[yorkietalkjilly]

That is a good report! I'm so glad she's doing better and feeling good. I was wondering if your baby had scintigraphy and abdominal sonogram or is your vet basing the diagnosis of liver shunt only on the elevated bile acids lowering somewhat and less symptoms since her diet change and the lactulose? I would want to have a full diagnostic work-up under the circumstances and find out for sure if she is a L/S candidate so I would know what to expect as time goes on and she ages.

Chances are, if she has L/S w/out corrective surgery, as she gets older, anesthesia would become an even greater danger so that even anesthesia to pull an abscessed tooth, sedate her for an x-ray or stitches if she hurts her leg badly or perform any simple operative procedure could become a life-threatening situation. But there are other considerations as well.

I would ask my vet if L/S is treated only with diet and lactulose, is she still getting an increased load of toxins into her system above what she would if she had corrective surgery. Because if she is, he needs to explain you what further issues down the road Mandy will be facing so you will know how she will be able to be treated as she further ages for things such as bladder stones, hepatoencephalopathy with neurological dullness, weakness, stumbling, seizures and things like that.