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03-21-2008, 05:26 PM | #1 |
Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Belmont Shore SoCal
Posts: 852
| what are the signs of liver shunts?? I'm just curious what the signs of liver shunts are... Roxi is 8 months, healthy, had all her shots, baby teeth removed ect. but I've been hearing over and over about liver shunts and I know when they did blood work on Roxi before surgery it would have been revealed, my vet says she has a clean bill of health but I just want to be educated about her as much as possible. all this liver shunt talk I hear is scary... Any info would be great... Thanks!
__________________ Melanie Roxi & Rocco |
Welcome Guest! | |
03-21-2008, 05:52 PM | #2 |
Donating YT 5000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Southeast Texas
Posts: 7,959
| Here is a website that explains it very well: http://vetsurgerycentral.com/pss.htm Clinical signs * Abnormal behavior after eating * Pacing and aimless wandering * Pressing the head against the wall * Episodes of apparent blindness * Seizures * Poor weight gain * Stunted growth * Excessive sleeping and lethargy * Straining to urinate due to bladder stone formation * Patient with a shunt may have many clinical signs and some have only a single clinical sign * Some dogs do not show signs until they are older I am glad your baby got a clean bill of health. Last edited by bjh; 03-21-2008 at 05:54 PM. |
03-22-2008, 04:26 AM | #3 |
And Rylee Finnegan Donating Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Metro Detroit, MI
Posts: 17,928
| To BJH's list, add GI upset (vomiting and diarrhea), pica (craving for unnatural foods...rocks for example) and a sensitivity to medications (especially anesthesia). A blood panel doesn't rule out liver shunt because in most cases the ALT would not be extremely elevated until the liver is 70% damaged. A bile acid test is the way to go if you want to go further...
__________________ Crystal, Ellie May (RIP), Rylee Finnegan, and Gracie Boo🐶 |
03-23-2008, 05:19 AM | #4 | |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: ME
Posts: 61
| Quote:
Any yorkie I get, I will bile acid test. And I am NOT the only one with lack of symptoms. I have met a TON of people that they didn't know until a major symptom popped up or they found out by accident. | |
03-23-2008, 06:44 AM | #5 |
Yorkie Talker Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: nj
Posts: 11
| liver shunt/mvd Hi, As per my previous posts, my little guy was just diagnosed with MVD a little over a month ago. He just turned four 2 weeks ago. Never had any type of problems until he started to have seizures one day. Just wondering what type of diet you have him on. Since this is all so new to me, it is helpful (and promising) to hear what other people who are dealing with this are doing. He is on l/d (wet) diet and meds. I supplement his diet with carrots/green beans/sweet potato and apples. Also have the milk thissle - need to get in liquid form he has such a hard time with the pills and I have been told and read about the sam-e and will start that soon. I have an appointment with my vet next week because I have been giving him less than 1/4 to 1/2 can of the l/d daily as they directed. I mix in approx 3/4 cup of each of the veggies to 1 can of l/d and it lasts about 5 days. I am feeding him 3 small meals per day. So far, he is doing great. Very energetic, his appetite is a little too good and his poop is right on target - 3x per day (soft serve). Would love to hear any suggestions and/or shunt and MVD outcomes. I originally thought this was a death sentence but I'm feeling a little more positive and less apprehensive the more I hear. I am also beginning to feel more confident in myself being able to take care of my little man, I was so scared in the beginning as leaving a vet hospital with nothing but a diagnosis and a can of l/d and 3 bottles of meds was quite overwhelming. Thank you to all on YT who have given me information. It has truly made a difference.
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03-23-2008, 09:28 AM | #6 | |
And Rylee Finnegan Donating Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Metro Detroit, MI
Posts: 17,928
| Quote:
MVD is definately not a death sentence. I had heard of a dog recently who lived to be 17 with it. I'm sure the owners followed a strict protocol though. There is also another Yorkie who used to pee 20 stones a day and have seizures all the time. He has been stone and seizure free for at least 6 months. Denosyl (or Sam-e) or VetriDMG is VERY important for this. My first choice for any dog (liver compromised or not) is homecooked. This can be time comsuminga nd challenging though, so my second favorite is Science Diet L/D CANNED or Royal Canin LS 14 kibble (mixed with equal amounts of water). The kibble made my Yorkie extremely itchy though while she was on it. Her protein level doesn't need to be that low anyway since she probably doesn't have MVD and she doesn't have a shunt.
