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Originally Posted by Babbie It is nothing but curiosity, a colleague has this problem (liver shunt) with her dog. I just wanted to know from the pet owners who dealt with it how is the procedure, recovery and also costs...she is also in Florida..
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It is a very, very long road. I speak from experience. Our ordeal started when we got Matise in November 2004, but we didn't really know what it was until 1st week in October 2005 so we have been dealing with this for 3 1/2 months and it is about a one year process for recovery. You met Matise at one of our puppy playgroups. He has a Liver shunt. It was a $400.00 diagnosis. They do blood work- including a special test called a bile acid serum test and they also do x-rays to see what the liver looks like. They have to be on special food-like a 1.30$ a can and meds-$30 a month or so. Then they have to decide if they want to do exploratory surgery $1500-$2000to see if it is operable if it is then while they are in there they will place an Ameroid constrictor on the shunt if it is not then they will take a biopsy to see what it is whether it is intrahepatic or mvd.
For us it went like this:
~Numerous trips to vet for undiagnosed random vomiting--totaling around $1,500
~Matise started to have seizures so we decided to have the bile acid test--$400
Test came back positive for a liver shunt
~so he was put on Hills Science Diet Prescription Diet L/D about $1.30 a can
~and special meds Lactulose and Flagyl--~$30 per month-month and a half
~then he went for surgery $1700
~Then he will go for blood work-$150-250 per time 3 times in the next year.
~not to mention he developed acid reflux b/c of the location/size of his shunt and all the meds that he has to take. so that was another $400 of blood work and xrays and meds-pepcid $25 and 2 other meds.
I say roughly $2500-$4500 We have spent about $4000 so far.
They have to be on a very strict diet and it is a very emotional and stressful illness. I feel very sorry for your colleague. PM me if you want to know anything else I will be more than happy to talk with you or her about it.
here are some threads in which I spoke about Matise and his liver shunt
Intial Diagnosis Discovery Successful Surgery Emotional breaking point