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Originally Posted by DomLee I have a question.
How many of you guys have had your pets (Yorkie or not) diagnosed w/ Liver Shunt (or another similar Liver related disease).
And if so, I want to generally know:
1) What costs to expect.
2) The recovery period. How difficult? How much care is needed?
3) Life upon full recovery. How is their personality (back to normal?)? Any precautions that now need to be taken that you didn't before?
I see information on the diagnosis of liver shunt, but NOTHING from an owner's standpoint about recovery.
Thanks.
Dom |
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Originally Posted by DomLee You guys...your responses bring hope for my Mimi...thank you.
So what is the difference between a intrahepatic versus extrahepatic shunt? I would assume one is outside of the liver, while the one is inside?...but I would rather get answers from you guys.
Given that...what tests can help determine what type of shunt (whether intrahepatic or extrahepatic) she has? And how much will this test cost?
I've been given a referral to a vet imaging lab...but want to know what costs to expect.
Thanks guys.
Dom |
Hello Dom-
My name is Kara and my LS survivor is Matise. He was born on 8/16/04 and was diagnosed with a Portosystemic (extrahepatic) shunt in October 2005.
1) What costs to expect.
It is a very, very long road. I speak from experience. Our ordeal started when we got Matise in November 2004, but we didn't really know what it was until 1st week in October 2005. It was a $400.00 diagnosis. They do blood work- including a special test called a bile acid serum test and they also do x-rays to see what the liver looks like. They have to be on special food-like a 1.30$ a can and meds-$30 a month or so. Then they have to decide if they want to do exploratory surgery $1500-$2000to see if it is operable ie: extrahepatic vs. intrahepatic- MVD. If it is operable then while they are in there they will place an Ameroid constrictor on the shunt if it is not then they will take a biopsy to see what it is ie: MVD.
For us it went like this:
~Numerous trips to vet for undiagnosed random vomiting--totaling around $1,500
~Matise started to have seizures so we decided to have the bile acid test--$400
~Test came back positive for a liver shunt
~Result: 68 pre meal and 212 post meal
~so he was put on Hills Science Diet Prescription Diet L/D about $1.30 a can
~and special meds Lactulose and Flagyl--~$30 per month-month and a half
~then he went for surgery $1700
~Then he will go for blood work-$150-250 per time 3 times in the next year.
~not to mention he developed acid reflux b/c of the location/size of his shunt and all the meds that he has to take. so that was another $400 of blood work and x-rays and meds-pepcid $25 and 2 other meds.
I say roughly $2500-$4500 We have spent about $4000 so far. And still have more testing to pay for.
2) The recovery period. How difficult?
It is about 2 weeks for the surgery-no jumping etc.
and for full recovery ie: normal or close to normal bile acids-which they may never have normal bile acids after surgery can be anywhere from 6 months to 1 year
How much care is needed? MORE THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE- you have to be so extremely vigilant with their diet and surroundings so they don’t get more protein then they are supposed to have. The special diet-meds all are very specific.
3) Life upon full recovery. Can go on to live a normal life. Sometimes they need meds or a special diet it just depends on the diagnosis and how well they respond to treatment.
How is their personality (back to normal?)? better than normal- more active-cheerful
Any precautions that now need to be taken that you didn't before? Diet-
Protein-protein-protein you have to be careful what you feed until you get the all clear from the vet.
intrahepatic=inside of the liver and can also be called MVD and is not operable it is not necessarily a bad diagnosis it is just treated in a different way and these dogs can and do go on to live normal healthy lives
extrahepatic shunt= outside of the liver and usually is operable with great success rates
THIS LIVER SHUNT SURGERY SHOULD ONLY BE PERFORMED BY A BOARD CERTIFIED SURGEON AND BY ONE WHO HAS PERFORMED THIS SURGERY BEFORE WITH SUCCESS.
And how much will this test cost? it depends the bile acid by itself is around $85.00 but when grouped with the other test they need-x-ray, cbc it is around $400.00
The tests to determine Liver Shunts- a bile acid serum test
They can do other types of testing to deternine whether it is intra or extra ie: angiography, ultrasonography, and scintigraphy but they can not always tell you 100% and are very costly
Here is a great website to get research from.
http://www.vet.utk.edu/clinical/sacs/shunt/faq.shtml
here are several links to postings I have posts/threads about my ordeal-an owners stand point if you would like to read them
diagnosis day of surgery breakdown
My Matise is doing well and is expected to go in for bile acid test in the next couple of weeks, to see how well his body responded to the Ameroid Constrictor surgery. We are hopeful and our wonderful surgeon is very optimistic. He remains on the Science Diet Prescription Diet L/D with absolutely no deviations from it.
good luck to you. Feel free to PM me and I can give you my phone number and we can talk. I have talked with several other YT members about their LS dogs. Talking helps. We can also go into greater depth and more specifics.