Mia's blood test was positive for liver abnormalities. I had posted a thread earlier about my concerns with Mia not gaining weight. At 8 months she is less than 3 lbs. I know that does not seem that small, but she just seemed to thin to me. Backbone is very visible when she is wet and her ribs just seemed to stick out more than I thought they should. Also, anytime she ate anything other than her dry kibble, she would throw up. Treats, human food of any kind, even greenies, it all made her sick. After posting my earlier thread and getting some advice from you guys, I did take her into the vet for blood work today. My worst fears where true, her liver showed some abnormalities and they want her back in the morning for acid bile test. I had fasted her last night in hopes they would do the acid bile today, but they convinced me to do the blood panel first. (it would be nice if the vet would realize that we do know what we are talking about sometimes!!) She has started thowing up again tonight, and now she is supposed to be fasting. Should I give her pedialite anyway or what? I am so worried and confused. Needless to say, I am scared to death that it is going to be liver shunt. If anyone has had any experience in this area, please give me some advice. I will update after her test tomorow. |
I haven't had any experience in this area but I'm sorry to hear about your baby I hope things will get better for her. keep us updated on how things go with her. :) |
So Sorry Kim, I am so sorry about your baby. I cannot help you except I hate it when I hear the word vomiting!!! Please read my post in this section regarding pancreatitis. You are in my thoughts and prayers. PLEASE update us as soon as you can. I am sure the post is still here. God Bless You and Yours Chlois |
Kim, I'm sorry to hear that she is sick. This may help you a great deal. I have no experience with it, but I've read most of the articles on this site, because they seem to be very good. Good luck. Don't give up yet. It may not be as bad as you are thinking. The symptoms of portacaval liver shunt can start to appear at almost any age. Dogs with a liver shunt are usually very thin dogs who pick at food. They not only have a poor appetite but they can become lethargic, dizzy, and stagger. They may try to climb out of their pen, climb higher on you and cry and throw their head far back after eating, and they may go into convulsions. This is not a new disease but one which is coming to the attention of all Yorkshire Terrier breeders and other toy breeders in the 80's and 90's and many breeders feel that it is an inherited disease and that the only way to eliminate that disease is to cull those dogs who are affected and producing this disease from their breeding program. This disease usually goes hand in hand with a kidney disorder and it seems that a special diet can sometimes keep it under control with some dogs for a time. Surgery sometimes works depending on where the "shunt" is. What happens is that the blood by-passes the liver and goes directly to the heart and therefore the liver shrivels up, becomes filled with infection and the dog convulses. These dogs so affected are unable to cope with barbiturates. We accidentally found this out in '86 when I dosed my dogs with Ace Promazine for travel sickness and one "sickly" girl puppy slept as though she died. She did come around the next day. Later we associated this with her condition when she convulsed and died at 12 weeks. An autopsy revealed an infected and shriveled up liver, the result of a liver shunt. The Yorkshire Terrier Foundation is in the process of trying to clinically prove that this is an inherited disease, but I have proven to myself that it is because of my own test breeding and eliminating those dogs involved which thereby ended my problems now for many years. There's always the possibility that this is the first time it happened to a breeder. Hey, there was a first time for me too!! It's not SHAME ON YOU for having the problem, but it is SHAME ON YOU if you, as a breeder, don't take steps to see that it doesn't happen again. If your dog shows any of these symptoms, the blood tests alone and the bile acid tests are INCONCLUSIVE. If the dog dies, have your veterinarian do a simple autopsy to examine the liver. Do not just put the dog to sleep because the blood test has an elevated white count and the veterinarian THINKS it may be the liver disease. Unless the dog is extremely debilitated, it may not be the liver disease and you will have put him/her down for no reason. There are various specialists who *know* how to recognize the disease so that you are certain that you are getting an accurate prognosis. We will add more connections for information on liver shunt as it becomes available. In the Dallas Ft Worth, Texas area: Dallas Veterinary Surgical Center. Dr. Robert D. Barstad Phone: 972-235-2096 Fax: 972-680-0859 He is one of only two in the state of Texas that does this surgery and is reported to have a 95% success rate. Cornell University - Ithaca, New York Phone: 607-255-2000 Dr. Susan Center at Cornell has been quite helpful with liver shunt pups. She has at times done surgery free and spayed/neutered, and rehoused donated pups. Her email address is sac6@cornell.edu. She is quite knowledgeable, has kept some in her home, and is currently studying diet along with surgical repairs. http://www.shooterdog.com/alexfaq3.htm#LS |
I'm sorry I have no help for you, but I really want to offer you my condolences about this. I know how hard it is when babies are sick, and it's bad on both them and you. I hope everything goes well tomorrow and please let us know. As far as the dehydration question, I would call your vet and see if you can get ahold of either them or someone who they recommend. Tell them what the situation is and see if they can give you any advice. Our family will be thinking about you. |
Kim, Im so sory that Mia tested positive for liver abnormalities. I dont know much about it but I found some info regarding liver shunts that can be helpful. I will have Mia in my prayers. I will pray that whatever she has is treatable. Please keep us posted. More info on Liver shunts: http://www.vetinfo4dogs.com/dshunt.h...%20-%20Yorkies http://www.malteseonly.com/table1.html |
So sorry to hear about Mia. I will say a prayer for you & Mia. |
Thank you all. You are all so kind. YorkieUSA, thank you so much for your helpful info., Dallas is only about 5 hours from me, so if liver shunt is the dignosis we get tomorow I will defently be following up with your advice. The syptoms of being thin and being a picky eater are true for Mia. If it were not for my other 2 yorkies, I don't think she would eat at all. She just eats because they do. When they are not around, she just sniffs the food and lays down by her bowl, but want eat. I have found that if she eats more than a very tiny amount at one serving, she will most defently throw it all up about an hour later. The strangest thing to me is that other than the times when she is sick an her symtoms that I have mentioned, she seems normal. She runs and plays and seems happy and pain free. Then, out of the blue, she will be sick again. I must say, were it not for this forum, I may have never caught these symptoms so early because it was not until I started reading the threads here that I had ever even heard of a liver shunt. Thanks to all of you again. |
Kim, I am so sorry poor Mia is sick tonight. I would call the vet about water/food tonight to make sure she's okay. I hope everything turns out okay. Your family and Mia are in my prayers tonight. |
I'm so sorry to hear about Mia's test results and I will be hoping and praying that it is not liver shunt! I don't have any advice for you, but wanted to say I'm thinking of you and Mia! |
I'm sorry to hear about Mia. I hope she feels better and you do, too. |
Oh, Kim, I am so sorry to hear about what you and your baby are going thru. How long did the vet tell you to fast her for? . ""Do not just put the dog to sleep because the blood test has an elevated white count and the veterinarian THINKS it may be the liver disease"" I am not sure what this means because elevated white count means an infection. The bile acid salts are different. I so hope that the results of the blood panel are just a fluke.. My prayers are with you. Please post as soon as you know something.. |
That is horrible. Hopefully the vet will find out that it really isn't as bad as it seems through testing. You both are in my thoughts and prayers. |
I am praying for you and Mia tonight. |
Best wishes to you and Mia...Our thoughts and prayers will be with you both. |
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