|
Welcome to the YorkieTalk.com Forums Community - the community for Yorkshire Terriers. You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. You will be able to chat with over 35,000 YorkieTalk members, read over 2,000,000 posted discussions, and view more than 15,000 Yorkie photos in the YorkieTalk Photo Gallery after you register. We would love to have you as a member! Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today! If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please click here to contact us. |
|
| LinkBack | Thread Tools |
04-23-2013, 07:40 AM | #1 |
YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: N Bellmore
Posts: 4
| Hey Everyone!! My name is Michele and I'm new to this site, I have a little Yorkie, Coco, who was a rescue and we've been together for almost a year now. Coco will be 2 in June. She is a VERY loving pup, all she wants is to cuddle and give kisses. Not yappy or snappy!! I decided to join the site since recently I have been having issues with her and need some advice and opinions, even some support and you guys seem GREAT to eachother!!! I'll give you the 'long story short of it'! About 2 months ago, Coco and I moved. She stopped eating and I just attributed it to the move. Then when days would go by, I noticed she still wasn't eating and that freaked me out. I tried everything I could. Added broth to her food, water to soften, cheese to entice her, a teaspoon of wet in the dry (She was eating Blue, chicken for small breeds) when that failed, I tried giving her vegetables, she LOVES broccoli!! but then it was just her eating the veggies I was giving her (sweet potato, asparagus, carrots) So I added grilled plain chicken. She was doing well on this for a while and then stopped eating again. Which brings me to the now. She has been vomiting over the last 3 weeks a clear fluid with white foam in it. not all the time, but some days more then others. Her belly is swollen and she doesn't like it to be touched by anyone but mommy (she snaps at them)! and even sometimes with me she doesn't like it. We went to the vet; xrays, heartworm tests come back negative. She is on an antibiotic to fight, if any, bacteria. She also had bloodwork. The dr is concerned because of her symtoms she has a liver shunt. I don't know much about it or anyone who has been through this, so this leads me to you guys!! So please, any advice or experiences you can share will be GREATLY appreciated!!! xoxo Michele and Coco |
Welcome Guest! | |
04-23-2013, 08:18 AM | #2 |
♥ Maximo and Teddy Donating Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 25,041
| Welcome to Yorkie Talk. I'm sorry Coco and you are going through this. Did you discuss Coco's diet with your vet? Dogs require a delicate balance of nutrients and the chicken/veggies diet she has been eating most likely is unbalanced. When it comes to feeding homecooked meals, it is very important to work with a dog vet nutritionist. Many people here who homecook use a nutritional additive called "Balance It." Regarding the liver shunt, most people here would recommend working with a vet school on testing to confirm a diagnosis and determine if surgery is required. Other members here can recommend where to go depending on where you are located. Best wishes to Coco and you.
__________________ Kristin, Max and Teddy |
04-23-2013, 08:28 AM | #3 |
and Shelby's too Donating Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Millbrook, AL
Posts: 7,842
| If it were me, I would try to get her to a vet school. There are so many things that these symptoms could indicate. A vet school will have all the various different specialists that could look at Coco and diagnose. It really may be just something as simple as diet balance. The bloating of the stomach and sesitivity to touch concerns me the most. Has an ultra sound been done? That is also the best way to view a liver shunt (based on my readings) Welcome to YT! And I will keep Coco in my prayers. Hope you get a dx and get her feeling better soon!
__________________ Terri, proud mom to Mandie & Shelby-Dale |
04-23-2013, 08:37 AM | #4 |
YT Addict Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: miami, florida USA
Posts: 475
| Praying she feels better real soon
__________________ Happily owned by my lil lils |
04-23-2013, 08:43 AM | #5 |
YT 2000 Club Member | Just wanted to welcome you and Coco to YT. I have no advice except, give her a big hug from all of us! I hope she is feeling better soon!
