My poor Melody

[Jinxiee]

Melody is doing much better today, she had a good nights sleep and this morning had 2 BM. The bloating is gone, she is active..even playing with Lilly.

I fed her and gave her meds and will keep doing so. As for giving her up to a rescue I don't want to put her through that right yet cause she is so weak. She seems really happy right now and if things do get worse I WILL take action. But for now she seems to be doing well.

I spent awhile today trying to take pictures so you all can see her. So as you can see she is NOT in pain or miserable. I am not a bad mommy I try to do my best to take care of her. Right now she is sunbathing with Lilly.

I do get a income but it is very limited. I am making payments towards paying her off then I will save up for her surgery.

So anyways here she is.

~Krystal

[Ladymom]

Originally Posted by ladyjane

What expensive test did he run???? Let us start saying exactly what things are.

Most specialists will not do surgery on a small yorkie? Are you serious? Told by WHOM???

I am eagerly awaiting the answer to those questions.

[manolos mom]

Originally Posted by mylittlegirls

Hi,
How well do you know this program and how it works? They were funded by the AkC for research... that's why the yorkies have to be surrendered and they only place in UT homes for a reason.
Kathleen

Kathleen, I dont get what funding has anything to do with this. Please help me understand. What test have been run on this girl.

[Ladymom]

Originally Posted by Jinxiee

Melody is doing much better today, she had a good nights sleep and this morning had 2 BM. The bloating is gone, she is active..even playing with Lilly.

I fed her and gave her meds and will keep doing so. As for giving her up to a rescue I don't want to put her through that right yet cause she is so weak. She seems really happy right now and if things do get worse I WILL take action. But for now she seems to be doing well.

I spent awhile today trying to take pictures so you all can see her. So as you can see she is NOT in pain or miserable. I am not a bad mommy I try to do my best to take care of her. Right now she is sunbathing with Lilly.

I do get a income but it is very limited. I am making payments towards paying her off then I will save up for her surgery.

So anyways here she is.

~Krystal

Maybe you can tell us what tests Melody has had and the results.

What were the results of her bile acids test?

Did she have a Protein C test? Results?

Scintigraphy? Ultrasound? Results?

What "expensive Test" is Kathleen referring to?

[speleogirl37]

Originally Posted by Jinxiee

Melody is doing much better today, she had a good nights sleep and this morning had 2 BM. The bloating is gone, she is active..even playing with Lilly.

I fed her and gave her meds and will keep doing so. As for giving her up to a rescue I don't want to put her through that right yet cause she is so weak. She seems really happy right now and if things do get worse I WILL take action. But for now she seems to be doing well.

I spent awhile today trying to take pictures so you all can see her. So as you can see she is NOT in pain or miserable. I am not a bad mommy I try to do my best to take care of her. Right now she is sunbathing with Lilly.

I do get a income but it is very limited. I am making payments towards paying her off then I will save up for her surgery.

So anyways here she is.

~Krystal

Why are you even worried about "paying her off??"

If you can't have $30 in six months, how long do you think it will take you to save thousands??

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by Jinxiee

Melody is doing much better today, she had a good nights sleep and this morning had 2 BM. The bloating is gone, she is active..even playing with Lilly.

I fed her and gave her meds and will keep doing so. As for giving her up to a rescue I don't want to put her through that right yet cause she is so weak. She seems really happy right now and if things do get worse I WILL take action. But for now she seems to be doing well.

I spent awhile today trying to take pictures so you all can see her. So as you can see she is NOT in pain or miserable. I am not a bad mommy I try to do my best to take care of her. Right now she is sunbathing with Lilly.

I do get a income but it is very limited. I am making payments towards paying her off then I will save up for her surgery.

So anyways here she is.

~Krystal

Krystal,
No one is labeling you as bad. I just feel that if you had to let Melody go for six months because you could not afford her medication, you need to think long and hard. There was a time in my life that I could not have afforded a sick yorkie...never mind two of them. What if they both get sick and need vet care at one time?? Those things DO happen, trust me. I own 7 yorkies and I remember two summers ago I had five of them sick back to back over a few weeks. There were trips in the night to the emergency vets...and hospitalizations for 3 and 4 days for a couple of them. I also had a yorkie walk off a bed and end up unable to walk...that was a few years ago. That had to be repaired immediately or he would have ended up a quad. The surgery was $4,000. Now...you don't have seven yorkies. I realize that. But you admit to having limited income and you think you can handle a sick yorkie plus one more. I believe that someone is doing you a disservice by encouraging you to keep this puppy. You may have already made up your mind and none of us will be able to change it, but if you are doing this because you think the vet bills are going to be fully paid for, please think again. What if they are not? And, what about the future? Melody is going to need a lot of care and attention no matter what happens. I have seen many people give up with that...it is very time consuming. You could make a decision for her...for her life; and then get on to the business of focusing on the other. They are both darlings, btw.
Linda

[SassyAnn101]

Originally Posted by mylittlegirls

Just to let everyone know, Melody is under constant vet care. Her doctor has indeed run very expensive test on her and knows her condition. The main concern now, as someone mention about is her.... size and weight. When your dealing with a normal size yorkie 5-7 lbs., your talking a whole different story. Many of the specialist will not do a liver shunt on a very small yorkie unless the dog is surrender and then they don't really have to be responsible to the owner. Don't get upset... this is what I was told yesterday.

