like your vet suspects there is--meaning your vet suspects that there is a bacterial infection that may respond to doxycycline-- then it is appropriate. Ideally, a more definitive diagnosis would be reached. Has Casper had an abdominal ultrasound? Is he showing symptoms of illness and that is why your vet ran the bloodwork in the first place? I presume that Casper has a history of elevated liver values since he has been on Denamarin. It may be beneficial to consider a consultation with an internal medicine specialist. Their advanced training and focus on diseases of the internal organs make them an extremely valuable resource in difficult cases. Find one here: https://find.vetspecialists.com/