One year old with a failing liver?!
 

Lexie recently went to the vet for her yearly check up and got a full major lab panel and a CBC work-up. On her blood panel it showed that her liver wasn't doing to good. On a number scale it was a 2 with 4 being liver disease. The vet advised me that nothing was wrong and not to worry about it just yet. I ended up rushing Lexie to the vet on Thursday morning because she threw up bile with little clots of blood in it. The vet rechecked the blood panel and found her liver had gotten worse in the matter of a week. I am going back on Friday to get it looked at again.

Ever since she threw up blood, I noticed that Lexie isn't eating. She hardly drinks and is very lethargic compared to her old crazy self. She will be two in September, so being so young I hold out hope that everything will get better with rest and TLC. I got her to eat a VERY small amount of soft dog food today, which is a GREAT start!! Per the vet, I bought her Natural Balance soft dog food because it doesn't contain copper, which is hard on the liver.

Has anyone else gone through this? What should I expect? Is there something special I can do to get her appetite going?

I've tried boiled beef and rice, hot dogs, string cheese, ANYTHING!! She just won't eat.

The vet, my boyfriend, and I decided that if her labs were worse on Friday we were going to put her down since she seems to be suffering so much. She doesn't eat, play, bark, or any of her usual past times. I can't even get her to go on a walk, she gets to tired.

I'm just worried sick with anticipation for Friday. Keep us in your prayers!!

you are feeding high protein things which will make her more sick - you need to join the liver shunt groups on yahoogroups.com asap and you need to contact dr jean dodds and do her liver cleansing diet asap at Animal Blood Bank and Restore Health Cente - you can email her the blood work hemopet@hotmail.com tell her debbie and dee dee referred you dwert35@aol.com - time is of the essence on this. Some things to try to feed are watermelon, egg whites, lowfat cottage cheese, cod, tilapia, lowfat stoneyfield yogurt. She needs lowfat diet - the yahoogroup will help you a ton to get her to eat. Some liver support is sam-e and milk thistle which combined is denomarin by vet. Did your vet recommend any of this if not get to an internal medicine specialist as they specialize in internal organs -- ask them if they know of dr centers or dr tobias if they do you are in good hands. Have you ever had bile acids, protein c done on your dog? It could be a shunt and many vets have no clue about liver shunt and a yorkie is 35 times more likely to have a liver shunt - if you feed high protein diet it will build up in system and they will get sick like your dog is so NO BEEF, NO HOT DOGS- What is protein count in food you fed prior? If they feel sick from food they will not eat it as it does not make them feel well is the problem. Does your puppy have seizures, head press on walls, act spaced out after eating, picky eater, vomit - these are all signs of liver shunt

the liver can rejuvenate itself it is a very forgiving organ so your baby can be fine but you need to get to the bottom of it quick

Liver_Shunt_And_MVD_Support@yahoogroups.com

What type of liver issue did your vet say she had? And was the vet talking about her ALT levels? I have never heard of that number scale before... is it jsut a guide that your vet uses?

Two of my dogs have liver issues (MVD) and are on special diets and supplements and they are doing really well on their special diets and supplements....

If she does have a liver shunt or liver issues foods high in protein are the worse....

Before you consider putting her down please find out more info about what is wrong with her liver and whether is can be corrected...there is a good rescue in your area Retro Dog (I think) that would take her if you are not able to afford the expense.... they take in many dogs with liver issues and get them the help they need....

I just saw you are in michigan are you close to michigan state university as they have an excellent vet school hospital and my friend on liver shunt group sheree who has gabby and harley will help you she had her gabby liver shunt surgery there

I am sorry your baby is so sick. 2 years ago my pom was on medicine for her Cushing's disease and it put her in to liver failure, she was 10 years old. So the vet took her off the cushing's medicine and put her on liver medicine. Within 6 months her liver values were back to normal and she didn't have any further liver problems. Please try some medicine's before making any decisions. You may need to have her seen by a specialist. I will keep her in my prayers.

Honey...hold on a minute, please do not think about PTS yet...

First Liver Disease doesn't mean a death sentence. There are plenty of us here with pups/dogs dealing with liver issues.

Proper diet, liver medicine and liver aiding supplements are available and DO work.

She is feeling sick and not wanting to eat, because those food you have listed are making her feel sick.

#1 = NO MEAT ~ NO ORGAN MEAT

Natural Balance makes a Veggie formula, that is one option. OR at the Vet L/D wet is good to use, some ppl bake the L/D wet and their dogs seem to like it, OR from the Vet Royal Canin HP16 dry food. These are really the best route.

Watermelon and apple pieces (no skin) are ok too for snacks.

To jump start her you can force sryinge some Childrens Vanilla Pedisure.

I agree with the above postings and you should head for U of Michigan ASAP ~ I know a ton of people that had success there, they are VERY good :thumbup:

Great advise for you. Hope it all works out and I think it will.

Liver Shunt

Testing

Dr. Tobias

Liver Shunt Research & Doctors

some info above

So the vet thinks her liver is failing and he/she isn't keeping her for treatment?:eek:

I have no idea if it is a shunt or what but the symptoms kind of say poisoning to me.

Is she on Denosyl, fluids, etc.?

Please take her to an internist immediately (MSU and Oakland Referral take emergencies) and consider getting a new regular vet because it doesn't sound like this one is much help. :(

I agree 100%

I am so sorry your little one is so sick.
PLEASE!!! Take the advise the others have given you and get her to a specialist ASAP. The sooner they figure this out, the sooner the treatment can get started. Please take the advise given in these posts! Please keep us posted.
I will keep her in my prayers.

Please, please, please don't put your baby to sleep. There are MANY, MANY things to try before doing that. If you don't feel up to it, there are rescue groups that have experience in this sort of thing. I know that it can be overwhelming and expensive, but there are people out there that can help! Good luck.

Update!
 

Thank you to everybody who responded!!

We went to the vet on Friday, and after I changed her dog food to a food without copper and I put her on a liver detox supplement (all from the pet supply store), her ALT score is down to 127.

Yes, the scale system used was just for my vet. I guess what they do is take the first digit and use it. For instance, since Lexie's ALT score was 127 they would say that it was 1.27. Her first score was 296, 6 days later it was 397, and then after the food change and detox it was 127 so it really helped!!

She is gaining weight safely again, and she is eating!! YAY! She hasn't thrown up blood and the vet will be monitoring her very closely.

Thank you all for the help and good wishes!! :D

I'm so happy to hear that your sweet baby is responding to what you are doing. These little Yorkies are so fragile at times.....sometimes you have to just keep trying until you figure out what works! You should feel really great about what you've done. What a lucky girl to have such a smart Mama - give your baby belly rubs and hugs from all of us ~~~~ Valerie, "Lola & Harley"

So happy to hear that your little one is doing better. Please keep us posted on her progress. You are a great yorkie mom, she is lucky to have you!:D