My 6-month-old mini dachshund has high liver enzymes. Is spaying safe?

Hello. Spaying is a very good idea, but in all probability, the nodules on the liver will not be touched. Those liver values are a concern, and I would possibly look more into what is going on with the liver before putting Dahlia under general anesthesia. I assume an ultrasound of her abdomen was done & this is how the cyst & nodules were found. Have chest x-rays been done? In case the liver nodules are cancerous, we want to make sure her lungs are clear of any metastatic lesions. Also, if the cyst on her ovary is not bothering her & she is not having any reproductive problems, spaying her may not be advised either until your veterinarian can get her liver numbers down. We do have supplements that may help the liver to heal. Follow your veterinarian's recommendations for any follow up testing & treatments. Good luck & thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

If the liver enzymes are elevated but liver function is normal there is probably not a significant increased risk under anesthesia. You could talk to your veterinarian about checking bile acids if it seems like this might be helpful; bile acids can help determine whether or not the liver is functioning normally. Sometimes a biliary mucocele is surgically corrected so you also may want to talk to your veterinarian about rechecking the mucocele if liver enzymes are still elevated.

It is possible there could a genetic component. For the best possible outcome, I recommend to spend the money and have the blood panel run on each puppy. Pre-existing liver or kidney problems can be exacerbated by medications used during surgery, low blood pressure or low heart rates. If the condition is severe enough, some pets are not candidates for the procedure. Genetics however are complex and just because mom has a condition, this does not mean that her babies do but you should play it safe. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Thomas. Your question seems to have gotten cut off. I will answer it as best I can, but you can re-post it if you have further questions. Your dog was diagnosed with an elevated liver value on baseline bloodwork. What I believe your veterinarian meant was the dental surgery was not an emergency. It still needed to be done, but you need to investigate the elevated liver value first. I assume a bile acids panel was performed next. This is a liver function test that indicates if the liver is functioning appropriately or not. This came back normal meaning the liver is working. Therefore it is safe to proceed with the dental procedure. The elevated liver value is an enzyme in the bloodstream. It can be artificially elevated due to factors outside of liver disease. This was the point of the liver function test. I hope this information helps!

Hi ! I was wondering if blood tests have been run to check for Cushing’s disease. This condition would also cause an elevation of liver enzymes. Regarding the teeth I would explore other possibilities that don ‘t include an anestesia ... first do no harm ! Hope this helps. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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.

I’m very concerned about that high an ALT value. Personally a TTA surgery for a torn CCL is not as much a priority as diagnosing the reason the ALT is so high. I would postpone the surgery and get an abdominal ultrasound and needle aspirate of the liver to make sure all is normal. Certainly if she has liver disease the risk of anesthesia is much higher since many drugs are metabolized in the liver. Not having normal liver function could result in the drugs staying in the body longer so she may not wake up as quickly. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Mae.