Why Is My Dog Or Cat’s AST Level High Or Low?

AST=Aspartate Transaminase = SGOT

Ron Hines DVM PhD

To see what normal blood and urine values are for your pet, go here

For an explanation of causes of most abnormal blood and urine tests go here

To see how tests are often grouped, go here

What To Do When My Dog Or Cat’s Liver Tests Are High?

Health Problems That Can Cause AST Levels To Be Elevated In Your Pet’s Blood:

All infectious, toxic, metabolic and cancerous diseases that sometimes affect your dog or cat’s liver can cause your pet’s AST blood levels to rise.

When ALT levels in the same blood sample are normal, red blood cell destruction are common causes for the high AST readings. Muscle damage due to severe exertion or trauma and congestive heart failure can also be responsible for elevated AST reading in dogs and cats.

AST levels go up occasionally as the result of local reaction to vaccinations and intramuscular injections of all kinds.

AST levels are often increased during heartworm treatment with Immiticide® or Diroban® (melarsomine dihydrochloride).

Hemolyzed blood samples can also cause falsely high AST readings.

Health Problems That Can Cause AST Levels To Be Low:

Flagyl® (metronidazole) has been known to cause low AST readings, as has a vitamin B6 deficiency.

Complementary tests:

ALT, bilirubin, bile acids, Hct, GDH , CK , TP & Gamma Globulin elevation as evidence of FIP in cats, abdominal ultrasound, retest dogs in 2 days , cats in 1 day.

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