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Originally Posted by DAB  HI Everyone.
Just wanted to let you know that I picked Emma up at Tufts this afternoon. She is no worse for wear. Everyone there loves her because she is such a doll. As you now know, she does have a shunt. We will be speaking to a surgeon from Tufts who specializes in soft tissue soon to determine the options. I am still fearful of seizures and will be asking about them. Again, has anyone had liver shunt surgery done on Yorkies at Tufts. What was the result? Also, are there other specific questions I should be asking the surgeon? Please advise. According to the doctor who has been seeing her, it could be that the surgeon suggests not operating. Then what? Thanks for all the great input.
Hope you are enjoying your weekend.
DAB |
Hi DAB,
My yorkie Ruby had liver shunt surgery in December at Texas A&M University, and she is making a full recovery. She had one large shunt on the outside of the liver, in which they said surgery is a good route to go. They would not have performed surgery on her, they said, if she had multiple smaller shunts. Some of the questions that I asked, that helped me deicde to go forward were:
1) What are the risks
2) How will the surgery, if successful, improve her quality of life and how will it affect her lifespan
3) What will her quality of life be without the surgery vs. with the surgery
4) Are there chances for relapse.
I just joined the site so I may have missed more that you have written, so I am sorry if it is not very helpful. But, My girl Ruby is a changed dog- she has been taken off all of her meds since surgery and has more energy than ever. In her 3 month post op checkup they determined it to be a success, when before the surgery I saw 3 vets who all told me surgery was not an option and she would not be with me very long. I wish you the best!