advice needed: High Liver Values in Blood Test

[sarah87]

hi all im new here. my cat hes 15 (fuzz) hes happy and loving life but he has been losing weight rapidly. i took him to the vets they recommended blood tests aas they thought it may be an over active thyroid. the blood test has ruled out any issues with diabetes, thyroid issues or kidneys disease, which im thrilled with. however the blood test has shown a level for his liver is extreamly high (cant remember the name i was a little took back while taking the vets call)

my question is has anyone been in a similar situation what was the outcome. id like to read round things further but i dont know where to start. the vet said the next step will be to do an abdominal scan which will look at his liver, pancreas, intestines and give us a better picture of whats happening. the vet did say he wasnt expecting this to be the blood test finding so iv gone into panic mode.

he may be 15 but hes got so much more life in him yet its not his time to go

any advise or input would be greatly appreciated

 

[sarah87]

hes blood results are attached they dont mean anything to me ?

 

[fionasmom]

I am not a vet, but from what I am seeing, the liver enzyme ALT is high. In dogs and cats it can be a predictor, by itself, of other conditions.

Why Are My Dog Or Cat’s ALT Blood Levels Abnormal – Ron Hines' Vetspace – 2nd Chance – The Animal Health Website
This article gives some possible explanations; however, you will notice that the possibilities are extensive which is why your vet wants to do the ultrasound. You should also take note that a lot of what is suggested is treatable.

Don't panic as there is still a lot more information to be gathered. Your vet has already ruled out several serious conditions.

 

[iPappy]

I would go ahead with the ultrasound and see if it can give you more answers as to what is going on and how best to treat it.
I've known some animals who have very high ALT levels and carry on like nothing is wrong. You said he's still happy and loving life. Is he still eating, drinking, eliminating as normal?
As hard as it is, try not to allow yourself to go into panic mode too much. As long as he's still feeling good, that's the important part. The ultrasound may reveal what the problem is, and the vet will be able to treat it.
Hang in there, and please keep us updated.

 

[sarah87]

Hi all he's eating drinking fine and using his tray as usual. He defo shouldn’t be loosing weight with the amount he eats. I'm waiting to hear from the vets about booking his scan its a heafty bill of £750 on top of the £250 for the blood test so praying the vets will allow me to make a direct claim for insurance. He luckily has a decent policy in place. Other than the weight loss he's absolutely perfect especially for his age x

 

[sarah87]

I would go ahead with the ultrasound and see if it can give you more answers as to what is going on and how best to treat it.
I've known some animals who have very high ALT levels and carry on like nothing is wrong. You said he's still happy and loving life. Is he still eating, drinking, eliminating as normal?
As hard as it is, try not to allow yourself to go into panic mode too much. As long as he's still feeling good, that's the important part. The ultrasound may reveal what the problem is, and the vet will be able to treat it.
Hang in there, and please keep us updated.

The vet said raised alt is common in dogs but it sets off alarm bells in cats. I hate the weight he's losing I just don't want it to get to a point where he's weak. I took him on a Wednesday of last week then back 5 days later and he'd lost weight again in that short space of time . And he's eating like a king double cream tuna wet food dry food ect

 

[iPappy]

The vet said raised alt is common in dogs but it sets off alarm bells in cats. I hate the weight he's losing I just don't want it to get to a point where he's weak. I took him on a Wednesday of last week then back 5 days later and he'd lost weight again in that short space of time . And he's eating like a king double cream tuna wet food dry food ect

The losing weight while he's eating is definitely concerning. However, I'd keep letting him eat as much as he wants until you and the vet can decide where to go from here. Did you hear back from the vet on the insurance?

 

[silent meowlook]

Hi. You definitely need the abdominal ultrasound to see if there are enlarged lymph nodes or any abnormalities on the liver.

 

[guilly]

Hi all he's eating drinking fine and using his tray as usual. He defo shouldn’t be loosing weight with the amount he eats. I'm waiting to hear from the vets about booking his scan its a heafty bill of £750 on top of the £250 for the blood test so praying the vets will allow me to make a direct claim for insurance. He luckily has a decent policy in place. Other than the weight loss he's absolutely perfect especially for his age x

I’m sorry you are going through this. I hope you get answers from the ultrasound. When my cats liver went out of control, he was put on ursodiol while we tried to figure it out. It helped to dramatically reduce his liver levels And reduced any further damage during the “diagnostic waiting game”. It’s not a cure but it helped and it may be worth asking your vet about it. hope you get answers soon!

 

[sarah87]

The losing weight while he's eating is definitely concerning. However, I'd keep letting him eat as much as he wants until you and the vet can decide where to go from here. Did you hear back from the vet on the insurance?

No it will be Monday now. I am letting him eat as much as he wants .

 

[sarah87]

I’m sorry you are going through this. I hope you get answers from the ultrasound. When my cats liver went out of control, he was put on ursodiol while we tried to figure it out. It helped to dramatically reduce his liver levels And reduced any further damage during the “diagnostic waiting game”. It’s not a cure but it helped and it may be worth asking your vet about it. hope you get answers soon!

I will ask the vet if this is an option tomorrow when I call them thanks for the information x