# Very High ALT



## NutterButter (Mar 5, 2016)

So our Sadie has a very high ALT Liver Value. Now in the 600's (yes I know very high).

We have tried many potentially beneficial treatments, including Antibiotics, Denamarin, Ursodiol, and Milk Thistle with no apparent help.

Vet suspects may be Copper intolerance issue and exploring dietary options in that regard. Thinks a biopsy may be the only way to diagnose now.

Over the last 20 years, we had two dogs with no liver issues, and one dog who had High ALT from age 10 to age 16 (when she passed away), so not likely a local environmental factor.

Sadie is 10 years old now and Vet says that likely her liver will fail at some point if we don't find a solution, but that if we do figure it out her liver would likely recover.

I should add that she has no symptoms at all and is a happy, energetic, Velcro Vizsla in all regards. Only med is small dose of Clomicalm once a day.

Any ideas or similar experience ?


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

No experience with this, so the only helpful advice I can think to offer is to consult with a university vet or specialist if there's one near. They often have access to better diagnostic tools and information. 

Was she showing symptoms or did this come up in a routine blood test? 

I hope you can find something that will work for Sadie!


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## NutterButter (Mar 5, 2016)

No symptoms at all, full of energy and happy. Taking her off all and any meds including topical flea treatment and heartworm. The will retest and if still high start on the low copper diet. Possibility of doing a biopsy on her liver but not ready for that yet. Apparently, some dogs have high ALT and still live a long life, which was the case for one of our previous dogs. 

She gets pretty nervous about being at the vet and now I am wondering if that can somehow spike her ALT. There are rare cases where apparently Chlomicalm can cause liver issues, she is off that now and doing fine without it.


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## NutterButter (Mar 5, 2016)

So after reaching a high of 810, we tried taking her off all meds including low daily dose of Clomicalm. Good news is after 3 weeks, her ALT went down to 400. Still not certain what is going on, but good news is she seems OK behavior wise without the Clomicalm.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

That is good news. 
I hope she continues to show improvement.


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## NutterButter (Mar 5, 2016)

Continued improvement now low 300's. Continuing with no meds or supplements of any kind. Looking at records today I see before stopping all meds ALT actually got over 900 ! So 810, 900, stop all meds, then 620, then 400, now 320. Good trajectory.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Did you stick with the diet change, and think that's what's causing the improvement?


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## NutterButter (Mar 5, 2016)

texasred said:


> Did you stick with the diet change, and think that's what's causing the improvement?


We did not change her diet (same dry and canned food). Although the veterinarian suggested the low copper diet she agreed it made sense to only change one thing at a time, which was stop all meds and supplements. I am convinced the long term use of Clomicalm was the issue, but the vet considers that only a possibility. We are on our way to Texas very soon, so will need to get onboard with a new vet near Austin.


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