Liver Shunt Yorie sick
 

Hi Everyone,
My Yorkie, Emma Angel, had surgery to repair her liver shunt on June 9th at Tufts University. She continued on Metronidazole for a month after surgery and has been off of it for a week now. Yesterday she started with bloody soft/ mucus/ very loose stools. It has since progressed to liquid consistency with blood and she is throwing up-----bile and the boiled rice I gave her last night. This morning she refused to eat the rice. She is throwing up bile and just had another horrible bloody/ liquid stool. My vet is not opened on Sunday so I am taking her back to Tufts shortly.

I have read here and on the Liver hunt support forum that many dogs who have the ls surgery begin or remain on lactulose. The surgeon said to keep Emma on the Metronidazole for only a month after surgery then wait another month for a blood draw to check the bile acid level. I admit I am concerned b/c I haven't heard from ANYONE who stopped meds a month after surgery. I am now more worried b/c Emma has not been sick one day when she was on the Metronidazole---and she was on it before the surgery.

Also, some of them feed their babes Hills L/D in the can. My girl is eating IAMS Low Residue kibble and has been on it since she became sick this winter. Tufts sid I should keep her on this kibble. However, no one else on this forum seems to be feeding their LS dogs this food.

Got to leave now----Emma is pooping blood again. Thanks for any advice.

DAB

OMG, Im glad you are taking her to the vet. You need to join the Yahoo support group for liver shunt and mvd. Please keep us updated.

Poor baby, I hope all goes well. Keep us updated.

Oh the poor little thing...postive thoughts being sent your way...

Please let us know how she makes out..

I am so sorry Emma is sick again. Please update us when you get back from Tufts.

Oh no. I am so glad you are on the way to the vets. Praying she will be fine.

Liver_Shunt_And_MVD_Support@yahoogroups.com

join this group asap they will help you

wish you went to dr tobias :(

Lola had surgery in March at University of TN. She has been on the lactulose since surgery but not the Metronidazole. She is also on the Hills LD and Royal Canine Hepatic 14 dry kibble. I would not think the food would cause her to have thaose problems so suddenly, but I'm certainly no vet. Since she was a patient at Tufts can you call them and ask? Please keep us posted! Good luck!!!

I just read about Emma Angel and be assured of my prayers for her.
Helen, Oliver's Mom

Do you mean the one iwth chicken?
Not sure why they would tell you to use that one but it is not a good choice for a dog who has had LS surgery.

Thanks to everyone for your prayers. Emma was seen at Tufts this afternoon. She was put on IV drip to rehydrate her and given some meds. She had blood tests done and an ultrasound as well.The ultrasound shows that the repaired shunt is intact. Everything looks OK. However, she is still bleeding out her rear end. They have not managed to stop it but have given her metronidazole. She was admitted and willl stay overnight. The ER resident does not believe she needs any surgery as the ultrasound results were good. He did say that the bleeding is not due to any primary problem related to the shunt but there may or then again may not be a secondary problem related to the shunt. They will tell when the blood work results are ready.

She will be at Tufts at least overnight as they try to stop the bleeding. They believe at this hour that the medication will work. Maybe she just ate something she should not have. She is like a little vaccuum cleaner! I need to watch her like a hawk but she is quick. I don't know what to think right now.

Tufts is world renowned for its veterinary care and their state of the art facilities. I could not go to Tennesse to see Dr. Tobias but my surgeon has a very high success rate with LS surgeries. I did join the yahoo liver shunt group----I am receving tons of random emails though--- but some of the information is useful. I will keep you posted. Please say a prayer for her everyone. I am crazy with worry.

DAB

I am so glad Emma is at Tufts and is being cared for. I will pray for her.

I asked this afternoon when I saw the ER doctor at Tufts-----IAMS LOW RESIDUE seems to be OK. I asked about the food, Metronidazole and even lactulose. I was told that usually the Hills LD is given if a dog can't have the surgery to repair the shunt or prior to surgery to help the dog. Lactulose generally is given to dogs who cannot be operated on. That doesn't mean that eventually Emma may have to be on other medication for a while longer. Of course she can't have the lactulose now b/c it does make stools soft/loose----she has liquid bloody stools-----mostly blood. They are trying to stop it---please see my other post. She will stay overnight at Tufts....maybe longer depending on what the blood work says. Ultrasound was done this afternoon and all looks well with the repaired shunt. I am expecting a call tomorrow morning or sooner should something drastic happens. Please pray for my Emma Angel. She just looked so confused when I left her in the hosoital. Kisses to Lola.

DAB

I am so, so sorry to hear about your sweet baby. It seems like these little ones have to go through so much. She is so very lucky to have you as her Mama! You get so much advice, and so many different opinions and although thankful for all of it - sometimes it's so confusing and I'm not ever really sure if I'm doing the right thing or not. I just have to say a little prayer and do my best. Sometimes it seems like we clear one hurdle just in time to jump another...I guess we just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other! My little male ate some leaves from my lantana plant in the backyard three days ago and had some mucusy blood in his stools and threw up a few times....he, too, will eat anything. I bet it was something like that Emma got in to. I hope you get some rest tonight - I just know she will come home tomorrow as good as new! Lola, Harley and I send lots of Yorkie kisses and prayers your way tonight. Please keep us posted! ~~~ Valerie

I am keeping Emma in my prayers. Thanks for updating.

