My 11 week old puppy has a liver shunt :( - Page 9 - YorkieTalk.com Forums

KYCeeCee · 10-08-2009, 04:08 PM

Hoping Ginger is doing well.

TOY · 10-08-2009, 04:17 PM

Okay, Robin. I've tried to be patient all day and have even stayed away from the laptop on purpose!

Ginger and you have been on my mind all day though.

Update, please!

Robin Lodal · 10-08-2009, 05:51 PM

Sorry it has taken me all day to update. We ended up spending the whole day in Knoxville shopping and just trying to stay busy. Thank you all for your prayers! It really means a lot to have your support.

We had our appt this AM and it went really well. The student's name is Terry and the doctor's name is Dr. Mark Bihling. They decided not to redo the scintigraphy and to just go ahead with the surgery tomorrow morning (so Ginger is first up on the docket!). They will also be spaying her and removing a dew claw.

I had never heard this before but Dr. Bihling said that if after the surgery, if Ginger's BAT come back normal (months later) that she will no longer have to be on any meds or any protein restrictions but that she will be just like any other dog. Anyone else in this situation or heard of this? Obviously, that would be the best case scenario but I didn't know that was even a possibility! I just figured that no matter what, she would be on a restrictive diet and meds her whole life. So I was pleased to hear this.

ALSO, this is VERY interesting... Dr. Bihling said that you can cut the Denamarin into 1/2s or 1/4s and put them in cheese or a pill pocket to get your dog to eat them. I asked about the coating and that I heard that you are not to crush or cut them up and he said that "rules are made to be broken" lol But he said he was pretty sure that it would not be an issue but that he would double check just to make sure..." I am sure this is good news for several of you all. He is double checking so I will let you know what the final verdict is.

So all in all, Ginger is having a wonderful time milking all the attention she is getting (apparently, she is a "hit" with the students and is quite a diva!)

haha It makes me happy that they are giving her kisses and belly rubs (which she LOVES) and that she is not alone and scared.

So surgery is tomorrow AM, I will get a call from Terry around 8am to get an update on how she did tonight and then again around 12pm to find out how she did in surgery. If all goes as planned, she will get to come home on Saturday morning.

YAY

KaylaB · 10-08-2009, 06:09 PM

Robin,
I will definitely be praying for Ginger. I hope that all goes well. Hopefully, you can get some sleep tonight.

Lisa and Pic · 10-09-2009, 02:36 AM

Sending lots of love and good thoughts for Ginger this morning....

BonBon · 10-09-2009, 04:22 AM

Sending love and prayers, too. I can't wait to see an update on her. It sounds like she's in a wonderful place and being well taken care of. {hugs}

Robin Lodal · 10-09-2009, 05:12 AM

Dr. Bohling was VERY down to earth in our meeting and I feel comfortable with him being the lead surgeon (I had not heard of him and I was leary at first but then I was put at ease after our consultation). He was able to use the right words to illustrate pretty much every question I had...it was great AND very laid back. He also said that we should not approach the surgery with fear but with concern.... and I liked that.

I got my 8am phone call update. Terry said that she did great throughout the night and that the anesthesiologist took her back at 8am and so I imagine that she is in surgery as I type this message (big sigh).

I will be keeping busy this morning. My MIL is very involved with a food pantry so we are going to be working that until noon so we are about to leave to do that. That will definitely keep me busy and hopefully my mind off of everything.

Thank you for your prayers! It means so much. No matter what happens, God is in control and I trust Him.

TOY · 10-09-2009, 06:18 AM

Sending big hugs, prayers and thoughts your way. I can't wait to hear how Miss Ginger is doing after the surgery. (Well, I'll be glad to hear that you're okay, too...LOL I'm so glad you have something to keep you busy during that time...that you're doing something so unselfishly for others is just icing on the cake. You are one-of-a-kind and I'm so proud to have such a sweet and compassionate friend!)

Blessings, today, Robin.

Robin Lodal · 10-09-2009, 05:49 PM

Ok, sorry it has taken me all day to get back on here and update.

Ok... so I got a call around 1pm from Dr. Bohling and he said that the surgery went well and that she was in recovery. She did really well. The only thing is... there is no shunt! ??!!! I am totally scratching my head on this one b/c her post bile acids were 129 and they had done a scintigraphy... so I don't know. He said they were pretty extensive in their search and they ended up doing a portogram and talked with radiology (and a few other things I didn't understand) but they are positive there is no shunt and that its just MVD. He said she did not really show any major signs of fibrosis and that her liver looked like it was in pretty good condition and that he has seen a lot worse. So they ended up doing all that, spaying her and removing a dew claw.

