Elevated liver enzimes

Question
I took my male toy poodle in for a teeth cleaning today
and the vet called me to let me know that one of his liver enzimes was quite high.  He is almost nine years old.  But, other than age what can be causing this?  And how can I possiabley treet this problem myself?  Could it be caused by the tarter removing liquid that I am putting in his water?  Or can it be caused by his food?

Answer
Hello Deborah,
Sorry to hear about your Poodle.  I hope some of these suggested items can help him.
First off, as to the stuff you are putting in the water to help with tartar, that should be fine.  The liver issue comes more because of the tartar, which can lead to tooth irritation and inflamation, which can lead to infection that gets into the bloodstream.  The liver has to filter the blood, and with it all the toxic bacteria from the infected gums.  Therefore the plaque removing liquid is beneficial.  
It could possibly be his food.  The way our dogs food is processed these days is questionable at best.  The chemicals the animals are given, the chemicals the ranchers put on the ground and feed, and anything else that goes into the making of the foods our dogs eat all has an impact on the dogs overall health.  The sad thing is that there is nothing we can do on our end other than to help our dogs get rid of these toxins once they get in our dogs system.  From the lowest "grocery store brand" of dog foods to the highest priced, highest quality foods, they all will have things in them that can affect our dogs health in the long run. (We see it in the foods WE eat as well)

One way to help treat your dogs liver is to use Holistic medicines/herbs/vitamins and supplements to do your best to keep your dog healthy.  Below is a website that talks more about Liver Disease in dogs and Natural ways to help your dogs body be more healthy.  The second link talks about Herbal treatments and how to use them.  The third link is what herbs/vitamins/supplements are recommended for the liver.

http://www.natural-dog-health-remedies.com/liver-disease-in-dogs.html
http://www.natural-dog-health-remedies.com/herbal-treatment-for-dogs.html
http://www.natural-dog-health-remedies.com/dog-liver-health.html

When using any of these suggestions it is best to check with your Vet first.  That way, you can make sure the holistic additions you will use won't interfere with the traditional medicines your Vet has prescribed.  Your vet will also weigh your dog so that you can get the correct amount of supplements per your dogs body weight.  Some Vets don't like Holistic treatments and will suggest that you use their medicines rather than going the Holistic route.  If this happens, look up Holistic Vets in your area and see if they will answer any of your questions.

I hope this helps you some.  If you have other questions about this or other Poodle questions in general, please feel free to ask me.

Thanks for using AllExperts.com,
Kim