Therefore, I will recommend surgery only if the risk associated with surgery is less than the risk of continuing with medical management. There is always a small risk the dog may not make it through anesthesia/surgery, is permanently worse, or never improves.
1 The blood tests most frequently used for liver disease are the aminotransferases (alanine aminotransferase or ALT and aspartate aminotransferase or AST). 2  Normal levels of ALT ranges from about 7-56 units/liter, and 10-40units/liters for AST.
Liver Function Tests. Liver function tests measure various chemicals in the blood made by the liver. An abnormal result may indicate a problem with your liver and may help to identify the cause. Further tests may be needed to clarify the cause of your liver problem. The liver is in the upper right part of your tummy (abdomen).