I mentioned that I had never heard of a dog having a post bile acid number with having above a 100 w/o having a shunt and he said that the bile acids is not always an indication of a shunt or MVD. He said that he has seen dogs with really high bile acids w/o a shunt and then a dog with a post bile acid of 30 and have a very large shunt.

I am kind of disappointed b/c at least with a shunt he could've repaired it and I was hopeful for a med-free life for her but that just isn't the case.

As for the Vetri Liver Chews, the nutritionist had not seen them before but took a look at them and said that they would be sufficient to use in place of Denamarin or the Denosyl. They said its essentially the same exact thing and that as long as the dog is willing to eat them then we can use those. They could not definitively say they are "better" or "worse" but that they would be "sufficient"... so yeah!

I am SO pleased to hear this.

Also, I know that Ginger will always need to be on meds (the liver chews and lactulose) and a diet but will it always need to be LOW protein like the RC kibble or can it be NB Veg (I think it has low protein as well but not as low as RC)? I was just curious.

Anyway, I plan on picking her up tomorrow as long as she is eating and doing well. There is a UT game tomorrow (oh brother) and so I am going to try my best to avoid all of that traffic. :P

Thank you all so much for your support!

Robin & Ginger

TOY · 10-09-2009, 07:31 PM

LOL on the "oh brother" but for different reasons! Our celebrations for UT victories have been little and none...LOL (By the way, I think they play Georgia tomorrow which means a big crowd from out-of-state, too, plus a good chance we'll lose this one, too.)

But on to the news about Ginger...

The only answer I have for mysteries like the "disappearance" of Ginger's shunt is simply prayers answered. Can't think of any other reason it was there and then not there!

Hooray! I am rejoicing that Miss Ginger is shunt free.

Safe travels for you and Ginger back home to KY.

Mom to Hot Rod · 10-09-2009, 09:03 PM

Robin, that is great news that that there is no shunt. Sounds like with some diet restrictions she will be a normal healthy baby.

I am so glad that all is turning out so well for you and Ginger. Have a safe trip home and give that little one lots of big hugs and kisses! She's ready to come home and be a puppy.

TOY · 10-10-2009, 04:49 PM

Woo Hoo...UT Vols won today!

Now that I've recovered from that shock, Robin...

How is Ginger? Did she get to come home? How is she feeling?

Girl, we need an update...about 7 hours ago..LOL

Seriously, you don't have to take time to write much but do let us know if all is well and Ginger is home again.

Robin Lodal · 10-10-2009, 06:05 PM

Ginger and I are finally home. Shew, its so nice to finally be home (we have been gone all week).

I hope I can remember everything b/c I am tired. This may be scatter brained! lol

Got lost in Knoxville b/c there were so many stupid detours b/c of the UT game but I eventually found some tiny side streets to get me to the hospital.

Ginger is doing well and she weighs 2.6lb. Her incision just makes me so sad. Poor thing.

But she is doing really well and I just can't keep her calm and still b/c she wants to run around with the rest of the babies here at home! lol

She is wearing her softee collar from Bo (see pictures). SO adorable!

She is on some pain meds for the next few days, antibiotics for the next few weeks and we are also going to try to wean her off of the Lactulose in a month or so.

As for the Vetri Soft Liver Chews, she is definitely using those instead of the
Denamarin. They said that Denamarin and Denosyl have not been 100% proven to help with liver compromised babies so I am not making a huge gamble if I switch over to the chews (b/c they are basically the same thing). I was told to give her either 1/8 or 1/16 of a chew b/c of her size.

As for splitting Denamarin or Denosyl. You CAN split them. The reason they say NOT to split them is b/c the active ingredient in them is affected by moisture (which is in the air) and so they just say to not split them. However, if you split them and then feed it to your baby immediately, then you are fine. They just put that on there also b/c some people will split their
pills all at once and then just give them as needed (which is a "no no" for these pills and why they are in blister packets instead of just in a pill bottle. So you CAN split them whenever you give them to your baby (in halves or fourths or whatever). All of this information came from the UT pharmacy.

I went ahead and got some more RC kibble ($18 for 6lbs WOOHOO) and canned LD ($2 a can WOOHOO) to stock up!

Well I am exhausted... and I will attach some pictures for you
all.

Robin & Ginger

1st/2nd picture is of Ginger and the med student, Terry
3rd/4th picture is in the car getting ready to head home

Robin Lodal · 10-10-2009, 06:06 PM

More pictures of after we got home.

mypreciouspups · 10-10-2009, 07:13 PM

I have been checking in.. Now I need to post.

