Final answer:
Gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) is an enzyme measured in both small and large animals to assess liver function, detect cholestatic damage, and monitor for alcohol toxicity. It is an important marker used in clinical laboratories for evaluating animal health.
Step-by-step explanation:
Gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) is an enzyme that is used as a biomarker for liver function in both small and large animals. While GGT is more specific to the liver and a sensitive marker for cholestatic damage, which is a condition that blocks the flow of bile from the liver, it can also be an indicator of sub-clinical levels of liver dysfunction. The measurement of GGT levels can assist in identifying the cause of isolated elevations in alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and it is known to be elevated in cases of alcohol toxicity, both acute and chronic.
Assessing the levels of enzymes and other metabolites in blood provides valuable insights into the health of an organism. GGT is one of these metabolites which can be measured by chemical assays in clinical laboratories. Hence, GGT is measured in clinical assessments of both small and large animals to monitor liver health and diagnose potential liver diseases.