Total bile acids in veterinary diagnostics

The determination of total bile acids (TBA) has become a routine diagnostic test in veterinary medicine. While the measurement of liver enzymes such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT)/ aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) etc. is helpful in detecting liver disease, they do not provide information on liver function. TBA measurement is the most sensitive liver-specific test that detects liver changes before clinical signs appear [27], thereby, allowing practitioners to treat animals before liver damage occurs. Moreover, TBA offers the possibility to monitor the animal's response to treatment.

The measurement of total bile acids provides a fast, safe and simple method for assessing liver function in animals. Due to the stability of bile acids in the sample material, subsequent diagnostics can be performed after 2 days storage at 4 – 8 °C.

In the veterinary field, determination of total bile acids is used to diagnose portosystemic vascular shunts, hepatitis, cholestasis, cirrhosis, steroid hepatopathy, extrahepatic bile duct obstruction and hepatic neoplasia in dogs. The determination of TBA is also helpful in the diagnosis of hepatobiliary diseases in cats [27, 28].