Elevated Liver Enzymes & Possible Seizure

[EAO76]

Rosco has been a little off the past few weeks.

On Saturday night he was on the couch woke up stumbled several times and collapsed. He never lost consciousness but he definitely didn't have full control. My husband's first thought was that he was having a stroke. He ended up getting up and going outside where he seemed really confused and he was breathing heavily. Not panting with his tongue out but doing this weird scary open mouth hard fast breathing. When he came inside he just stood there, still breathing hard and his gums were very pale. It was around 3am. We picked him up and put him in bed and eventually his breathing became normal and he fell asleep. By morning he was fine.

My first thought was his heart. I took him to the vet Monday and the vet listened to his heart for a long time and said he didn't hear anything abnormal. He said we could see the cardiologist (he has one that comes to the office) but he wasn't really pushing towards that option. He didn't seem to think anything was going on with his heart. We ran a full blood panel and also did a needle biopsy on two little lumps that have popped up.

Bloodwork came back normal except elevated liver enzymes. The cytology on one of the bumps came back as a round cell tumor. The most common round cell tumor is MCT but the vet didn't say a MCT. So I'm not sure what exactly it is. Unfortunately this came via a voicemail and we have been playing phone tag all day so I haven't been able to actually speak with the vet. The message did say they didn't think the tumor was of any major concern.

Monday night (after the vet appt) Rosco woke up (again 3am) and vomited. Then Tuesday (today) morning he only ate half his breakfast and then again vomited. Now its evening and he ate his dinner and so far has kept it down. Also about a week ago he pooped a bunch of blood but it only happened once. I have no idea if that is anyway related to any of this.

I'm so worried about my boy. He is 8.5years old. I just feel like something major is happening. Maybe a brain tumor? I'm not sure what to ask for next? Should we see the cardiologist? Or maybe an ultrasound to look at his organs? Anyone have experience with Elevated Liver Enzymes/ Liver Disease? Or the seizure/ collapsing episode? If so what did it turn out to be?

 

[Stub]

Toby had something like that stumbling thing for the last 6 years of his life. It started one day when he got up from sleeping and walked down the freshly-painted hall beside me. He kind of staggered for a few steps and brushed up against the wet paint or I might not have even noticed it happen. After that every so often he would stagger and/or collapse, mostly upon getting up from sleep. But sometimes not until we were a quarter mile into a walk. It was very worrisome but the vet could not find anything wrong. It was almost like how we can stand up too fast and almost black out. He would get up, collapse, and 10 seconds later get up and be TOTALLY fine. Back then I didn't know anything about dog cardiologists or I might have had his heart checked more thoroughly than just the regular vet listening to it, but it didn't seem like his heart anyway. It seemed like his brain. I worried about a brain tumor but there was nothing I could do about it. The vet even told me if we did an MRI and found one there was still nothing I could do, as it was not likely to be operable.

Toby did have one major seizure about 2 years before his death, one night right about 3am. He didn't lose control of his bladder or anything but after it was over he walked frantically around the house with his head pointed straight up at the ceiling like he could not bend his neck, for a couple hours. he was also blind and could not see the furniture and walked into stuff. I could not make him stop and rest. That was scary!! Finally by morning that left him but he still had this freaky eye twitch going on. I took him to the vet as soon as they opened and they said that eye thing was called nystagmus and it should go away eventually. It did.

Gradually over time as I read stuff online I came to the conclusion that Toby had vestibular disease. Here is a website that talks about that a little bit: Symptoms of Vestibular Disease in Dogs

One paragraph even says this: "Unfortunately, in some cases the cause remains unknown (idiopathic). This often takes place when the dog reaches its senior years, indeed often it is called ''geriatric vestibular syndrome''. In this case, for unknown reason the nerves connecting the inner ear to the cerebellum become inflamed often resolving on their own after a few days or a few weeks." And I am pretty sure that was the case with Toby. His episodes never lasted very long and they were never like, several days in a row. Just one at a time spaced months apart sometimes. They did come closer together the older he got, but as I said he had it for the last six years of his life.

I do hope Rosco has nothing major!!

 

[Cami]

I've witnessed both collapsing episodes from heart issues and legitimate seizures. What you describes sounds like a classic heart issue. Add in the weird breathing and it almost sounds like what Cami had when she developed supra ventricular tachycardia. Her heart was racing SO FAST that she could feel it. This happened with collapse also and she collapsed without the SVT. Without didn't bring on the weird breathing.
It has been 4 years now since we lost her but if my memory serves me correctly she had elevated liver enzymes as well (and the dreaded MCT's at the same time). The elevation wasn't enough to look for something that was liver related but more so as a thing the docs told me about, shrugged off and then didn't talk about much. I think they were in the "pick your battle" stage and didn't want to worry about something that wasn't too problematic at the time.
I'd at least get in with a cardio and have additional tests run to rule out a heart issue since traditionally it is more of an immediate life threatening issue in relation to the possible tumor. Heart trumps tumor in a round about way.
If the heart is all clear the cardio may have a suggestion as to another cause. I am sure they see things that are at first thought to be heart related and then it turns out to be another issue entirely.
I hope he feels better and you get some answers very soon.

 

[EAO76]

Thank you both for your responses. I was finally able to talk to the vet. The round cell tumor is something called a Plasmacytoma. Its on the tip of his ear and the vet isn't concerned and he isn't suggesting that we take it off. The blood work showed his ALT at 193 (12- 118 is normal). Again the vet says its not high enough for him to be concerned. He suggested that we wait a week and recheck the liver and go from there. As for Rosco, he seems fine. He is back to eating and wants to play.

 

[EAO76]

It has been 4 years now since we lost her

btw I can't believe its been 4years since sweet Cami passed. I remember when you lost her and it seems so much more recent than that. Where does the time go?

 

[Cami]

btw I can't believe its been 4years since sweet Cami passed. I remember when you lost her and it seems so much more recent than that. Where does the time go?

It was 4 years ago this past Monday, Feb. 17th.
They say time heals all wounds but I am still waiting on the "heal" to kick in.
I am glad he is back to wanting to play. That seems like a good sign.

 

[Tuff Love]

I don't have any experience with heart issues but I wanted to send some positive vibes to Rosco. Tuff had a couple strokes that we realized after the fact and he didn't collapse on the occasions I witnessed (he was already laying down as far as I know), but he did pant a lot and laid down with his front legs stretched out and seemed confused. He had focal seizures since age 2 but never any stronger seizers. Don't they typically lose bladder control during a full on seizure? I hope you get some answers soon. My boy's been gone for 3 1/2 years now and there is still a gaping hole in my heart. He was truly irreplaceable.

 

[EAO76]

Rosco vomited again today. I thought he was feeling better but I guess not. Would heart issues cause stomach upset? Im thinking maybe we should do abdominal ultrasound?

 

[entelekia]

Crap, I hope Rosco feels better soon. I also don't really have an immediate suggestion, but send tons of positive vibes. Do keep us posted.

*hugs*

 

[EAO76]

Rosco has continued to vomit off and on for the past week and a half so he is scheduled for a ultrasound on Monday. Of course since I set the appointment for the ultrasound he hasn't thrown up again (murphy's law?) but we are going to go ahead with it anyway. Please send him some positive energy that nothing serious is going on!