[Yorkieluv]

Miko's shunt is inoperable, so it has to be managed through diet and medications...He WAS eating Royal Canin Hepatic LS 14 (prescription food which is very important for the liver because it's low in protein), but he just had to have surgery to remove bladder stones which his body is producing lots of because of his liver shunt...

So the vet switched him over to Hill's Prescription u/d canned to dissolve the ammonium urate stones/crystals, plus it's safe for his liver because it is also low in protein (none of the protein comes from animal b/c animal protein is too hard for his liver to process b/c of the shunt).

Anyway, in my opinion, lactulose is the most important medicine for Miko to take...It pushes the toxins out of the body. See, when protein is ingested, it turns to ammonia which is supposed to be processed in the liver...When there is a shunt, the ammonia is bypassing the liver, therefore ending up in the bloodstream, which can cause seizures, etc. That's why lactulose is so important, it pushes out the toxins more quickly.

Also, Miko takes Sam-E, which is the equivalent of Denosyl...It is also important because it is a supplement that helps the liver.

Here is a wonderful website for a great support group...Join the group, and look through the files section...You will gain a lot of knowledge by reading through the files...Another thing I am looking to start Miko on is Milk Thistle...It's supposed to be very beneficial to the liver....We'll see.

We'll be praying for your baby!! Keep us updated. If she does have a liver shunt, I'm praying that it's extrahepatic so that it can be fixed surgically. Hopefully it's nothing serious!!