Hi everyone,
I put up a thread a couple weeks ago when we started having issues with my 2 yr. old Lhasapoo, after blood tests, urine tests, and bile acid tests, we think, about 99.9% its a shunt, probably one Chewy has had from birth. Oddly, my Vet was unable to see it on the ultrasound though...so looks like we'll be going into NYC to the amazing Animal Medical Center to get their radiology department and surgery wing involved.
But -- I've been reading up on this problem to prepare for what's ahead and I keep hearing that if you have a doggy with liver shunt, you should not give them heartworm prevetative or flea/tick preventative. I have given Chewy Heartgard and Frontline since he was 3 months when I first got him. I don't over vaccinate, we just do rabies, distemper, the usual, and the only "extra" I get is the Bordatella cause my dogs go to the groomer once a month and I don't trust how others care for their pets. I don't do the Lyme/Tick one and I don't do the Leptospirosis because I have little doggies and they don't go out in the woods or live in a very urban environment, so I don't feel they are necessary....
Anyway have info on this? Should I really stop the heartgard and flea/tick preventative? Also -- my little Yorkie is only 5 months, seems SUPER healthy...but I now know Yorkie have a bit of a predisposition to this problem...should I be watching for the same symptoms that I saw in Chewy?
Thanks in advance for all your help!
Mom to
Chewy and
Sparky