. Ginger has done so well with your love and care.. I had not seen a surgery scare like this..

wow it is huge.
I will keep looking for update's on how she is doing..I am so happy for you that all has turned out so well.. give her smooches from me. I enjoyed each and every video.
Bo does a nice job on her collars. I have one also.

10-08-2009, 05:51 PM	#123
Robin Lodal ♥ Love My Furbabies ♥ Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: East of the Mississippi River! ;) Posts: 2,183	Update! Sorry it has taken me all day to update. We ended up spending the whole day in Knoxville shopping and just trying to stay busy. Thank you all for your prayers! It really means a lot to have your support. We had our appt this AM and it went really well. The student's name is Terry and the doctor's name is Dr. Mark Bihling. They decided not to redo the scintigraphy and to just go ahead with the surgery tomorrow morning (so Ginger is first up on the docket!). They will also be spaying her and removing a dew claw. I had never heard this before but Dr. Bihling said that if after the surgery, if Ginger's BAT come back normal (months later) that she will no longer have to be on any meds or any protein restrictions but that she will be just like any other dog. Anyone else in this situation or heard of this? Obviously, that would be the best case scenario but I didn't know that was even a possibility! I just figured that no matter what, she would be on a restrictive diet and meds her whole life. So I was pleased to hear this. ALSO, this is VERY interesting... Dr. Bihling said that you can cut the Denamarin into 1/2s or 1/4s and put them in cheese or a pill pocket to get your dog to eat them. I asked about the coating and that I heard that you are not to crush or cut them up and he said that "rules are made to be broken" lol But he said he was pretty sure that it would not be an issue but that he would double check just to make sure..." I am sure this is good news for several of you all. He is double checking so I will let you know what the final verdict is. So all in all, Ginger is having a wonderful time milking all the attention she is getting (apparently, she is a "hit" with the students and is quite a diva!) haha It makes me happy that they are giving her kisses and belly rubs (which she LOVES) and that she is not alone and scared. So surgery is tomorrow AM, I will get a call from Terry around 8am to get an update on how she did tonight and then again around 12pm to find out how she did in surgery. If all goes as planned, she will get to come home on Saturday morning. YAY __________________ ~ Robin ,Max, Molly, Dozer& kitties, Toby & Lucy RIP - Ginger, Abby, Conway, &Simon

10-09-2009, 02:36 AM	#125
Lisa and Pic ♥ Piccolo & Vivi ♥ Donating Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Kentucky Posts: 14,311	Sending lots of love and good thoughts for Ginger this morning.... __________________ Lisa, Dixie, and Jazzy (RIP Piccolo and Vivi)

10-09-2009, 04:22 AM	#126
BonBon Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: With my yorkies Posts: 10,350	Sending love and prayers, too. I can't wait to see an update on her. It sounds like she's in a wonderful place and being well taken care of. {hugs} __________________ He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion. -- Author Unknown

10-09-2009, 05:12 AM	#127
Robin Lodal ♥ Love My Furbabies ♥ Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: East of the Mississippi River! ;) Posts: 2,183	Update Dr. Bohling was VERY down to earth in our meeting and I feel comfortable with him being the lead surgeon (I had not heard of him and I was leary at first but then I was put at ease after our consultation). He was able to use the right words to illustrate pretty much every question I had...it was great AND very laid back. He also said that we should not approach the surgery with fear but with concern.... and I liked that. I got my 8am phone call update. Terry said that she did great throughout the night and that the anesthesiologist took her back at 8am and so I imagine that she is in surgery as I type this message (big sigh). I will be keeping busy this morning. My MIL is very involved with a food pantry so we are going to be working that until noon so we are about to leave to do that. That will definitely keep me busy and hopefully my mind off of everything. Thank you for your prayers! It means so much. No matter what happens, God is in control and I trust Him. __________________ ~ Robin ,Max, Molly, Dozer& kitties, Toby & Lucy RIP - Ginger, Abby, Conway, &Simon

