Liver Let Die: A Practical Approach to Elevated Liver Enzymes

Course overview

This course provides a comprehensive, practical approach to interpreting elevated liver enzymes in dogs and cats. We will review hepatic anatomy and physiology before examining the specific liver enzymes and liver function tests-- ALT, AST, ALP (including the liver, bone, and corticosteroid isoenzymes), GGT, total bilirubin, and bile acids-- and what each reveals about hepatocellular injury versus cholestasis. Attendees will learn a step-by-step diagnostic algorithm for both the symptomatic and asymptomatic patient, including when to retest, when to pursue liver function testing, and how to use radiography, ultrasound, cytology, histopathology, and culture. The course also covers drug-induced enzyme elevation, vacuolar hepatopathy, and breed-specific hepatic diseases in dogs (Bedlington Terrier, Labrador Retriever, Doberman Pinscher, and Dalmatian) as well as feline breed-associated liver disease. Participants will leave with a confident, systematic framework for working up abnormal liver enzymes in daily practice.