[gemy]

So here is the rub. Just exactly how common is it? Here on this board and at the link I provided it seems pretty common.

That link states that someone around 1000x combined against other breeds Yorkies are more likely to be at risk for liver shunt.

As a breeder I would never,ever mate a dog to another without Bile Acid testing being done.

And I would not let puppies go without the same. And btw it is proven as a genetic disease in Irish Wolfounds...lol... 1000x the weight of a Yorkie, but the markers would appear to be different... God knows why.

And yes Liver Shunts of various natures can be acquired as a result of other disease processes. And yes some dogs can test normal with an extrahepatic shunt for years, but that is the outliers.

Linda you are not a breeder but a rescuer. I am not saying that every rescued dog at 1-5 yrs old should be tested. What I am saying as a pro-active owner of a puppy YOrkie, it would be a good idea to test for the same.

That way early identification of MVD if it is MVD can be handled and the appropriate medicines and diet could be followed. If a liver shunt is indicated and further tests (which btw) need to be done, then they can be done.