Page 1078 - The Veterinary Care of the Horse

ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE (SAP)

Levels of SAP are raised with:
VetBooks.ir • chronic liver disease

•
abnormal bone metabolism
• intestinal problems.

As this test is not specific, the results are used in conjunction with the clinical findings and
other blood tests to pinpoint the problem.

INTESTINAL PHOSPHATASE

This is raised with intestinal damage.

LACTATE DEHYDROGENASE (LDH)

This rises in response to a number of diseases. It can be divided into 5 components which

indicate different disease processes:
LD1 – haemolysis (breakdown of red blood cells), heart muscle damage

LD2 – damaged heart muscle

LD3 – is not specific enough to be useful

LD4 – intestinal damage, liver or skin disease

LD5 – liver or skeletal muscle damage.

L-GAMMA GLUTAMYLTRANSFERASE (GGT)

GGT is raised with:

• chronic liver cirrhosis eg ragwort poisoning
• cholangiohepatitis

For reasons that are not fully understood, elevations of this enzyme are sometimes seen in
apparently healthy racehorses in training.

GLUTAMATE DEHYDROGENASE (GLDH)

GLDH levels are raised with acute liver damage or intestinal disease.

BILE ACIDS

These are raised if the liver is not functioning properly: the higher the level, the worse the