YorkieTalk.com Forums - Yorkshire Terrier Community - View Single Post - Possible Frontline/Liver problems connection

pipermom · 04-20-2011, 09:21 AM

Hello, I am new to YorkieTalk. I'm hoping maybe someone out there has had a similar experience.....In Aug 2010 my 3 yr old female Yorkie..Piper.. was diagnosed with an extrahepatic liver shunt. She was quite sick, but we were lucky enough to find an experienced surgeon in Malvern, Pa. who performed ameroid ring surgery. Piper recovered completely and by Feb 2011 she was given a clean bill of health. Ultrasound showed no other shunts either extra or intra hepatic. On 3/19/11 she went to her general Vet for 1 vaccine--Lyme--and 1 final bile acid check. That bile acid test was completely normal. On 3/23/11 I found fleas on her and in our bed! The vet told me Frontline Plus was very safe so I treated her. On 3/30/11 she had what looked like a seizure--never had one before. Her hind legs stiffened, her her tilted to the right and she looked unaware of me. This lasted about 2 min. I rushed her to the vet. By the time we got there she seemed completely normal. The vet said to watch her because dogs sometimes have seizures for no reason. I took her back the next day and she received 2 more vaccines for the year. Lepto and DHP-P. She also had bloodwork and a urinalysis because of the seizure. The bloodwork was normal but the urine had bacteria. She was put on Clavamox for 7 days. She was fine until 4/4/11 when she had 4-5 "seizures" over the next 24hrs. I then took her to The Vet Referral Center in Malvern, Pa. where she had had her surgery. They kept her in the ER for 24hrs. Again, all her blood work was normal EXCEPT now her bile acids are a little elevated. The surgeon was not really concerned but put her back on lactulose. She showed no signs of seizure activity but was quiet and looked depressed. She was examined by the ER specialist, her surgeon and the Internal Med specialist. No answer. She looked and acted fine, so I brought her home. She was fine until 4/11/11. When I got home from work at 4:00pm she was shaking uncontrollably. I called her surgeon and her saw her within the hour. Of course she was fine by the time we got there. Her case was again reviewed by all the specialists there--no answer. I was then referred to a Neurologist who we saw 2 days later on 4/14/11. Again that specialist didn't really have an answer except to put her on Keppra to prevent any other seizure activity. He said these episodes didn't really fit the bill of seizures because they were very vague. She has not had another neurologic episode since 4/11/11 so I have not started the Keppra. On 4/18/11 (2 days ago) I went back to our General Vet for a urine recheck for the UTI--everything looked good except her urine bilirubin is 2+. this is not normal and indicates liver problems again. The surgeon is somewhat concerned but more bloodwork and urine check in 2 weeks. Piper seems fine now--but I am going crazy! Now I'm worried about liver failure. My feeling is that all these problems are stemming from the Frontline Plus back on 3/23/11. None of the doctors want to believe that! Am I crazy? I have spent almost $1000.00 so far just on this problem. I had a normal healthy dog 3 weeks ago, not she may be sick again. Does anyone out there have any experience with frontline problems. My feeling is that the Frontline plus and the vaccines have overwhelmed her system. The only other unusual symptom was that from the time of the frontline application up until about 6 days ago (about 2 weeks total) Piper seemed very stiff in her hind legs and always wanted to stretch. That has now gone away. To top things off, Piper has an inner ear infection and is now being treated with drops. That ear infection seems completely separate from these other problems. If anyone has any advice I would appreciate it! Thank You.

04-20-2011, 09:21 AM	#1
pipermom YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Drexel Hill, Pa. USA Posts: 7	Possible Frontline/Liver problems connection Hello, I am new to YorkieTalk. I'm hoping maybe someone out there has had a similar experience.....In Aug 2010 my 3 yr old female Yorkie..Piper.. was diagnosed with an extrahepatic liver shunt. She was quite sick, but we were lucky enough to find an experienced surgeon in Malvern, Pa. who performed ameroid ring surgery. Piper recovered completely and by Feb 2011 she was given a clean bill of health. Ultrasound showed no other shunts either extra or intra hepatic. On 3/19/11 she went to her general Vet for 1 vaccine--Lyme--and 1 final bile acid check. That bile acid test was completely normal. On 3/23/11 I found fleas on her and in our bed! The vet told me Frontline Plus was very safe so I treated her. On 3/30/11 she had what looked like a seizure--never had one before. Her hind legs stiffened, her her tilted to the right and she looked unaware of me. This lasted about 2 min. I rushed her to the vet. By the time we got there she seemed completely normal. The vet said to watch her because dogs sometimes have seizures for no reason. I took her back the next day and she received 2 more vaccines for the year. Lepto and DHP-P. She also had bloodwork and a urinalysis because of the seizure. The bloodwork was normal but the urine had bacteria. She was put on Clavamox for 7 days. She was fine until 4/4/11 when she had 4-5 "seizures" over the next 24hrs. I then took her to The Vet Referral Center in Malvern, Pa. where she had had her surgery. They kept her in the ER for 24hrs. Again, all her blood work was normal EXCEPT now her bile acids are a little elevated. The surgeon was not really concerned but put her back on lactulose. She showed no signs of seizure activity but was quiet and looked depressed. She was examined by the ER specialist, her surgeon and the Internal Med specialist. No answer. She looked and acted fine, so I brought her home. She was fine until 4/11/11. When I got home from work at 4:00pm she was shaking uncontrollably. I called her surgeon and her saw her within the hour. Of course she was fine by the time we got there. Her case was again reviewed by all the specialists there--no answer. I was then referred to a Neurologist who we saw 2 days later on 4/14/11. Again that specialist didn't really have an answer except to put her on Keppra to prevent any other seizure activity. He said these episodes didn't really fit the bill of seizures because they were very vague. She has not had another neurologic episode since 4/11/11 so I have not started the Keppra. On 4/18/11 (2 days ago) I went back to our General Vet for a urine recheck for the UTI--everything looked good except her urine bilirubin is 2+. this is not normal and indicates liver problems again. The surgeon is somewhat concerned but more bloodwork and urine check in 2 weeks. Piper seems fine now--but I am going crazy! Now I'm worried about liver failure. My feeling is that all these problems are stemming from the Frontline Plus back on 3/23/11. None of the doctors want to believe that! Am I crazy? I have spent almost $1000.00 so far just on this problem. I had a normal healthy dog 3 weeks ago, not she may be sick again. Does anyone out there have any experience with frontline problems. My feeling is that the Frontline plus and the vaccines have overwhelmed her system. The only other unusual symptom was that from the time of the frontline application up until about 6 days ago (about 2 weeks total) Piper seemed very stiff in her hind legs and always wanted to stretch. That has now gone away. To top things off, Piper has an inner ear infection and is now being treated with drops. That ear infection seems completely separate from these other problems. If anyone has any advice I would appreciate it! Thank You.