Is anesthesia safe for my dog's neuter with high liver enzymes?

The normal range for ALT in dogs is 10-130; 185/190 is not really that high. We don't really considered the ALT as elevated until it is 2-3x the high end of normal. I personally, would not be worried about an ALT of 190. Yes, it could be slightly elevated due to anesthesia. I suggest you do nothing right now and just have the ALT rechecked (along with the other liver enzymes) in 6-8 weeks.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Penelope. It is good that her ultrasound came back normal. I typically recommend blood work such as a bile acids panel (liver function test) and even a coagulation panel prior to surgery in the case of elevated liver values. These blood panels will help to ensure that it is safe for her to go under anesthesia. I hope this information helps!

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.

These pets can undergo anesthesia if certain precautions and certain medications are used. These dogs will undergo anesthesia to have the operation preformed to repair the shunt and they will generally do fine. So it can be done safely but it still carries an increased risk compared to a normal dog. I would recommend to talk with Pako's veterinarian about the risk/benefits of anesthesia specific to his situation. Also, ask about the experience his veterinarian has had with dogs who have a history of liver disease. I hope I have answered your question!

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.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Yes, it is absolutely ok to go forward with anesthesia. A high ALT should be monitored and if persistent should be worked up to try to find out the cause. Sometimes a high ALT can be transient in which case it may resolve on its own. Other possible reasons include hepatitis, an infection, among other reasons. That number is not that high so monitoring would be appropriate. They could extend the panel to look for liver function tests to make sure that the liver is working completely fine just to be extra cautious. This would entail measuring bile acids. Good luck!

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.