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01-17-2008, 11:40 PM | #1 |
Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Idaho
Posts: 208
| Paranoid about liver shunt I have not posted for probably a month, but Pippa is worrying me. She has been getting hypoglycemic lately, at least that is what I think it is...wobbly, shaky etc. but tonight she did it and just didn't really respond to the Nutrical, tried Karo syrup, I don't know, she just is so spacy and paces in circles in her playpen with her head rubbing on the sides. Is a liver shunt diagnosed just with a blood test? I'll call the vet in the morning. Plus she's been so bratty lately. When she is feeling good anyway...
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01-18-2008, 06:16 AM | #2 | |
And Rylee Finnegan Donating Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Metro Detroit, MI
Posts: 17,928
| Quote:
To be honest, that sounds EXACTLY like liver shunt or MVD. She needs to see a vet. The bile acid test is a blood test done before and after eating (so two in total).
__________________ Crystal, Ellie May (RIP), Rylee Finnegan, and Gracie Boo🐶 | |
01-18-2008, 06:42 AM | #3 |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Land O' Lakes, FL
Posts: 735
| How old is Pippa? My pup's breeder - when queried about liver shunt - said that it was not in her line, but if the pup was to get it, he would already be showing signs (he's 5 months old). I haven't been able to find anything stating an "age" for onset of symptoms. I wish you both the best ... apparently this is something I need to look up and study. Please keep us advised regarding diagnosis, prognosis and treatment. |
01-18-2008, 06:47 AM | #4 | |
And Rylee Finnegan Donating Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Metro Detroit, MI
Posts: 17,928
| Quote:
__________________ Crystal, Ellie May (RIP), Rylee Finnegan, and Gracie Boo🐶 | |
01-18-2008, 04:48 PM | #5 |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Land O' Lakes, FL
Posts: 735
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01-18-2008, 06:29 PM | #6 |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Texas
Posts: 4,280
| Sounds like Liver Shunt with the spaciness and the going in circles and what I call head pressing. Liver shunt can be diagnosed younger than a year old and I'm talking around 7 to 8 months old. I would take to vet and schedule the Bile Acid Tests. If you think it might be liver shunt feed a very low protein food diet. Liver shunt can be scary but can be surgically corrected if it's an outside shunt. Enternal shunts aka MVD can not be surgically corrected but can be controlled with diet and medication. I would for sure get a vet appt. asap. Donna Bird Brooklynn's Yorkshire Terriers |
01-18-2008, 06:56 PM | #7 |
Bella Boo & Diggy Too! Donating GS Member | When Diggy was 8 weeks old he showed every sign of a liver shunt possible. Down to full blown seizures He had Bile acid test at 10 weeks and was diagnosed with Hypo. I later found out that if it is just hypo, Kayro or Nutrical will help almost instantly. Another difference in Hypo and Liver issue is with hypo symptoms normally occur hours (like 3-4) after eating when they have burned off all sugar and it starts to drop. Liver issue symptoms normally occur within an hour of eating foods with protein (meat, kibble, etc.) I had to set alarm and hand feed him every 2-3 hours. This is just my experiance and what I have read on here and was told by the multiple vets that treated Diggy. Hypo is normally outgrown by the age of 5-6 months and that is when many liver issues begin to surface. Im so sorry your going thru this and the only advice I have is begin feeding her foods low in protein until she gets into the vet for bile acid test. It cannot hurt her and if she does have a liver issue this may help her be less symptomatic. Good Luck and please let us know what you find out.
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01-18-2008, 07:02 PM | #8 |
Mommy's Lil' Miracle Donating Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Mufreesboro, TN
Posts: 1,028
| Definitely do the BAT to see if liver shunt is possible. It could also be hydrocephlaus or brain damage. The symptoms are the same as liver shunt and she did have a head trauma not very long ago if I remember correctly. Test for liver shunt but be prepared to look for a primary neurological cause as well.
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01-18-2008, 07:16 PM | #9 |
Donating YT 30K Club Member | Cali had several hypoglycemic episodes up until she was 8 months old and she was diagnosed at that time with mild MVD (external Liver shunt). I would definatley get a bile acid test done.
__________________ Cali Pixie Roxie : RIP Nikki; RIP Maya;RIP my sweet Dixie girl 1/17/08 http://callipuppyscastle.bravehost.com/index.html |
01-18-2008, 08:59 PM | #10 | |
Bella Boo & Diggy Too! Donating GS Member | Quote:
His Bile acid results were pre 5 post 7. I kinda put it in the bak of my mind but now I am thinking again maybe I should retest?
__________________ ALL DOGS GO TO HEAVEN | |
01-18-2008, 09:46 PM | #11 |
Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Washington
Posts: 789
| JennS, You'd better get your pup to the vet asap. That sounds just like a liver shunt. My little Maya was shaking and spacing out....walking in circles....walking the perimeter of the living room. It turned out that she had a liver shunt. One surgery and thousands of dollars later, she is a robust furbaby. She was very tiny...the breeder told me she would only be 3 or 4 lbs. She is now about 6.5. There are 2 kinds of liver shunts; internal and external hepatic. I can't remember off hand which is worse for treating surgically. I hope to God it's not a liver shunt....but get your baby in to see the vet to get a bile acid test before she shows signs of a seizure. My thoughts and prayers are with you!
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01-18-2008, 10:01 PM | #12 |
Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Washington
Posts: 789
| That's right....internal hepatic shunt is worse than an external. Also be aware, if she is diagnosed with this, that there may be more than just one shunt. Our vet. had to refer us to an internal medicine hospital for pets.....fortunately it was not too far away.
__________________ Kali and Nikki's Mommy |
01-18-2008, 10:18 PM | #13 |
Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Washington
Posts: 789
| I got this off the web...hope it helps. http://www.livershunt.com/ http://www.vet.utk.edu/faculty/tobias.shtml
__________________ Kali and Nikki's Mommy |
01-18-2008, 10:22 PM | #14 |
Donating YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: USA
Posts: 7,178
| Please ask for a bile acid test to be done, not just a regular blood panel...The bile acid test is sensitive to liver function whereas regular bloodwork won't show a problem in the liver until it's 70% damaged... Those symptoms that you mentioned sound a lot like liver shunt/mvd symptoms. In fact, many times, liver shunt is misdiagnosed as hypoglycemia.
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01-19-2008, 06:39 PM | #15 |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Texas
Posts: 1,935
| Please Do Not Let Me Scare You But Please Let Me Just Make You Aware We Just Went Through Exactly What You Are Going Through The Exact I Mean Exact Same Symptoms!! Please Check Into Atlantis Axial Subluxation Or Occipital Axial Subluxation. When We Took Bleu In They Thought He Had Iver Shunt Turned Out He Had Oas... My Prayers Are With You Right Now Plese Update Us Asap Get To Vet Hurry!
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