quick update, the dog did have the ultra sound, I told her it would probably be a waste of money but she seemed to want to got the extra step so for about $550.00 it was inconclusive except that the dog has a small liver. There is one other blood test that she opted to have done and it can only be run at Cornell, so they will have the results back Mon. I wish I could remember what the test was for, but it is to test for a condition that is not operable and if the dog has it they can manage it by meds for about a year or so. She is now planning on going ahead with the operation, apparently it was her regular vet that seemed to try to talk them into not having it because of the expense. But she is very attached to Harley and wants him to have a good chance at life. After seeing the internist and the surgeon they feel more optimistic. One of the surgeons was trained at U of T and the other one at MI state so they are both well trained and have done a lot of liver shunt operations. They claim to do a newer procedure where they clamp the liver or the shunt in a way that in time it closes more, they say this prevents a rush of the toxins to hit the liver at once it's more gradual. I might not be explaining this exactly right since it is second hand info and some of this goes over my head, but the jest of it is a gradual process rather than a rush. The dog is on antibiotics in preparation for what most likely will be surgery and another med that is supposed to help eliminate some of what the liver is not doing. surgery is tentatively scheduled for tues. She said they thought about going to TN but don't want to wait and the dog does not do well in the car, he gets very car sick and stressed so they feel they don't want to put him through that, and she really liked the specialists, they seemed to really understand liver shunt and were very patient in explaining everything. So I guess we will see, thanks for your comments |