Exactly my thoughts on all of it. Nothing is ever cut in stone, and as I have always said, it takes a good veterinarian to physically examine a dog, listen to the symptoms, and make a judgement about what tests to start with in coming to a diagnosis with any medical illness. There are always objective and subjective things that must be put together. It is like a puzzle.

yeah the key is the money and if money was no object but many people do not have this kind of money and unlimited supply so doing the best and most cost effective is key. If bladder stones I would think it would show up on urinalysis or dog would be having symptoms. I think this is why our vet did bats and urinalysis to see what liver function was so ultrasound was never mentioned in regards to dd liver he went straight for scintigraphy but after doing my homework I decided against it as her numbers were below 100 and she had NO symptoms of liver disease.

The liver biopsy would be the very last resort if everything mvd was ruled out by doing low protein diet, denamarin, juicing zucchini and celery, etc then if nothing worked to get the numbers down and my dog was still very sick and the liver numbers were way off and it was obvious it was not related to mvd then yes further testing could be done but i see way too many people going straight to biopsy on mvd cases and that is just not right as that is very stressful on the dog for no reason and the incision is HUGE.

I think people need to educate themselves as a vet would tend to run every test if they could as that is how they make a living but not everyone has that kind of financial security to do so in these times. I was very upset about the fact that they kept charging me $400 for ultrasounds and found out a cpli is the most indicative test. $1200 later the ultrasound told me Yep the pancreas is inflamed - wth seriously that was ridiculous and a total waste of my money. I think many people go through this as they have no clue like i did and just trust the tests being run are the best for what is going on and then they walk away with thousands in vet bills on stuff that really was not that necessary sadly like happened to me:( Then when the dog really needs a test they do not have the money :(

Ever since Sasha was diagnosed with a liver shunt, I'm starting to get paranoid with everything. I'm scared she has or will have other problems like kidney failure. She doesn't have symptoms but I'm just paranoid about it. Is there a way I can get her tested for a whole bunch of organ diseases?

A simple blood chemistry panel can tell your vet a lot about organ function. Just make sure you get one done yearly as part of her annual physical.

A typical blood chemistry panel usually includes

Just like with humans, there usually aren't genetic markers that can predict future diseases or conditions. Your best predictor of a healthy adult dog is to make sure you get a puppy from a reputable breeder who is very knowledgeable about genetics and knows her lines many generations back, feeding high quality food, getting regular veterinary checkups, not over vaccinating, etc.

With all that has gone on with her she has probably had a lot of blood work already that would show these things if they were there.

Just try and take each day as it comes and focus on one thing at a time... she is going to need you when she is healing and dogs can feel when you are stressed and worried.

((((HUGS)))))

IS Hill's Diet and Royal Canin healthy dog foods? I've been reading that they are not but She has a liver disease and can't eat anything else.

i know the feeling :( i use to be much more easy going with mine until the health issues came up and now i get paranoid when something goes wrong - sad :( will definitely make sure to get a better breeder next time if there is a next time as dh has said no more dogs :(

Sashabear, I have a puppymill baby that had a liver shunt. It was repaired by Dr Tobias in March of 2008. I had all of the same fears and anxieties that you must be feeling right now. I had this tiny, precious baby that seemed to have so many problems and I was the one that was responsible for taking care of them. I knew nothing abour shunts, scintigraphy, Protein C tests, ultrasound, etc...but, I did learn fast! I'm certainly no expert, but I did do my research and I ultimately took her to Dr Tobias at UT. I found out there that she also had luxating patella in both back knees that we will deal with later, if necessary. Once she had the shunt closed off, she has not had a problem since. She is a tiny little thing, only 3.5 lbs, but is has made such a huge difference in her life. She runs and plays, chases the birds and squirrels and I just enjoy her being with us each day. Know that you are doing the best thing for your baby in having the shunt repaired, pray that that is all the problems that she will have and take each day one at a time. As fragile as these babies are, they are tougher than we give them credit for sometimes...Good luck with the shunt repair and keep asking questions - everyone is here to help!

I took Teddi to UT as well to have her LS surgery and she has been 100% since then. She is 3 1/2 years old and 3 lbs. and it has been a little over 2 years since she had her surgery!!

Please tell me more of your experience going to UT and how your baby healed after the surgery

i will say Teddi is totally healthy and looks awesome no issues - we have met Ronda and Teddi and they are the best :)

We flew in to Knoxville on Wednesday evening and had the scintigraphy Thursday morning. They confirmed that she did have a shunt. She stayed that night and was spayed, had her teeth pulled and had the shunt repaired Friday morning. I was by myself, so I stayed mostly at the hotel and waited for phone updates from the hospital. My flight was scheduled to return home on Monday, but they called and told me I could pick Lola up on Saturday evening if I would stay in Knoxville Saturday night "just in case". I picked Lola up around 4:00 on Saturday and was surprised at the size of the incision...it was bigger than I thought. She had a collar on to keep her from chewing, but I took that off and put a human baby "onesie" on her as soon as we got back to the hotel. She did fine with that and never bothered her sutures. She never seemed to be in pain. She seemed to be sore, so when I picked her up, I would use a soft blanket so that my fingers would not press into her little sides. They did have her on pain medication for 3-4 days, but I think she would have been fine without it. I did give it to her. She wasn't on any other medications except her lactulose. She was very clingy back at the hotel and wanted to be right by my side, so you must be careful not to leave your baby on the bed or chair or they may jump to try to get to you. I changed my flight and we flew home Sunday and she did great. I kept her confined in a baby playpen for 2 weeks after we got home to keep her from running and playing too much. It got really hard the 2nd week because she felt so much better. You must keep her from running too hard and jumping until the ring closes. By the end of 2 weeks, it was like I had a new puppy...she was so alert and happy and wanted to tackle this new world that she had discovered. Her stitches dissolved on their own and we have not had a problem since. Her appetite has improved dramatically as well as her energy level. This is the best thing you can do for her!

I have loved reading your postings!!! I think I am running into having problems with PSS :( I have posted at http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sic...ml#post3109874

If anyone is able and willing to read my story I would gladly appreciate your advice and anything else!!

Did you have a scintigraphy done prior to the UT visit? How are her BATs now? When you made your appointment for surgery, did they just give you a date of the evaluation, time, and ask for a vet referral? I feel like making the appt.was too simple and that I didnt make the appt, right

I did NOT have the scintigraphy done first. I knew from everything I had read and from Lola's small stature, poor coat quality and picky appetite that she probably had a shunt. I did not even trust my vets to do the scintigraphy because I was so afraid they might do something wrong....I wanted to take her where they were used to dealing with these tiny, sick dogs - and I knew if she had a shunt, I was going there anyway. It was very easy to make the appointment. I made it at first without a referral, and got the referral sent later. The people there are very kind and understanding...they are truly interested in helping your baby. If you are unsure of the appointment or have any questions, call them - they are very helpful and nice over the phone. I wish you luck - you will be happy that you have done this for your baby girl!