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Originally Posted by Becca1  No, you're not sounding harsh - that's your right to say - I wouldn't be on here if I couldn't handle some criticism. I just don't feel like it is a matter of life or death. Here's what I'm thinking. If it's HMD or MVD then it's managed thru dietary and meds anyway, as we're doing - if it's an extrahepatic shunt, then it can be fixed surgically. My vet still feels that it is intrahepatic based on the biopsy (even though I know, it can't be shown for sure based on a biopsy whether it is intra or extra and intrahepatic are usually in large dogs). The hemolysis was also shown to be high on the BAT results which from what I've read on could adversely affect the test results; which has something to do with the guage size of the needle to draw the blood.
If my puppy was in anyway feeling bad, I would be hightailing it to a specialist to get something done. I know that surgery may be something that has to be done and am prepared to do that. But even if an outside shunt was fixed, my vet feels like we are still going to deal with the interior shunting. He also feels that since she was diagnosed at a later age, it is a better sign. As he said, these are numbers and it is good to have these numbers to show liver function, but she has improved dramatically from where she was a year ago - based on meds and diet. |
Hi Becca,
Hemolysis can affect BATs, but not to the degree where your #s would be as high as they are.
I do think a consult with a Board Certified Internist would be worth your while. I think you more specific information and a second opinion from someone with advanced training. MVD #s are usually not that high. Feeling good or not, the liver is not functioning well and your dog should be in the care of a specialist. Yes, I take my dogs to specialists even when they are feeling good if the blood work isn't right.....I just posted about my Barney in another thread and I took him to an internist just because he had two mild abnormalities on his blood work.
Good luck.