Elevated Lipase in a 'healthy/happy' dog - any ideas

[BDJ]

Hi,  

 

My brother recently changed vets, and a general blood test was done by the new vet.   No symptoms or 'triggers' - it was a general 'new patient, let's do one to check everything is ok and to get a baseline'.  The dog is a 9yo whippet who appears to be happy and healthy.

The results have come back with a very high lipase reading (3 x normal level).  Vet and owner are surprised as that level usually indicates pancreatitis or other issue which should be resulting in a sick/unwell dog.   However, he is happy, noisy, bouncy etc and showing no indications that he is unwell.

Vet advice is to change his diet and reduce fat, and then do another blood test in 6 months (obviously respond sooner if any other indications)

Does anyone have any other thoughts or suggestions?

thanks

[SchnauzerMax]

15 minutes ago, BDJ said:

Hi,  

 

My brother recently changed vets, and a general blood test was done by the new vet.   No symptoms or 'triggers' - it was a general 'new patient, let's do one to check everything is ok and to get a baseline'.  The dog is a 9yo whippet who appears to be happy and healthy.

The results have come back with a very high lipase reading (3 x normal level).  Vet and owner are surprised as that level usually indicates pancreatitis or other issue which should be resulting in a sick/unwell dog.   However, he is happy, noisy, bouncy etc and showing no indications that he is unwell.

Vet advice is to change his diet and reduce fat, and then do another blood test in 6 months (obviously respond sooner if any other indications)

Does anyone have any other thoughts or suggestions?

thanks

It might be his normal level? 
I would just make sure his food is good quality and I would probably lean towards raw / barf.

[Dogsfevr]

Renal issues ?
What is the dig currently being feed that including treats and treats often no one wants to admit in the home .

 

It can also be higher for some cancers 

[_PL_]

A bit chubby maybe?  

I do have a dog with bad liver results (I can't remember exactly what I'm sorry) and chose to ultrasound at the specialist. There's growths, aspirated, benign but growths do grow and spread regardless.    I don't know how long we'll have her. But she's doing fine.

Edited May 24, 2021 by Powerlegs
edited

[BDJ]

Thanks all.  I will pass the information on.  I think it was a standard blood test, so a more detailed one may be required 

[Tassie]

I had a spayed BC bitch who was on oroxine for hypothyroidism (only symptom extreme bilateral hair loss .. all fixed by oroxine.  Vet was running bloods for a suspected UTI, and I asked if they could include the in house thyroid function test..  When I went back to get results, uI had my apparently healthy happy dog with me.. UTI was fixed .. and the vet asked if she had been vomiting or anything .. I said no ... he said she certainly looked healthy and happy which he was very pleased to see, as some of her bloods would have suggested she had pancreatitis... which he could see she didn't have.j   So I think sometimes the levels for an individual dog can be out of whack without necessarily meaning anything sinister.    She certainly needed to be operating at the higher end of the normal range for thyroid  function levels.   

[Dogsfevr]

Some breeds have a naturally higher level 

[BDJ]

Thanks again everyone.   He is being moved to a low fat diet (no more dinner scraps etc - mmmmmmmmm ).

 

His weight is good at the moment - he was a tad chubby a few months ago, but that had been corrected prior to the bloodtest (but could still have impacted it).

 

He will get another blood test done in a few months, and will ask for a more detailed one.

 

Fingers crossed all will be better, thanks

[westiemum]

I'd also think about running the baseline again through another lab.  Sometimes they are just plain wrong.  I know it s more money but might save you heading right up the wrong path.