Just wanted to update everyone. Brucey is doing great! He has not had a seizure in a week and a half. He has shown no signs of a livershunt or no gastrointestinal problems at all! He was very tired for 3 days or so after the seizures but I expect that to be normal in dogs, as it is in people. My vet thinks that it is a waste of time and money to do the tests at this point. He did advise me to let him know if any of the symptoms return.
It was a very scary week. My heart goes out to anyone who has a livershunt baby! I just knew(or so I thought!) that he had a liver shunt. I was trying to decide what I was going to do. I would do everything in my power to save him but my checkbook does not have endless funds(as I am sure many others don't as well). I was thinking well I could try to control it by diet( if that's would have even been an option). But that would probably mean cutting his life short or him living a sickly life.
The other option I thought of was giving him up to a rescue organization. That way they could get him the surgery he needed and then adopt him out to a new family. Of course that to me seems to only be punishing the original owner. It's not like you choose for your puppy to have such a serious health problem. I think there should be more programs( or a program) to help people get their dogs the help they need and let the dog stay with its owner. Of course I may be speaking of something I don't know anything about. With rescuses maybe the person adopting the dog takes on the vet bills.
Thanks to everyone for all the responses and helpful information. I will continue to keep you posted!
p.s. Sorry for the rambling! |