From:
sukiec@optonline.net
Date: 2004-10-05 22:12:38 UTC
Subject: RE: Very High ALT level
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <1294297.1097014359273.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
Yes, that ALT level is beyond what is seen with diet problems alone.
Not eating enough or often enough does raise ALT levels.
I have long standing permission to quote this. It is a section from =
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/Clin_Path/ClinPath.html
Here is the segment:
>As with the CBC, there are several unique features =
>of the chemical profile of the ferret; indeed, it is with =
>the clinical chemistry that the majority of misdiagnoses =
>are made by the "un-ferret-knowledgeable" practitioner. =
=A0 =
>Probably the most common misinterpretation that I see =
>on a routine basis is in the area of hepatic enzymes. =
>Remember, that the ferret, being by nature an obligate =
>carnivore, has an extremely short digestive tract, and =
>requires meals as often as every four to six hours. =
>Should food not be available, it possesses the ability to =
>quickly mobilize peripheral fat stores in order to meet =
>energy requirements. When this physiologic mechanism =
>is activated, the liver is literally flooded with fat, which =
>results in hepatocellular swelling which may be marked. =
>The result of this swelling is the leakage of membrane =
>enzymes such as alanine aminotransferase, and as the =
>hepatocellular swelling increases, occlusion of bile =
>canaliculi occurs, resulting, over time, in elevation of =
>alkaline phosphatase.
> In conjunction with this physiologic change, elevations of =
>ALT up to 800 mg/dl can be seen, and alkaline phosphatase =
>up to approximately 100 mg/dl. This often causes confusion =
>to practitioners, who render an erroneous diagnosis of =
>unspecified hepatic disease. However, hepatic disease is =
>quite uncommon in this species; the most common cause =
>of true hepatic disease in the ferret is neoplasia, with =
>lymphosarcoma causing 95% of cases. Rarely bacterial =
>infections of the liver or biliary tree may be seen.
> The diagnosis of hepatic disease in the ferret must be =
>based not only on ALT and alkaline phosphatase, but other =
>clinical indicators in the CBC and chem panel. Clinical =
>elevation of icterus or an elevated bilirubin is an excellent =
>indicatior of primary hepatic disease, or concomitant =
>leukocytosis or pyrexia may lend additional credence to a =
>diagnosis of primary hepatic disease.
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