Thank you so much! My head is spinning! I will keep you updated.

My prayers for Emma Angel...get well quick little girl...my thoughts are with you.

Thank you so much---kisses to your puppies and even to your angel in heaven.

I'm so sorry to hear that your little Emma Angel is sick.
It's so hard when one of our "babies" is sick.
I will certainly keep her in my prayers.:hands:

Thank you so much for praying for her.

Emma and you will continue to be in my prayers. I know that you are sick with worry. Try and get some rest. Emma is a lucky baby to have you for her mama with all the love and care you are giving her. Love from Oliver's Mom, Helen :animal-pa

How is Sweet Emma this morning? Let us know when you have a minute - I've been thinking of her all night! ~~~ Valerie

Checking for an update on Emma this morning.

Will keep Emma in my prayers!

How is Emma doing this morning? Manolo,Lola,Pablo and XuXa sending lots of HUGS...

HI everyone!

Tufts called and said Emma still has the diarrhea but no has no "visible" blood. The surgeon emailed me and said the shunt is fine and Emma's illness is not related to it. Her internist, Dr. Stone is now in charge of her case.Thank you to everyone for your prayers.

She may be having hemorhagic diarrhea because she is now off the Metronidazole and having a reaction. Her blood chemistries are fine as far as her 2 protein counts--globulin is perfect which means she is not losing anything through her intestinal tract. The other protein count--albium protein ( not sure of spelling) is just below normal.That protein is produced in the liver so because she just had the shunt surgery it is not surprising that it is a bit low.That protein helps to draw water to the vascular system and keeps the blood level and water in her system. They are now waiting for the rest of the blood work result to come back from the lab.

She may have to be kept on a low dose of metronidazole for a while even long term as another thought is that the anaerobic bacteria in her system may contain another bacteria which I can't remember now---begins with a "C" and produces a toxin that may have made Emma sick. Some dogs don't tolerate that bacteria well. It would be that the Metronidazole kept it in check.

Of course a conservative approach to treatment will most likely be the rule. If there are further problems, there could be other tests Emma would need to have. Again for now the thought is that she had a reaction to being taken off the medication or maybe she ingested something she should not have. I need to hear what the rest of her blood work results are.

Today Emma is being fed one teaspoon at a time of her IAMS Low Protein to see if she keeps it down---so far so good. They are supposed to phone with an update but I have asked them to keep her another night to be sure the diarrhea is under control. I will most likely be driving to Tufts shortly to see her during visiting hours. It is about an hour drive from my home to Tufts.

I remended the doctor who phoned today to be certain her eye drops are being administered every 2 to 3 hours. They are right on task with that I was told.

I will keep you posted. Thanks.
DAB

Another worry---I would be so blessed and appreciative if everyone who sees this post would keep my brand new grand nephew, born yesterday in Florida, in your prayers. He has some sort of respiratory distress----not good. He was born just a few weeks shy of his due date but now there is concern that he is premature---that the due date was miscalculated somehow. He is a full 6lbs 14 oz and 19.5 inches long. Not sure as all info has been given to me piecemeal----he may have aspirated amniotic fluid---again I am not sure. Pray he does not have pneumonia as a result of that. Don't know yet. Abundant thanks from my heart for all your prayers.

I will pray for your Emma and grand nephew to both have a speedy recovery and thrive with good heath.


Sending big hugs to all
:ghug::ghug::ghug:

Such good news about Emma. I am so glad to hear she is doing better! I know she will be home with you soon...

I will say prayers for your Grand Nephew - it is amazing what medical miracles occur each and every day.

~~~Valerie, "Lola & Harley"

Thank you! I visited Emma this evening at Tufts and she looks terrific! She will remain there until tomorrow (unless there is a problem) because they want to feed her a normal food portion instead of just the teaspoon of food at a time they have been giving her and then check her poop. She has not vomited but her stool this morning was still loose/diarrhea although not bloody.

I think Emma really gave them a scare-----she certainly gave my husband and me a scare----it was as though someone had turned on a faucet---it took a while to stop the blood flowing out from her rear end. I spoke to her internist and he said she will be out back on the metronidazole for a while----maybe even long term---the dose may be lowered. It will be a day by day watch to see if she improves. Hopefully, there will be no other gastrointestinal issues or there will have to be more tests. Her blood counts and chemistries are in the normal or near normal range. The BAT test will not be given for another couple of months---I will find out for sure tomorrow. The internist said it was too early to have the BAT now.

Tufts will phone tomorrow and I hope my little Emma Angel will be all set to return home.

Baby grandnephew---Chase Aaron---- in ICU. The next few days are crucial. Thank you for your prayers.

So glad to hear Emma is doing so much better! I wonder if there is a disadvantage in leaving her on the antibiotics (low dose) from now on....if not, I would wnat to do it! Poor baby, I tell you, it seems like there is always something. I'm glad that she may be coming home to you today.

My prayers are with Chase Aaron today!

Give Emma a gentle kiss on the head from all of us! ~~~ Valerie