My dog has high liver enzymes; is doxycycline safe or harmful?

If your dog had a healthy liver to begin with then the chances of the antibiotics or other medications causing liver damage is very minimal. If you are worried about the liver function your vet can run labs to check them. Easy to do and relatively inexpensive. Doxycycline can be used to treat eye disease but usually only if a pyogranulomatous or autoiummune disease is suspected. I typically use only topical eye medications to treat conjunctivitis but I guess it is possible that your vet thinks there may be more underlying going on than just conjunctivitis. I cannot play backseat driver as I don't have all the information. If you are worried about the treatment prescribed I suggest you speak to your vet and ask them to clarify.

Hello. I wonder if perhaps the labels were mixed up. Normally, Doxycycline would be prescribed at 5-10 mg/kg ( 136-272 mg ) every 12 - 24 hours & the niacinamide 500 mg every 8 hours. Now if your vet actually sent home tetracycline, then the dose would be 500 mg every 8 hours. But if the Doxycycline was substituted for the Tetracycline, then the total dose should be less. I would definitely double check this with your veterinarian as soon as possible. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. The medications Cassie is currently on are safe to administer to her. The Amoxicillin Clavulanic acid is an antibiotic and the Destolit will help support her liver function. To help support liver function, I also recommend using Denamarin liver supplement which can be found online quite easily. I would discuss starting Denamarin with your vet first prior to adding any an additional supplement into the mix. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Elevated liver enzymes and abnormal liver appearance on ultrasound scan does not necessary mean liver tumour or liver failure. Older dogs often have abnormal liver appearance, which is not related to any serious underlying problem. Liver enzymes level is a measure of 'damage' to liver cells but it is not directly related to prognosis. Again, older dogs often have mild elevation of liver enzymes I would think that the specialist will perform full abdominal scan and possibly take liver samples through a needle - this is commonly performed procedure in dogs with signs of liver disease. Based on the findings of the aspirate, the doctor will recommend further testing or prescribe treatment for Mars.

Your vet must be very concerned about Sadie's liver since she is on so many antibiotics. Without knowing exactly what is going on it's hard for me to say whether the medications are appropriate or not. I can tell you that the antibiotics prescribed will cover a broad spectrum of bacteria, which is probably why your vet chose those specific drugs. If you have questions about the specific diagnosis we could set up a consult to discuss the blood work finding and treatment options more thoroughly.

If your veterinarian recommends Doxycycline for Samson I would go ahead and give it. The benefit of the medication most likely outweighs any risk that it may have on Sampson. Doxycycline does not typically affect the growth but can affect tooth enamel when given to very young puppies. Since Sampson is 10 months old he shouldn’t have this issue at all. I hope this helps. Best of luck. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Unfortunately, no, doxycycline is not a good choice for antibiotics in a nursing mamma dog. First, it does not have the spectrum of antibacterial activity needed for most mammary gland infections. This means that it may not clear up the infection entirely or be effective against the organisms causing the infection at all. Secondly, this is a drug that needs to be avoided in nursing moms because of potential side effects it can have in young puppies. This drug is not safe in neonates and can cause problems with the teeth in these young pups. I would recommend taking your momma dog to the vet to be examined and to get an antibiotic that is safe for her and the pups. In the meantime, until you can get to the vet, try using warm compresses and massage on the affected glands if your dog will tolerate it. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.