Is this a liver issue?

[awaywego]

Am I looking a a liver issue? My 18 year old gelding presented with mild colic symptoms twice in a week recently, so we pulled blood. My vet tends to be a little more casual/less proactive than I would like to be at times, so I want to know if I should be pushing more on these values:

GGT: 90 (Reference Interval 12-45 U/L)
GLU: 61 (Reference Interval 72-114 mg/dl)

Possibly unrelated but his Eosin # & percentage were both 0. He was recently treated with 2 months of Protazil for an EPM titer of 1:2000 - completed treatment about a month ago. He’s not currently on any NSAIDs but does a 1/4 pill of previcoxx daily when in work (which has been very sporadic for the past year leading up to the EPM diagnosis).

It’s easy enough for me to take him to NBC for an ultrasound(?) or biopsy (?).

[Kyrabee]

I know with humans, one doesn’t get too excited until the liver function tests are 2-3 times They also look at more enzymes. Did a bilirubin get run on that panel?

I don’t think this is enough information. That said, I have known of one horse that had a liver infection that did present with ‘colic’.

Jingles you can get some answers

[awaywego]

@Kyrabee

Did a bilirubin get run on that panel?

It doesn’t look like it. The idea was to check liver & kidney values because his behavior was non-specific just not right. The thing that caught my eye both times was that he was flehming (sp?) repeatedly for an extended period of time for seemingly no reason. Just seemed kinda tired/lethargic plus that and not interested in his dinner. Both times resolved with banamine. I’ve had him for 13 years - have been through a lot of medical weirdness already with him which may make me extra paranoid. And I lost his half brother to a terrible sudden colic 3 years ago

[Larbear]

You could maybe check SDH, I think that’s specific for liver injury.

[cayuse]

My welsh pony had a liver issue (pretty bad) it presented with a couple episodes of mild colic, lethargy an no appetite. His liver values continued to rise after the initial blood draw and diagnosis/treatment. The vet explain that the liver values continue to rise even after the insult to the liver starts to resolve. Have you scheduled another test? I’d be interested to see if there was a change for the better or a continued rise.
My pony was on Equioxx daily, the vet didn’t think there was a connection but I stopped it anyways just because. Jingles for your boy!

[Living_In_The_Sticks]

GGT is a liver number but GLU is glucose. 90 is high but not terrible, you need to see the ALP & bilyrubin. I’d get a copy of the bloodwork & call NBC for a second opinion to see if they think you need an ultrasound & biopsy. He might just need milk thistle, vitamin e & a recheck bloodwork in a month to start.

My old guy’s liver issue presented with a minor impaction. He was slightly off as in not windsucking at all & taking more naps. He fasted for 24 hours before going into the clinic. I pulled blood, they found a small impaction & I had him scoped because I swear it was ulcers. He scoped clean. ALP was so high the clinic machine couldn’t read it, GGT was in the 300s.

Liver issues are a precursor to ppid. That’s what it ended up being for me. It would be worth checking acth & the list of early symptoms.

[awaywego]

@Living_In_The_Sticks

GGT is a liver number but GLU is glucose.

I read somewhere that a high glucose level could indicate liver malfunction, which is why I included it. If liver issues can be a precursor to PPID, maybe there is a correlation there.

It sounds like probably I should get a more specific liver panel done and go from there.