Liver Problems in Yorkies - Page 2 - YorkieTalk.com Forums

Izzy Princess · 09-08-2007, 10:22 AM

Yorkieluv thank you very much for explaining liver shunt symptoms. I had a male Yorkie in the 80s who was only 8 years old who died of servere kidney issues (stone blockage) but the vet never mentioned liver shunt so I wonder now after all these years if that's what my little JT had. It was very sad - they even took some of his stone that he passed and sent them to the OSU vet school since this vet never saw a stone like he passed. I forgot after all these years what they called it but it was very rare - the stones instead of being smooth which is painful enough they were spiny which I can only imagine the pain when passing.

Thanks again.

Yorkieluv · 09-08-2007, 10:37 AM

Oh gosh, I'm so sorry to hear that...It may very well be what happened to your precious baby...That's basically part of the way that we found out Miko had liver problems...He had stones blocking the urine from being able to come out. The vet did bladder stone surgery to remove the stones and found out that the big ones were ammonium urate which is usually only found in either Dalmations or dogs with portosystemic shunting...They also saw crystals that were jagged...

Izzy Princess · 09-08-2007, 11:12 AM

That's exactly what happened to JT - he went through stone issues 2x and then the last time there was so much blood passed that it just wasn't right and he could hardly move, eat, etc. we knew what we had to do but it was so rough. Because of that I haven't had a Yorkie in my life until just this past May with Izzy. It was harder on me to get over it, but all is good now! I still get sad when I think of him but Izzy takes that all away.

Again - back in the early 80s I don't think they used that term liver shunt like they do now.

Yorkieluv · 09-08-2007, 11:30 AM

Back then, vets did not check for this as often as they do now and owners were told to put them down because the dog was "suffering"...It's very sad, and even to this day some vets are still recommending that pups who have it be put to sleep instead of doing the research that it takes to find out what the dog has and do what it takes to fix it.
I'm so sorry that your furbaby had to cross over the bridge

I know how hard it is to make that decision...In 2004 right before my wedding, my furbaby that I had at the time had to be put down because he had congenital disease that was paralyzing his body and causing him extreme pain. I was a basket case...they told me that in his particular case, surgery wasn't an option

blondflava · 09-18-2007, 07:10 AM

Pepper had his bloodwork done before neuter and his kidneys and liver are working perfectly fine.

Yorkieluv · 09-18-2007, 07:15 AM

Routine bloodwork will not show a problem in the liver until the liver is 70% damaged, that's why it's so important to request a bile acid test which is especially sensitive to liver function

drawlins27 · 09-18-2007, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yorkieluv

Routine bloodwork will not show a problem in the liver until the liver is 70% damaged, that's why it's so important to request a bile acid test which is especially sensitive to liver function

Never rely on just the bloodwork. Lily's bloodwork was perfect but I pushed for the bile acid test even though the vet didn't think it was necessary. Her post was over 100 and it turned out she had MVD.

stedmansmommy · 09-20-2007, 10:34 AM

None at all, thank goodness!

View Poll Results: Do your Yorkies have liver problems?
Yes, an extrahepatic shunt	0	0%
Yes, an intrahepatic shunt	0	0%
Yes, MVD and/or HMD	3	6.25%
Yes, a disease not listed here (please explain in forum)	1	2.08%
I don't know. They have never been tested	13	27.08%
No, none at all	33	68.75%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 48. You may not vote on this poll

09-08-2007, 10:22 AM	#16
Izzy Princess Therapy Dog Donating Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 5,635 Blog Entries: 1	Yorkieluv thank you very much for explaining liver shunt symptoms. I had a male Yorkie in the 80s who was only 8 years old who died of servere kidney issues (stone blockage) but the vet never mentioned liver shunt so I wonder now after all these years if that's what my little JT had. It was very sad - they even took some of his stone that he passed and sent them to the OSU vet school since this vet never saw a stone like he passed. I forgot after all these years what they called it but it was very rare - the stones instead of being smooth which is painful enough they were spiny which I can only imagine the pain when passing. Thanks again. __________________ Cynd, Izzy (Yorkie) & Cosmo (Biewer)(Secwetary & Charter Membwer of the Dirty FurKids Cwub)-Jusz say NO ta bein' cwean!)proud member of the *CrAzYcLu*B! ~The PINK club~SRC

09-08-2007, 10:37 AM	#17
Yorkieluv Donating YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: USA Posts: 7,178	Oh gosh, I'm so sorry to hear that...It may very well be what happened to your precious baby...That's basically part of the way that we found out Miko had liver problems...He had stones blocking the urine from being able to come out. The vet did bladder stone surgery to remove the stones and found out that the big ones were ammonium urate which is usually only found in either Dalmations or dogs with portosystemic shunting...They also saw crystals that were jagged... __________________ Miko 's his Mommy

09-08-2007, 11:12 AM	#18
Izzy Princess Therapy Dog Donating Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 5,635 Blog Entries: 1	That's exactly what happened to JT - he went through stone issues 2x and then the last time there was so much blood passed that it just wasn't right and he could hardly move, eat, etc. we knew what we had to do but it was so rough. Because of that I haven't had a Yorkie in my life until just this past May with Izzy. It was harder on me to get over it, but all is good now! I still get sad when I think of him but Izzy takes that all away. Again - back in the early 80s I don't think they used that term liver shunt like they do now. __________________ Cynd, Izzy (Yorkie) & Cosmo (Biewer)(Secwetary & Charter Membwer of the Dirty FurKids Cwub)-Jusz say NO ta bein' cwean!)proud member of the *CrAzYcLu*B! ~The PINK club~SRC

09-08-2007, 11:30 AM	#19
Yorkieluv Donating YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: USA Posts: 7,178	Back then, vets did not check for this as often as they do now and owners were told to put them down because the dog was "suffering"...It's very sad, and even to this day some vets are still recommending that pups who have it be put to sleep instead of doing the research that it takes to find out what the dog has and do what it takes to fix it. I'm so sorry that your furbaby had to cross over the bridge I know how hard it is to make that decision...In 2004 right before my wedding, my furbaby that I had at the time had to be put down because he had congenital disease that was paralyzing his body and causing him extreme pain. I was a basket case...they told me that in his particular case, surgery wasn't an option __________________ Miko 's his Mommy

09-18-2007, 07:10 AM	#20
blondflava Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Kearny, NJ Posts: 1,183	Pepper had his bloodwork done before neuter and his kidneys and liver are working perfectly fine. __________________ Izabela ... and Pepper Rest in peace, Kora, you're always in my

09-18-2007, 07:15 AM	#21
Yorkieluv Donating YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: USA Posts: 7,178	Routine bloodwork will not show a problem in the liver until the liver is 70% damaged, that's why it's so important to request a bile acid test which is especially sensitive to liver function __________________ Miko 's his Mommy

09-20-2007, 10:34 AM	#23
stedmansmommy I Love My Lil' Punkin's Donating Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Stedman and Tatum's World :) Posts: 15,331 Blog Entries: 5	None at all, thank goodness! __________________ Mommy Loves Stedman and Tatum! They have us wrapped around their little paws!