Update: I spoke to the neurologist this evening and Sprite's liver and cerebrospinal fluid tests are both normal, so she is a good candidate for the shunt. He explained that 75% of dogs who have the shunt procedure live normal lifespans and follow up is minimal. Having the shunt should eliminate the seizures and prevent brain damage, which we don't see any major signs of with Sprite at this point. We would just need to be observant for any negative changes, reoccurrence of seizures etc but she wouldn't need MRI's or other expensive tests. There is a 25% risk of problems after having the procedure however, and the vast majority occur within the first two months, so that is the danger period. The most common problems are death during the surgery, bleeding in the brain, infection and blockages in the shunt. So it's not all clear sailing in the beginning. She would be hospitalized two to three nights after the surgery. If we decide to have the procedure (which I think we will) then we will meet with the neurologist and he will go over all the risks/benefits in detail. We need to let him know within a couple of days. The palliative option would be to continue with her meds and monitor her carefully. When the seizures become more frequent/harmful then we deal with euthanasia. We don't know the timeline for her but it is limited. We want to give her a chance for a long life but I won' lie, that 25% risk is greater than I would like, but the other choice isn't good either. Thanks again for all the support! |