Hi all,
I haven't been on the forum for a while...guilty of life with Zoe going well and just not making it onto the forum for so long I kind of forgot about it.
I give this forum credit for keeping Zoe alive as a new little puppy. She's now 6 and has suffered with frequent illnesses on and off since then. But now, she's not doing well at all.
I AM going to the vet a lot, and seeing an internal medicine specialist both this week and next. But since I know of the knowledge within YorkieTalk, thought I'd check here too.
Her symptoms:
--Weight loss (From 4.6 to 3.5 lbs. over the last 2-3 months). She is very, very thin.
--Off her food and water - now eats only minced boiled chicken or turkey, and mashed sweet potatoes or rice (this is per vet; have tried i/d and l/d both canned and kibble but that seems to throw her off)
--Regularly dehydrated and needs subQ fluids. Lately up to 3x over the last week (she will not touch a drop of water, and we have tried different bowls, tap, filtered and bottled, added all kinds of broth, syringe into her mouth, and add a little extra to her food mixture but adding too much makes her not eat it).
--Nausea
--Constipation
--Frequently low energy and clingy
Her meds:
--Vet is guessing that she might have an acquired liver shunt. (Interestingly they thought she had a congenital shunt as a new puppy, but abandoned that guess when she later thrived)
--Taking Lactulose, Metronidazole, Cerenia all long-term. Recently added Sucralfate. Without the Metronidazole or Cerenia she spirals down rapidly and won't eat anything at all no matter how enticing I think it may be.
Some days she plays with her Havanese brother, wants to fetch and seems "normal." Others she is overly clingy and seems very uncomfortable and weak.
Has anyone had any similar experience(s)? Any ideas? Any experience with acquired shunts and subsequent surgery or medical treatment in such a tiny one?
Thank you so very much!