So I am just now being able to work this website so I could even find my post to reply to any of you.. Lady Jane I did respond to your pm just now..
If you signed up for email notifications, there is a link in each email that you can click on that will take you directly to that thread. It does take time getting used to the forum.
What I am feeding her is to detox her liver as best we can and get rid of toxins.. I am having her retested in 3 months, sooner if she shows symptoms...
If you don't believe the numbers are high, then why detox her liver? Additionally, she needs MORE than diet to do this. I know you don't believe in RX diets, but they are very helpful. I don't know who this nutritionist is, but I have a strong feeling he/she is not adequately credentialed to be advising this diet for your pup. I have two pups who were sent home to die a year and a half ago due to renal failure. The ONLY thing we have done is a RX diet and they are still with me and doing well. I have used RX diets over the years for MANY and they DO work.
What I am trying to explain is that she does not do this often.. It is only once in awhile with the walking about the house with the drooling.
That is VERY common. They do not ALL have symptoms....all very different. I shared my experience with Teddy Bear to explain that. You said you have a RX for Keppra. Personally, I would be giving it to my pup to try and prevent seizures which it sounds like Laylah may be having. Keppra is commonly given to dogs with liver shunts because it has not been shown to harm the liver.
When I say that my vet is to "vetty" what I mean is that he does not talk in laymens terms and I need things to be explained to me in a way that I understand them...
This can happen and as Lolasmom said, then find another vet you feel more comfortable with.
That goes for here too, and Im sorry if Im being forward but I do feel a little bit attacked.. I understand that you all are trying to help but telling me to give her away is not helping. You do not understand.. I have been very upset over this and do not have the resources for surgery and I can NOT get on care credit as I have just went thro a bankruptcy and Ive tried twice now to get on care credit and they have declined me twice..
No one told you to give her away. Everyone here loves their pups. Advising a person to surrender their dog if they cannot provide the needed vet care is just that......ADVICE. It is something to think about. I just took in a little yorkie yesterday from a woman who is hurting, but she did it because she cannot provide the vet care needed and it also was not a good fit in her home. It is all about the dogs at the end of the day. I pray I never am in a position to have to make a decision to let one of mine go.
It is not helping to be told that she is going to die and that she is this sick pup when I do not understand the process and thats all thats being said. No one is explaining the why or what the numbers should be... Ive searched and searched and cannot find what the numbers ought to be anywhere...
The numbers you posted are EXTREMELY high. You say you cannot find what they should be but they are on the link I provided on PAGE 5. The vet who wrote that is a leading researcher in liver disease in dogs, especially yorkies. I tried to copy/paste, but was unsuccessful but here is the link again. The one above was a broken link. The fact is, with numbers like she has I don't see any way she will have a long life. I am NOT a vet....just a person who has been through it all with yorkies. https://vetmed.tennessee.edu/wp-cont...D-Brochure.pdf
The nutrionalist I am using is a BOARD CERTIFIED nutrionalist... So saying she doenst know what she is talking about is not accurate.. She does know what she is talking about.. She is NOT saying that by diet alone that this will be a miracle cure. what she is saying is to safely try to get Laylah's numbers down - never once did she say that by diet alone would this cure Laylah.. As far as the "raw" diet... No I did not say I am giving her raw meat or raw chicken or raw vegetables..
You said Primal which I believe is freeze dried? I don't know....all I DO know is that I don't believe it is an appropriate diet for a dog with liver disease. I don't know WHO your nutritionist is, but this is what you said SHE advised you "I am working with a nutrionaslist who seems to feel if we get her diet right, that I may.. MAY...Be able to bypass surgery and hopefully get her numbers down some.."
There is no way I believe she is qualified if she truly said this. You say she is board certified but I seriously doubt she is a Vet Nutritionist. If you want food advice, try this site paying particular attention to she section "Ask the Nutritionist". All Board Certified VET Nutritionists and they will answer you.
Besides a good diet, I am giving her goats milk, I am giving her Denamarin that the vet gave to me and I do have a script for Kempra that I wanted to hold off on to see how she does without poisoning her liver with even more medicines..
Keppra will not "poison her liver" to my knowledge. I wrote about this above. I have never given any goats milk to my pups. I don't know where you are getting your nutrition advice, but suffice it to say it is not in line with what I believe or with my experiences. There are a LOT of people on the internet who claim to be experts and they are far from it. I can only say be careful.
Additionally my vet has said that he himself has JUST came out of vet school and that he's not had a chance yet to work with a dog with a liver shunt IF that is in fact what it is... Im not 100% on board with this without knowing what the numbers OUGHT to be with a healthy Yorkie.. I am currently looking for another vet asap with a bit more knowledge that doesnt sound like he is trying to be a world class brain surgeon..
If he just came out of vet school, I am sure he is very knowledgeable on the latest in veterinary medicine. I hope you are successful in finding one you can relate to as that is important!
Lastly, my daughter IS a Physicians Assistant and she has explained how the process works with the human body and has dumbed down her speech so that I can partially understand what the heck is going on here.. Laylah does not have the classic symptoms of a liver shunt. Her numbers are high, yes, but I do not know what the numbers should be.. Ive read a couple posts here on other ppls Yorkies that have just as high as she does and their dogs are thriving by God's grace..
You can fish all day on this forum and others to find what you want to hear. Just because it is posted online does not make it gospel. If Laylahs numbers are what you posted, I stand by this: she is a sick dog. How often she has symptoms doesn't matter. AGAIN, the link I provided gives the numbers....hers are WAY above where the normal healthy dog is.
So please, and I beg you ... DO NOT make me feel worse than what I already do and reading some of these posts, while I know you are trying to be helpful, does not sound very helpful... And I say that while writing to you all thro tears...
You posted for HELP. It was in capital letters. We are trying to help but honestly I don't think you really want to hear what we are saying. I am sorry I cannot agree with you or say your dog is ok. I hate it for her so much because she probably feels awful (although she has been sick for a long time so maybe doesn't know what good feels like) and she has no choice in this matter.
So with that said.. If no one has anything kind to say, or helpful, or useful.. Then please PLEASE I beg you NOT to post something!!
Again, this is not being mean. We have ALL posted helpful things but you don't seem to want to listen. I cannot tell you what you want to hear. I am sorry. If you don't like the answers here you can always click on the exclamation point in the lower left corner and ask for the thread to be closed.
I certainly do not need snide comments, or hurtful comments... What I need is help understanding so I CAN get her the right help...
We DO understand. I feel awful for both of you. I am simply telling you what I believe. I pray you will find a vet who can help you.
Thank you very much and sorry if I upset any of you by my own comments.. As I said I am writing to you all thro tears..
Laylah has been absolutely fine near a month and half without any episodes whatsoever.. I could see this type of talk to me if she was doing this every day.. She isnt acting this way every day..
Again, that does not matter. Her numbers speak volumes. PLEASE go back to the link with attention to PAGE 5. And PLEASE keep trying to find a vet you can relate to.
It is very hard to believe that she is as sick as you say when she is a very happy, playful and loving little girl..
My Teddy Bear was fine, UNTIL HE WASN'T. Thankfully I was able to save his life that day..