Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Using bile acid blood tests to diagnose liver blood vessel problems
By Center, S A et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·1985·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Evaluation of serum bile acid concentrations for the diagnosis of portosystemic venous anomalies in the dog and cat.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs and cats with suspected portosystemic venous anomalies (PSVA), a condition where blood bypasses the liver, had their bile acid levels tested. The tests showed that many pets had significantly elevated bile acid levels after eating, indicating liver issues. In dogs, the fasting bile acid levels were often normal, but after a meal, they spiked dramatically in some cases. The results suggest that measuring bile acids can be a helpful and less invasive way to diagnose liver problems in pets.
People also search for: dog liver disease symptoms · cat bile acid test results · portosystemic shunt diagnosis in dogs
Abstract
The serum concentration of bile acids was measured in dogs and cats with portosystemic venous anomalies (PSVA). In 14 dogs, the mean serum bile acid concentration after 12 hours of fasting was 61.7 +/- 68.7 mumol/L (normal, 2.3 +/- 0.4 mumol/L (SEM) and when measured 2 hours after a meal in 15 dogs was 229.9 +/- 87.7 mumol/L (normal, 8.3 +/- 2.2 mumol/L). The fasting serum bile acid concentration was within the normal range in 5 of 14 dogs. The postprandial concentration was determined in 3 of the 5 and in each case increased more than tenfold above the fasting value. The mean fasting serum bile acid concentration in 4 cats was 24.4 +/- 10.1 mumol/L (normal, 1.7 +/- 0.3 mumol/L) and in 2 of the cats increased to a mean of 120.6 mumol/L (normal, 8.3 +/- 0.8 mumol/L) 2 hours after feeding. The bile acid values in patients with PSVA were correlated with values for blood ammonia content, sulfobromophthalein (BSP) retention, and results of conventional tests of hepatic function. Bile acid concentrations were more sensitive than abnormalities in serum enzyme activities or BSP retention and equal in sensitivity to the ammonia tolerance test in detecting hepatobiliary insufficiency. Bile acid measurements were accomplished with less inconvenience to the patient and clinician, than tests of BSP excretion or ammonia tolerance. Used in combination with conventional laboratory tests for hepatic disease, pre- and postprandial serum bile acid concentrations appear to be a sensitive and specific indicator of hepatobiliary dysfunction of value in the diagnosis of PSVA in the dog and cat.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3997624/