I didn't want to write a short novel on the first thread because I really am wanting any feedback or direction on what to do with all this information overload regarding LIVER SHUNTS.....but I did want to give a short as possible time line in hopes that someone that reads this will know which direction I should go or give me ANY info on the services provided at UNIV of TENN....I have read what there is to read on the PC regarding what is offered there but I am looking for any personal experience info anyone would like to share....
First let me say I am a people nurse so I was able to keep up and understand some of what has gone on but learned early on my people nurse education didn't count for much in YORKIE WORLD....As I said in my previous post no matter how big or small my question/concerns are when it comes to my Yorkies its the information I receive in here that influences my decision on what to do so anything anyone gives me means more then I could ever explain..
MyLeigh's LIVER SHUNT Journey,
I guess I will start by saying MyLeigh is 4years old today, Monday, 12-12 and from what I have read and have been explained is somewhat more on the older side when it comes to discovering a Shunt....all of this started a little over 6 months ago or I guess I should say we noticed a few things were out of the norm a little over 6 months ago and of course they became noticeably worse at 2AM the early morning before her appt with her regular VET...Long story short she had the blood tinged urine, leaking of clear fluid leaving her and whatever she was laying on soaking wet,what looked like "sand" on her pee pee pad, urinating nothing but blood and without going into every nook and detail of every hour, day and minute of what brought us to the ER VET twice...We thought after the first trip and first round of antibiotics all was cleared for almost two months until it all came back worse. The second trip to the ER VET worried her and us enough to get MyLeigh into the Specialist ASAP since her X-RAYS showed us stuff was wrong but no idea what, so we went to the Specialist to get the Ultrasound done on her Kidneys and with all the overwhelming news we got about he Kidneys the VET said he was 99% sure he also saw a Shunt, he wanted to go ahead and do the surgery on her Kidneys..at that point he felt the R Kidney was so damaged from stones and it also had a large one trying to come down that it would most likely have to be removed and the L was on its way as it was filled with stones etc etc and while he was doing all this on her Kidneys he could do the Shunt surgery and also Spay her.....
Needless to say this was A LOT to take in all at once, not to mention putting my little girl thru all of that surgery all at once with obviously no guarantees, we didn't know if the stones were because of the Shunt.....at this point we thought we were just dealing with a Kidney issue, I cant explain the emotion, stress, feeling so helpless, etc....I was glad to find out why all the blood in the urine and finally something to give her for pain so we decided to think about this for a minute, let this infection clear up and go from there...We took her home and two days later I watched her strain twice to urinate while nothing came out as I told my boyfriend to call and tell the we were on my our way with her now to do this surgery I sat on the bed to put my shoes on and she stood in front of me,squatted to pee and I heard what sounded like a water balloon busting after being thrown from the roof, and I'm not sure if it was all the water/urine that caught my eye first or what looked like a rock, ( a ROCK, not a pebble ) A ROCK about the size of a dime and as thick as a pencil eraser....I could write an entire page on what that was like, what I felt and the amazement I was and still am in over what came out of this little girl.....We went back to Specialist the next day, he did a repeat U/S and he said her Kidneys were completely within normal limits she only had a small amount of sediment in her bladder and he would be sending the stone to the lab. The results came back on the stone as 100% ammonium urate related to liver dysfunction....I guess I'm glad..??!!..?? All of what I have just explained took place over about a 3-4 month span and the stone result is where we have left off and it has been a little over 3 month since we have done anything else. As of that last visit MyLeigh has done better then she ever has, after reading about Liver Shunts, the signs and syptoms etc I have to say MyLeigh never showed anything that would have alerted us earlier, I know being a nurse you dont have to have all of the signs and syptoms to qualify for a disease but I guess the only test she has not had is a Bile Acid test but the Vet said he saw it on the U/S and the stone confirmed it, the Bile Acid test would just be a tool to help us see the improvements pre and post surgery....The only other sign she does show that I have not mentioned yet is that her urine does have that amonia smell, sometimes more then others and since that last vet visit she has put on weight, become more playful and is really thriving I know what needs to be done and we actually just received some unexpected monies so as I've said I am really just looking for any info, help, suggestions, ANYTHING good, bad or indifferent......THANKS FOR YOUR TIME........
CHRISTINE |