__________________ Proud Mommy to Max, Teeka, Tatiana and forever in my heart Tameka! My sunshine doesn't come from the skies, it comes from my puppies eyes! |
04-23-2013, 08:48 AM | #6 |
YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: N Bellmore
Posts: 4
| Awe thank you guys!! I've been giving her nothing but LOVE!! Mandiesmom: No ultrasound yet. I was asking about one, they said they wanted to wait until bloodwork comes back, hopefully by today!! Maximo: as far as the food goes, vet told me as long as she eats a little something it's okay. So I'm not pushing until we know for sure whats wrong! But thanks for the heads up with "Balance it"!! I will mention that to the vet!! xoxo |
04-23-2013, 08:53 AM | #7 |
Donating YT 100K Club Member & Top YorkieTalk Poster! Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: western KY
Posts: 108,935
| Welcome to YT I hope your little one is better soon
__________________ Betty & Micah my love + Yogi |
04-23-2013, 08:59 AM | #8 |
Yorkie mom of 4 Donating YT Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: LaPlata, Md
Posts: 23,247
| I don't know anything about Liver shunt but just wanted to say welcome and I will keep your little one in my prayers.
__________________ Taylor My babies Joey, Penny ,Ollie & Dixie Callie Mae, you will forever be in my heart! |
04-23-2013, 09:05 AM | #9 | |
♥ Maximo and Teddy Donating Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 25,041
| Quote:
I don't have personal experience with liver shunt, but I think ultrasounds can be inconclusive. That is when scintography and possibly exploratory surgery come into play. There are many people here with experience and I'm sure they will post more info for you today. I agree that it is important for a dog to eat just about anything for the very short term, but an imbalanced diet can affect kidneys and liver. A specialized diet is often prescribed for dogs with liver problems. Sometimes when a Yorkie is suspected of having a shunt, it turns out to be MVD and requires a special diet and meds. I'll message some people who have been through this to explain it better.
__________________ Kristin, Max and Teddy Last edited by Maximo; 04-23-2013 at 09:10 AM. | |
04-23-2013, 09:16 AM | #10 |
YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: N Bellmore
Posts: 4
| Thank you so much!! I would really appreciate any help I can get!! It's only been a few weeks that she hasn't been eating dog food, so hopefully not long enough for any damage!!! Fingers crossed!! |
04-23-2013, 12:42 PM | #11 |
Donating YT Addict Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Oakland County MI
Posts: 6,190
| welcome to Yorkie Talk as an FYI normally with Liver Shunt bloodwork will show problems with the liver and Kidney, if that is the case often an Acid Bile Test will be recommended, and results from that will help determine if that is the case and how severe. The sure cure is surgery which many have had here with good results, for mild cases sometimes you can control it with diet and medicine. Let us know what the blood results show. After the blood info comes in, and if LS is a possibility, start searching on YT for Liver Shunt and a lot of the threads discussing it will come up. Are you from N Bellmore in NY, if so I grew up right next store to you, in East Meadow welcome to Yorkie Talk
__________________ Lola my amazing little yorkie-pom Donna |
04-23-2013, 01:18 PM | #12 |
Resident Yorkie Nut Donating YT 20K Club Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas
Posts: 27,450
| First of all, may I recommend that you put her on HW preventatives if you have not already. The fact the vet thought she might have them concerns me....she does not need that to top things off. Heartworms and/or the treatment for them is devastating to dogs not to mention very expensive. HW preventatives are just a few dollars/month. As for a possible liver shunt, what tests has the vet done that lead him to think there is a shunt? What further tests is he planning? As for diet: As others have suggested, it is extremely important to have a balanced diet. Good luck and please let us know what is going on.
__________________ Last edited by ladyjane; 04-23-2013 at 01:19 PM. |
04-23-2013, 01:56 PM | #13 | |
Donating YT Addict Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Oakland County MI
Posts: 6,190
| Quote:
__________________ Lola my amazing little yorkie-pom Donna Last edited by DBlain; 04-23-2013 at 01:57 PM. | |
04-23-2013, 04:28 PM | #14 | |
Resident Yorkie Nut Donating YT 20K Club Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas
Posts: 27,450
| Quote:
Yes, bloodwork is one of the first things done, but not a HW test.
__________________ | |
Bookmarks |
|
|
Thread Tools | |
| |
|
|
SHOP NOW: Amazon :: eBay :: Buy.com :: Newegg :: PetStore :: Petco :: PetSmart