High ALKP enzymes, liver failure? Please help.

[mlallo]

I am going through this right now only this is far more severe, monitor your dog and watch for the following signs. My dog Baxter, a chow chow who is 9.5 years old has been very sick since last Tuesday. Out of nowhere he started vomiting and when taken to the vet last Tuesday, his levels were fine but his xrays showed air in his stomach and intestines and a swollen liver. They gave me Cerenia and ear medicine for a minor ear infection and told me to monitor him. Then he still seemed really sick all week, lethargic, panting heavily, drooling and would not eat, (even chicken, rice, pizza crust, peanut butter, bread...nothing), so i took him back on Friday and his ALKP level was 2000 on Friday and today when I took him back for another round of blood after a weekend of IV, denamarin and ampicillin, his levels were so high they could not be registered. Im so confused because the doctor said this is all so very serious, however, he seems to be in very high spirits and has been in a great mood for the last two days. His normal personality has come back and he's acting completely like himself again. He has even started to eat again, bread and peanut butter with the denamarin and he ate an egg yolk today. He has never been sick before and I am worrying sick about him. The vet has given me little hope and basically told me today that I should consider the option of putting him down. He told me he did not think it was Cushings and basically, to take him home, keep giving meds and let him die or put him to sleep.  However, he's happy!! Urine is not super yellow like it was in the last week and he's not panting or drooling too much anymore. His gums were light pink earlier today and they have since gotten a little darker. I am planning on taking him for an ultrasound on Wednesday but I am so confused. I wish there was another indicator besides the levels on a piece of paper to tell me he is sick. Anyone have any advice? Does anyone know if the levels can come down safely once they are so high????? please help me, I am sick about this and so confused. I am just hoping his levels will drop. I read that after the liver is afflicted, the following two days or so the levels spike then it can take weeks for them to go back down. I never had any indication that anything was wrong with him. He has lived a normal, happy life. Please help.

[rmonty56]

I have an 11 year old Boston Terrier and she has been diagnosed with liver disease.  It's a roller coaster, she's well one day and eating like she's never eaten before, then the food she ravenously ate the moment before she won't eat.  if there are any recipes that anyone can offer I'd appreciate it, but I've been looing at the comments and I would like to know what brand of milk thistle for those of you who used it and your dog did well on it.  This has been going on for several months and I don't want to put her down she still has life in her.  I appreciate answers.  Thanks

[majorkkr]

I suggest go for oral medicine pertaining to liver prescribed by a good vet that should resolve the issue .... Do not feed milk etc which he may able to digest ... and go for a corticosteroid injection not exceeding 0.5 ml prescribed by a vet ...I will refrain from giving medicines name here  

[Christina1216]

I have a 12 year old shelter/Scottish terrier she was fine came home from groomers are her food and within 3 hours her health declined I started changing food mixed her regular with nutro and she fell very ill. Now her enzymes are up to 2000 everything is elavated she hasent eaten or drank anything in 4 days had fluids Saturday was put on Denamarin and nausea med along with appetite med and baytril. I am lost and don't know what to do she pants hardly gets up the Denamarin has milk thistle in it I am afraid she is in pain can anyone help. I thought maybe the food was bad but the vet doesn't seem to thank that is what caused it. How can she go from fine to on her death bed within hours

[shila2003]

Hello!My name is Natalia.And I am very sad!My sweet angel Shila,13 year old beagle is past away last wednesday.She been a very sick for a couple days,stoped walking.I tooked her to Animal Hospital and I think the vet gived her to many different medications.And my sweet girl is died.I don't know what I need to do.I am very much heart broken.

[mlallo]

I think we figured it out....HE WAS EATING PEDIGREE FOR LARGE BREED DOGS THAT WAS RECALLED FOR SALMONELLA!!!!! My vet just said that could definitely be the reason all of this has happened. I will keep you posted.

I did order the milk thistle and have switched him to a homemade diet. He is still getting pennicillin injections and denamarin.

[Jaylyn]

Oh, I forgot to mention, the dog I had that was put on milk thistle made a full recovery and he lived for many years after that.  I cannot recall now specifically why his liver was so damaged, but it seems to me that I was told his liver was cancerous or at least it was as damaged as cancer would have made it.  I wish I could remember specifically what the vet said was the underlying cause, but this was so long ago, I just can't remember now.  My ALT reading was high as well not so long ago, and the doctor felt thi might have been due to some anti-inflammatory meds I had been on a long time.  I went on Milk Thistle and my ALT readings since then have been completely normal.

[Jaylyn]

Your vet must have given you a diagnosis if he felt the dog was going to die or should be put down.  Can you tell me what the diagnosis was?

I am not an expert, but I can tell you that I had a poodle years ago who had a very damaged liver and the vet put him on Milk Thistle (a herb in capsule form with powdered substance inside) and over a month or so his liver actually started to rebuild and heal itself.  My little guy was extremely ill as well.  Now, I am not saying what was wrong with my dog is what is wrong with yours, but I do know that milk thistle is often used to aid in liver damage.  This is true in dogs, as well as humans.   It has actually been used in treating dog's liver damage a lot longer than human's.  I take Millk Thistle every day as a precautionary substance, to help keep my liver healthy too.  

You might ask your vet about this or do some on-line checking for yourself about doses for your size pet, etc.  I strongly suggest you at least check it out.  Good luck.