[quote=belindaY;1944671]
Quote:
Originally Posted by puppy_Love08  We are possibly facing the same thing. Logan will be retested June 4rd. I went to the breeder today, who is a vet, and gave him a copy of the blood work and bile acid test results. He seemed irritated that so many vets are worrying people about liver shunts and doubts Logan has one. He said he wouldn't pay for the surgery but would "replace" Logan with another puppy. I don't want another puppy. I want a healthy Logan.[/QUOTE
I must admit I also have wondered if some vets are needlessly worrying people and rushing prematurely into surgery---I've read too many accounts of false positive tests followed by more inconclusive or marginal tests followed ultimately by surgery, at great risk to the dog and strain to the owner's finances. And, are they going to come back after surgery and say "oops, it wasn't liver shunt after all?"The vets seem to be making out real well with it though. Also, why are they not quoting prices over the phone? They should know if the "average" price is around $3000 or closer to $5000, you know, a ballpark figure. |
That is exactly why Dr. Center recommends all Yorkie puppies have a bile acids test before going to their new home. This is from page 22 of the handout from her seminars:
2: The best approach to avoid "over diagnosis" is to test bile acids in young dogs of highly affected breeds (at 4 mths of age) while they are clinically healthy and before they are adopted into pet homes. Highly affected breeds include: Yorkshire Terrier, Cairn Terrier, Maltese, Tibetan Spaniels as well as many other "terrier" type breeds (Miniature Schnauzer, Lhasa Apso, Shih Tzu, Dachshund, Bichon Frise, Pekingese, Toy and Miniature Poodles, and Havanese and others). Proactive assessment of serum bile acids will limit the awkward circumstance imposed when an MVD dog, with minor health issues, is suddenly recognized to have abnormal bile acids by a pet owner's veterinarian. This circumstance can lead to unnecessary diagnostic confusion and unwarranted invasive tests such as liver biopsy and portovenography.
Surgery should be the last step, after a bile acids test, then a Protein C test, and finally scintigraphy. (Don't waste your money on ultrasounds as they are at best only 80% accurate according the the U of Tennessee, as low as 60% according to Dr. Center.)
This is also from Dr. Center and explains the various tests:
Hepatic Vascular Disorders - WSAVA 2006 Congress