Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Low alanine aminotransferase enzyme activity in dog blood tests
By Mesher, Christopher I. et al.·Published in Veterinary Clinical Pathology·1998·View original on Crossref →
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Original publication title: Alanine Aminotransferase Apoenzyme in Dogs
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A Rottweiler was found to have unusually low levels of a liver enzyme called alanine aminotransferase (ALT) after experiencing a serious condition known as gastric dilatation-volvulus (a twisted stomach). When tested with a special cofactor, the ALT levels shot up dramatically, suggesting that most of the enzyme was in a less active form. In a larger study of 80 dogs, most showed a slight increase in ALT when tested with this cofactor, while another enzyme, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), showed a decrease. The exact reason for the high levels of inactive ALT in these dogs remains unclear.
People also search for: Rottweiler liver enzyme levels · dog gastric dilatation volvulus treatment · low ALT in dogs causes
Abstract
Abstract— Unusually low serum activity of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was detected in a Rottweiler dog with gastric dilatation‐volvulus. Activity of ALT in the same sample was found to be much higher (estimated increase of 14, 225%) when measured by methods adding the cofactor pyridoxal‐5′‐phosphate (P5P), indicating that nearly all serum ALT was in the apoenzyme form. An investigation was undertaken to determine the frequency of high serum aminotransferase apoenzyme levels in dogs. Eighty canine serum samples submitted to the Clinical Pathology Laboratory at Cornell University were assayed for ALT and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in the presence or absence of exogenous P5P. In 79 dogs, inclusion of P5P in the ALT assay resulted in a median increase in ALT activity of 9.6% (range ‐7.1% to 46.5%). Inclusion of P5P in the AST assay resulted in a median decrease in AST activity of‐6.3% (range ‐33.3% to 25.0%) in all 80 dogs. One dog had an increase of 336% in ALT activity after inclusion of P5P in the assay, but lacked a similar increase in AST activity. The reason for the high levels of ALT apoenzyme in the 2 dogs was not determined.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Crossref: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1939-165x.1998.tb01076.x