My daughter has a pom-mix who had a liver shunt. Our vet told us about a vet at the University of Tennessee who pioneered a new technique for liver shunts.
Most vets simply tie off the shunt, and the dog's liver can be overwhelmed by the sudden increase in blood flow. I was told the surgery had a 20-30% mortality rate.
The vets at UT use a thing this vet invented that closes off the vessel gradually, giving the dog's liver time to adjust to the increasing supply of blood.
It's been 2 weeks since Mo had his surgery, and he is doing great. His coat looks healthier, and he's finally putting on weight.
They did a CT scan on Mo to make the diagnosis before doing the surgery. He only weighs 2.8 pounds, so it wasn't a cake walk, but he did great. They warned me it might cost a lot if he had complications, but it turned out only costing 1400.00. My vet was amazed at how little it cost. He said they are doing a study, so the price is cheaper. They were great with Mo, and treated him so well.
I really hope this information is helpful. I hope your little one does well. |