I have a very sick 5 month old yorkie -
 

Can anyone help me with information?
I have a 5 month old toy yorkie - he was extremely active and a normal happy spoiled puppy until last monday - then he became lethargic and
falling down - i took him to ER and vet did glucose test (normal) and gave him wormer and sent him home (he does not have any worms) he got worse overnight so I too to regular vet on Tuesday - he did battery of tests and nothing was out of the ordinary - white cell count up just a bit - then he referred me to neurologist - he has been there since last wed.
he had MRI - showed brain infection - and a high liver count - about 40 - rather than normal 15 - for a liver shunt they say it should be about 100 - but he is having the liver test tomorrow - to see if it's a shunt - but he has no energy - he can't STAND - he acts like he has ALD - like a rag doll - he is eating, he is on steroids and ampicylin by IV - I am dying inside - I love my yorkie so much - I need him to get better -does anyone know what this can be? the doctors are all clueless.. help if you know anything

I am so sorry your baby is so sick. Sometimes when there Bile Acid results are under 100 it can be MVD, an internal shunt that can be managed with diet and meds. My Cali has that and was very sick the first 6 months I had her but her MVD is so mild she needs no treatment. I hope they can find out the cause and get your baby well again. I will say a prayer for him and you. Please keep us posted.

I am sorry to hear about your baby. I was wondering did he have any vaccinations prior to him getting sick and if so how long ago anad what did he have?

my very sick 5 month old puppy
 

thank you for your prompt reply - yes he has had all his vacinations on time. every single one needed. I made sure he was completely covered -
it's so heartbreaking - was your baby as sick as mine? tomorrow - they put a radioactive goo in his bum and then take pictures of it - to see if the liquid bypasses his liver -
but he is only 5 months - how can he possibly have a brain infection and a liver problem - he is an inside dog - no poisons near him, nothing on the floor - extremely clean envoriment. I'm just so clueless - i'm reaching for answers -

when was his last vaccination?

I am so sorry, please keep us posted ... I'll be praying for a good outcome for your baby's problems, and a speedy recovery. Hope this info helps:
Liver shunt is possible. Did he have any falls before he became unable to walk? Hypoplasia of dens is a non-formation of the pivot point of the second cervical vertebra, which leads to spinal cord damage. Onset of the condition may occur at any age, producing signs ranging from neck pain to quadriplegia.
Hydrocephalus, a neurological disease common among toy breeds like Yorkies. The disease causes excess fluid within the brain, and is seen in both younger and older dogs. Some fluid in the brain is normal, and in fact protects the brain. But with hydrocephalus, the excess fluid can cause the skull to bulge and lead to brain damage. The condition can be caused by infection, congenital defects, trauma or tumor. Symptoms vary according to the cause, but can include crying, difficulty walking, problems with sight and hearing, abnormal movements of the eyes, tilting or pressing the head, hyperexcitability or dullness, circling, coma and seizures. Diagnosis requires not only a physical exam, but possibly extensive testing as well. The veterinarian may want to perform an ultrasound, CT scan, blood work, radiographs and electroencephalogram. Treatment depends on the severity of the disease, but could include either medication or surgery. If the condition is untreated it usually results in death, and some animals may have symptoms too severe to be controlled by medical intervention. Other animals, however, respond well to medication or surgery and can remain stable for many years.

Have GME and other types of encephalitis been ruled out:
Granulomatous Meningoencephalitis

A 40 is quite low and although a shunt is possible, it isn't probable.
They are usually congenital in the Yorkie, so five-month-olds are often diagnosed with it.

my very sick 5 month old puppy
 

BTW - my baby's name is Oliver.

He finished his round of vacinations about 1 month ago -

he had the x-ray for the spine - spine is fine, no pinched nerves, etc. but thank you for the insight - I will give this info to vet tomorrow-
thank you for praying for us.

I'm so sorry to hear that your little guy is so sick.
I'm afraid I don't have any answers but what I can offer is prayers for your little guy.
Please keep us posted.

I just read your post and it made me feel so sad. I will be sending prayers for you and Oliver, he sounds very lucky to have you taking care of him. I hope you find out what is wrong soon so he can get to feeling better. Blessings to you both.

I have a little 2.2 lb girl that I rescued from the pound. I was told she had difficulty walking because of a problem w her back leg. She too was 5 mo old. When I took her to the vet she was unable to walk and was very weak. She presented with a head tilt and you could see a little white in her eyes. When she would attempt to move she would just go in circles. The neurologist thought it was hydrocephalus and would not progress very well. It has been 1.5 years later and she has gained a lot of strenghth and is doing well. She still can't walk but she is able to scoot all over. I did have her re-evaluated and it has been determined that she has cerebellar hypoxia which is similar to cerebellar palsy in humans. Apparently the part of the brain that controls coordination and muscle motor skills was underdeveloped and did not present a problem until the brain could no long meet the demands. I believe she always had some noticable issues but they went un noticed. She is happy, healthy and has a good quality of life. We love her and she knows it. The vet said she is not in any pain and can live a full life. They also mentioned that it could have been a brain infection but we won't know because it was done with by the time I got her.

my very sick 5 month old puppy
 

thank you all for your blessings and insight - I will forward all these suggestions to my neuroligist. please keep forwarding any other thoughts.

I am so sorry to hear about your baby:cry:!!! I am a new Yorkie owner myself and don't know much about them~but I can tell you that your on the right track with the YT website~there are alot of knowledgeable people on here that have helped me with my Tootsie!!! I will keep you and your baby in my prayers!!!

so sorry to hear about oliver.... i will keep him in my prays for him to get well soon...:(

PRAYERS comin' your way :)