__________________ Crystal, Ellie May (RIP), Rylee Finnegan, and Gracie Boo🐶 Last edited by Ellie May; 03-23-2008 at 09:29 AM. | |
03-23-2008, 07:31 PM | #7 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: ME
Posts: 61
| Mine isn't MVD but external shunts (too many to operate) Cornell was impressed because blood flow through his liver is almost normal. No signs or symptoms. He had bladder stones but we don't know if it really was related to the liver or not. Long story. We do homecooked (Cornell nutritionist helped us with this) cottage cheese, egg, pasta, and vegetables. Fruit (dehydrated for chewing like a rawhide) and fresh and cheerios for treats Supplements from cornell and Shaklee Liver DTX (has milk thistle and I love their testing standards), other herbals from vets. We are doing great. I plan on having my dog for a LONG LONG time but was devistated when I first found otu. I couldn't believe it. I spent top $$ for a healthy dog from a show breeder. :-( It has totally turned my life around. yorkielovs2chat |
03-23-2008, 07:41 PM | #8 |
Donating YT 7000 Club Member | My first puppy Bandit had a liver shunt. we didn't learn that he had one until after he died. He was young...14 weeks...and it got SO bad SO fast. He had one seizure, and within 2 weeks the diesease had completly taken him over. He had seizures, would act strange after he ate or drank, would walk around the perimeter of the room (up against the wall), he would randomly act like he couldn't see and then be back to normal in a few minutes, he didn't gain any weight in the month we had him. We had no idea what was wrong with him, and the vet told us to take him to a neurologist. But as I said, within 2 weeks after he first had a seizure, there was nothing we could do for him. There are many success stories with LS, too. I think the reason Bandit couldn't fight it at all was because he was so tiny and so young.
__________________ Megan "I have my dreams, I have made plans." - The Pirate Queen All Gave Some; Some Gave All Last edited by MeganS; 03-23-2008 at 07:42 PM. |
03-25-2008, 03:21 AM | #9 |
Yorkie Talker Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: nj
Posts: 11
| Thanks. Question.... what type of dried fruit? He is a rawhyde junkie (lol) I also do the cheerios but trying to find another snack for him that he can chew on. Also, you mention the "Shaklee Liver DTX" where do you get it and is it a pill or liquid. The milk thissle are capsules and what a project to get it down. He also seems to be hungry all the time. Perhaps it's from the Dingo bone withdrawal although I do let him have @ 1 per week. I think he has gained weight from all the carbs. We have a vet appt. in @ 2 weeks but honestly, this forum is much more informative on the day to day details. Thanks again
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03-25-2008, 04:50 AM | #10 |
And Rylee Finnegan Donating Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Metro Detroit, MI
Posts: 17,928
| Liver compromised dogs shouldn't chew on animals produtcts because they are way too high in protein and can set their symptoms off. I'd give carrot if anything.
__________________ Crystal, Ellie May (RIP), Rylee Finnegan, and Gracie Boo🐶 |
03-26-2008, 04:05 AM | #11 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: ME
Posts: 61
| I bought a dehydrator from Walmart and make my own yams, mangos, apple chips...etc for my dog to chew on. I also like the product Shaklee Liver DTX which you can get online at their site. I like the tests they put their ingrediants through to make sure they are free from contaminants. I heard that Nature Sunshine does a lot of testing too. I find that cream cheese helps my dog get those pills down without a problem. I just dip them in cream cheese and put them on his food. Easiest thing I've discovered when pilling a dog. You can also buy apple chips online at the natural pet store and sams yams has yams that are chews (similiar to the way a rawhide would be but safer) yorkielovs2chat |
04-01-2008, 02:32 AM | #12 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: NYC
Posts: 70
| Bile Acid Test will tell your vet if her liver is functioning OK.
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04-01-2008, 04:29 AM | #13 |
Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: St. Louis MO
Posts: 85
| My Zeus has MVD. He was diagnosed at 10 mos. and will be 7 yo in May. He is doing great. I used to feed him a mix of wet ld and dry ld. He now eats just the dry food. I also supplement with other veggies. I have also had him on milk thistle, but do not at this time. I will use it as an additional supplement when he has to be immunized, or other things that might tax his system. He is on Denosyl SD 4, which I believe has been a huge factor in how well he is doing. Thought I'd share a positive!!!!! Juliet |
04-01-2008, 06:51 AM | #14 | |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: ME
Posts: 61
| Quote:
My dog has LS and is doing great. | |
04-01-2008, 09:04 AM | #15 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: winfield,wv
Posts: 37
| Wow are we ever in the same boat!! I have a Roxi also she is 14 weeks old.I have had two vets check her because I am worried to death she may have a shunt. She has no real signs but she is very small 1.8 lbs (24 oz) she is growing but not a lot. She was the runt of the litter. How big is your Roxi? I really understand your fears I live it every day . I wish you all the luck with your baby! |
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