Dog ate chocolate?

 ask a vet

Mildly increased ALP.

Species: Dog
Breed: miniature schnauzer
Age: 8-11 years
My dog's routine blood work shows an alkaline phosaphate level of 159. The vet is not worried and recommends re-testing in 6 months. I would like to know what I can do prevention-wise to keep her liver healthy. Something homeopathic like milk thistle or sam-e? Do you recommend this and at what dose. She is 18 lbs with no problems.


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

I would agree with your vet that at this point nothing needs to be done. An ALKP level of 159 is slightly higher than normal but absolutely nothing to worry about. There are a lot of perfectly healthy dogs that have a slightly high ALKP. I get more worried when I see numbers like 400 or 800 or more, but even then I don't get excited unless there are other symptoms or other liver enzymes that are elevated.

There really is no need to use any supplements at this point. However, I would agree that's it a good idea to retest either in 6 months, or sooner if you feel like something is not right. My guess is that everything will be just fine!

Dr. Marie.

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?

Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Sneezing guinea pig. My guinea pig is sneezing and wiping her nose more frequntly than she did... (24976 views)

Non healing abscess I'm sorry I had to choose the free option, but I'm skint because of the ongoing vet... (10001 views)

Is my cat diabetic? Ollie is consuming lots of water, and peeing a lot. There has been a marked increase... (7731 views)

Small Russian Blue Cat. I have a Russian Blue who has recently turned 4 years old (we have had him since 6... (12569 views)

How often to bathe a dog? I have a black lab that just turned 4. She has relatively short hair, how often... (10497 views)

Pancreatitis My dog had an exploratory Lap. done 3 days ago to rule out a foreign body. She had... (20050 views)

Weakness in back legs and twitching eye. Sophie had had problems with her balance since sunday. Her back legs are weak and... (13251 views)

Is this a liver shunt? Hello Dr. Marie, Murphy is 16 months old. For the first 6 months of her life, she... (6784 views)

Bloody diarrhea in small dog. I recently purchased a new Maltese puppy. When we brought him home he had some... (19439 views)

Puppy vomiting with blood. my puppy was born on december 18, she was born a normal pup but now she and her... (10895 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.