Message Number: SG2490 | New FHL Archives Search
From: AFERRETVET@cs.com
Date: 2002-12-05 01:06:48 UTC
Subject: Re: end stage liver
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <4c.155ef3ad.2b2000a8@cs.com>

Hi Carla,
Yes, sometimes with cancer and other diseases of the
liver there is major damage without liver enzyme elevation
on the bloodwork. In my own ferret that died from hepatic
hemangiosarcoma, her liver enzymes were actually at the
low end of normal. Unfortunately her liver was full of cancer.
Usually the liver enzymes are elevated with cases of liver
disease and liver cancer, but not always. And as Dr Williams
and others have pointed out, sometimes the liver enzymes are
elevated from other causes (other than the liver).
Hope that helps,
Jerry Murray, DVM