10-09-2009, 05:49 PM	#129
Robin Lodal ♥ Love My Furbabies ♥ Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: East of the Mississippi River! ;) Posts: 2,183	Ginger Update! Ok, sorry it has taken me all day to get back on here and update. Ok... so I got a call around 1pm from Dr. Bohling and he said that the surgery went well and that she was in recovery. She did really well. The only thing is... there is no shunt! ??!!! I am totally scratching my head on this one b/c her post bile acids were 129 and they had done a scintigraphy... so I don't know. He said they were pretty extensive in their search and they ended up doing a portogram and talked with radiology (and a few other things I didn't understand) but they are positive there is no shunt and that its just MVD. He said she did not really show any major signs of fibrosis and that her liver looked like it was in pretty good condition and that he has seen a lot worse. So they ended up doing all that, spaying her and removing a dew claw. I mentioned that I had never heard of a dog having a post bile acid number with having above a 100 w/o having a shunt and he said that the bile acids is not always an indication of a shunt or MVD. He said that he has seen dogs with really high bile acids w/o a shunt and then a dog with a post bile acid of 30 and have a very large shunt. I am kind of disappointed b/c at least with a shunt he could've repaired it and I was hopeful for a med-free life for her but that just isn't the case. As for the Vetri Liver Chews, the nutritionist had not seen them before but took a look at them and said that they would be sufficient to use in place of Denamarin or the Denosyl. They said its essentially the same exact thing and that as long as the dog is willing to eat them then we can use those. They could not definitively say they are "better" or "worse" but that they would be "sufficient"... so yeah! I am SO pleased to hear this. Also, I know that Ginger will always need to be on meds (the liver chews and lactulose) and a diet but will it always need to be LOW protein like the RC kibble or can it be NB Veg (I think it has low protein as well but not as low as RC)? I was just curious. Anyway, I plan on picking her up tomorrow as long as she is eating and doing well. There is a UT game tomorrow (oh brother) and so I am going to try my best to avoid all of that traffic. :P Thank you all so much for your support! Robin & Ginger __________________ ~ Robin ,Max, Molly, Dozer& kitties, Toby & Lucy RIP - Ginger, Abby, Conway, &Simon

10-08-2009, 04:08 PM	#121
KYCeeCee Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Winchester, KY Posts: 25	Hoping Ginger is doing well.

10-08-2009, 04:17 PM	#122
TOY Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Tennessee Posts: 1,094 Blog Entries: 4	Okay, Robin. I've tried to be patient all day and have even stayed away from the laptop on purpose! Ginger and you have been on my mind all day though. Update, please!

10-08-2009, 06:09 PM	#124
KaylaB Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: St. Martinville, La, USA Posts: 129	Robin, I will definitely be praying for Ginger. I hope that all goes well. Hopefully, you can get some sleep tonight.

10-09-2009, 06:18 AM	#128
TOY Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Tennessee Posts: 1,094 Blog Entries: 4	Sending big hugs, prayers and thoughts your way. I can't wait to hear how Miss Ginger is doing after the surgery. (Well, I'll be glad to hear that you're okay, too...LOL I'm so glad you have something to keep you busy during that time...that you're doing something so unselfishly for others is just icing on the cake. You are one-of-a-kind and I'm so proud to have such a sweet and compassionate friend!) Blessings, today, Robin.

10-09-2009, 07:31 PM	#130
TOY Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Tennessee Posts: 1,094 Blog Entries: 4	LOL on the "oh brother" but for different reasons! Our celebrations for UT victories have been little and none...LOL (By the way, I think they play Georgia tomorrow which means a big crowd from out-of-state, too, plus a good chance we'll lose this one, too.) But on to the news about Ginger... The only answer I have for mysteries like the "disappearance" of Ginger's shunt is simply prayers answered. Can't think of any other reason it was there and then not there! Hooray! I am rejoicing that Miss Ginger is shunt free. Safe travels for you and Ginger back home to KY.

10-09-2009, 09:03 PM	#131
Mom to Hot Rod Donating YT 5000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: MD Posts: 10,908	Robin, that is great news that that there is no shunt. Sounds like with some diet restrictions she will be a normal healthy baby. I am so glad that all is turning out so well for you and Ginger. Have a safe trip home and give that little one lots of big hugs and kisses! She's ready to come home and be a puppy. __________________ www.kissecollar.com Soft Cone Collars for Post-surgery and much more! 10% (non-food) - Discount code YT10

10-10-2009, 04:49 PM	#132
TOY Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Tennessee Posts: 1,094 Blog Entries: 4	Woo Hoo...UT Vols won today! Now that I've recovered from that shock, Robin... How is Ginger? Did she get to come home? How is she feeling? Girl, we need an update...about 7 hours ago..LOL Seriously, you don't have to take time to write much but do let us know if all is well and Ginger is home again.

10-10-2009, 07:13 PM	#135
mypreciouspups Donating YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Florida/Canada Posts: 5,514	I have been checking in.. Now I need to post.. Ginger has done so well with your love and care.. I had not seen a surgery scare like this.. wow it is huge. I will keep looking for update's on how she is doing..I am so happy for you that all has turned out so well.. give her smooches from me. I enjoyed each and every video. Bo does a nice job on her collars. I have one also.