# Emmie's blood work



## susan davis (Mar 25, 2011)

Hello all: Emmie, as most of you know, is on phenobarbital for focal seizures. It helps her immensely. Her temperment is not as fearful with it, and the 'seeing' of things that aren't there has very much improved. Now it appears that the phenobarbital is damaging her liver. Her dose is in the therapeutic range. Her alkaline phosphotase is 5500. Normal is 150!!! Most of the other blood work is fine. I did not repeat the Bile Acid test this time. That was abnormal last time, but very little.

I have decided that this little dog, who feels fine, interacts with me much better with the pheno, should remain on it. She is so fearful and shy without the pheno her life just is not worth living. Her panic attacks stopped with the meds. I have decided to just judge her wellness how she acts and feels, not so much for the true blood values. Am I being a bad mom? Vet has options as to medication, but none take on her horrible state of being without the sedation that pheno gives her. She is as normal a dog with the medication as she can be.


----------



## Wicked Pixie (Oct 14, 2011)

Definitely not being a bad mom! You are looking at the whole picture and trying to do what is best for your girl. How old is Emmie? I would be looking into supplements to protect her liver if I were you. I know coconut oil is said to prevent liver disease.


----------



## Wicked Pixie (Oct 14, 2011)

I found this article:

Natural Treatments for Cats and Dogs with Liver Problems
Diet plays an important role in the healing of the liver. Small, frequent meals which are low in fat and contain easily digestible grains will help minimize the work that the liver must do while it heals.
An important function of the liver is to remove toxins from the body. When liver disease strikes, toxins build up inside the animal’s blood stream and can cause extreme illness and even death. Subcutaneous fluids can help flush the body of excess toxins, while antibiotics can address bacterial infections that often develop as a result of liver failure.

There are several nutraceuticals that aid in treating liver diseases and are especially beneficial to restoring the health of the liver when steroids and other prescription drugs are used.

Milk thistle is often the herb of choice among holistic veterinaraians because it is a powerful antioxidant.

Milk thistle as a healing agent

Silybum marianum (milk thistle) is one of the most important herbal liver tonics and restoratives for your pet. Scientific analysis shows that milk thistle contains silymarin - a powerful antioxidant which can block the entry of toxins into the liver and remove them at cellular level, resulting in regeneration of liver cells and improved liver function.

More potent as an antioxidant than Vitamin E, silymarin acts as a scavenger on free radicals (molecules that cause cell damage), as well as increasing levels of glutathione (a prime antioxidant that protects major organs) and inhibiting the formation of damaging leukotrienes (an inflammatory agent). Silymarin also stimulates the production of new liver cells to repair damage caused by disease.

In addition to milk thistle (silymarin), there are several other nutrients which are beneficial to the liver:

Burdock - Used for centuries as a blood purifier and cleanser.
Natrium Phosphate - A tissue salt that helps to assimilate fats and promote the flow of bile from the gall bladder.
Natrium Sulphate - A tissue salt often recommended to detoxify the liver.
Dimethyglycine (DMG) – An amino acid that helps rebuild liver cells and encourages the elimination of toxins in the body.
Pyridoxal 5'Phospate – The active form of B6, an essential vitamin that is not easily broken down in pets with compromised livers.
Vitamin B12 – An important vitamin needed for proper digestion and absorption of food.
Choline Citrate – A chemical used by the liver to move fats in and out of the cells, which is crucial to liver health.
Methionine – An amino acid needed for proper detoxification of the liver.
N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine – An amino acid that is aids in the removal of toxins from the liver.
Turmeric Extract – A potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.
Alpha Lipoic Acid – A powerful antioxidant that enhances the antioxident effects of Vitamins C and E.
Coenzyme Q10 – Also known as Vitamin Q, this nutrient is essential for healthy liver function.
Antioxidants - Chemicals that capture damaging free radicals in the body and encourage healthy liver cells.


----------



## svdreamer (Feb 20, 2010)

What a awful decision to make. However, I did find this, I hope it helps:

A blood chemistry panel checks the level of enzymes produced by many of the body's organs including the liver, however, it is not conclusive in relation to liver disease. For example, Phenobarbital causes an elevation in several liver enzymes, particularly Alkaline Phosphatase (ALK or ALP). An elevated Alkaline Phosphatase level is not indicative of liver disease in a dog who is taking Phenobarbital or one of several other drugs which induce the liver to produce Alkaline Phosphatase. However, if blood work reveals an elevation in Alkaline Phosphatase in conjunction with abnormal values in other liver enzymes (ALT and GGT), swift follow-up in the form of a urine bile acid or a fasting bile acid test should be performed. A urine bile acid or fasting bile acid test is much more accurate than testing liver enzymes because Phenobarbital does not increase bile acids and elevations are usually seen early in the course of most liver diseases.


----------



## susan davis (Mar 25, 2011)

Thanks so much for your moral support. I know I'm doing the right thing for her, but the blood work LOOKS so bad!! The other liver enzemes are normal. I'm going to get some milk thistle.


----------

