From:
sukie crandall
Date: 2004-02-04 01:09:58 UTC
Subject: Re: Liver Enzymes 347, what does this mean?
To: haleyking@hotmail.com, ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-id: <D9E23737-56AE-11D8-8844-000A95CD182C@optonline.net>
WHICH of the liver readings?
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/Clin_Path/ClinPath.html
may prove helpful to you and to your vet
including
>The Chemistry Profile
>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.
>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.
End of ferrethealth Digest
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