[YorkieRose]

I have little clue how it is passed and researchers have no hard answers, other then they feel both paretns must contribute the gene..not just one. If the parents have not been tested who knows what is going on...but that DR Tobias bred two repaired shunt Yorkies and the offspring did not have a shunt...hows that for making you want to put a gun to your head? Of course, they have not produced enough pups to know what is what...I would imagine since they had the common LS ancestors at some point those dogs will produce a shunt or their pups..the problem is, they are going to have to produce alot of litters to see a pattern I would think.
I read an article that said the dog can accquire a shunt later in life..by that time it could have already produced pups.

Why a breeder would continue to breed when LS is in the line..I do not know..maybe they test all pups and only keep the ones with normal liver functions and destroy the rest. I knew a Doxie breeder who had a male who would always sire at least one pup in the litter with no eyes.. the rest of the pups were so nice, she put the blind one down and sold the others. New owners always got a healthy pup with two eyes, so she saw no problem. Several breeders agreed with her..

I kept and whelped a litter for a friend out of a well known champion..6 pups were born. 4 were great..two had missing front limbs and were put down. The breeder said she would repeat the breeding again with no qualms since there were 4 healthy pups. I don't know if I would..perhaps if I had the last two Yorkies on eath and the breed would die out.