More to follow.

I am very confused now by what you have said. Dr Tobias at UT who is considered to be one of the best is out of town at this time due to her husbands illness, but there are several other surgeons at UT that are very qualified to perform the surgery. I am 110% sure that at UT they do many surgeries on puppies which weigh under 5-7 lbs, the first symptom of a Liver Shunt is not gaining weight, so a puppy with a Liver Shunt will weigh alot less that what a standard should weigh. At UT they base their decision for surgery on the results of a BAT test and a Scingopy (spelling). After doing the Scin... depending on what they see (shunt, no shunt, Photo, shunt or Internal shunt.) I would be shocked and saddened if I learned that a vet from UT or any other Hospital would give this type of advice to someone concerning a pet they have never touched. I have personal experience with the doctors at UT, and their procedures. If this is the truth please tell me the name of the doctor who is giving this advice.

Another thing is there is mention of the very expensive test that was ran on Melody. What type of test was that? All that has been mentioned before is a BAT and it isnt expensive.

[Ichabob]

Originally Posted by speleogirl37

Why are you even worried about "paying her off??"

If you can't have $30 in six months, how long do you think it will take you to save thousands??

from what I understand she not really paying medoly off she paying lilly off the breeder gave her lilly after melody became sick, something in the 1yr health contract I think.

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by speleogirl37

Why are you even worried about "paying her off??"

If you can't have $30 in six months, how long do you think it will take you to save thousands??

I believe she is being told that there will be donations. She clearly cannot afford the surgery. She knows that.

[Bianca]

I am so very confused

[mylittlegirls]

Originally Posted by Ladymom

So you are saying that a busy specialist gave advice over the telephone about what's best for Melody without ever having examined her and did so for a person who doesn't even own the dog???

Well, just all know, I've had yorkies for 20 years and I deal with specialist. They do know me and I can call and they will return my call for any questions I may have.
As far as the Northern Californian Vet... they don't do the testing, it has to be done at UC Davis.
I've talk to specials yesterday on the phone, and it depends on the condition of the dog. Just to let all know, this isn't Krystal's fault that Melody had liver shunt. It's the fault of the breeder and all she's trying to do now is what's best. In the case of Melody, 2.6 lbs., sometimes it's not in their best interest to have such a surgery done and to just maintain them on diet and medications. Granted the life of the dog is shorter but even with surgery they tend to have other health problems, especially relating to the kidneys.
More to come.

[lulumom]

Originally Posted by Jinxiee

Melody is doing much better today, she had a good nights sleep and this morning had 2 BM. The bloating is gone, she is active..even playing with Lilly.

I fed her and gave her meds and will keep doing so. As for giving her up to a rescue I don't want to put her through that right yet cause she is so weak. She seems really happy right now and if things do get worse I WILL take action. But for now she seems to be doing well.

I spent awhile today trying to take pictures so you all can see her. So as you can see she is NOT in pain or miserable. I am not a bad mommy I try to do my best to take care of her. Right now she is sunbathing with Lilly.

I do get a income but it is very limited. I am making payments towards paying her off then I will save up for her surgery.

So anyways here she is.

~Krystal

are you kidding me?

given all of the specific information you've gotten from knowledgeable people here....the fact that you're actually talking about being a good mommy and telling us melody is sunbathing at the moment is insane.

you say you don't want to "put her through" the trauma of giving her up? wake up! you are putting her through a slow and painful death because you don't want to put yourself through the loss or the trouble of doing better by her.

in my opinion, this dog has zero chance of survival unless kathleen and anyone else who is humoring her owner via pm stops doing so. if she gets desperate enough, and poor melody doesn't die in the meantime, she'll do the right thing. obviously it won't be for a single right reason, but i honestly think this chick is getting off on the attention at the expense of melody.

[Ladymom]

Originally Posted by mylittlegirls

Well, just all know, I've had yorkies for 20 years and I deal with specialist. They do know me and I can call and they will return my call for any questions I may have.
As far as the Northern Californian Vet... they don't do the testing, it has to be done at UC Davis.
I've talk to specials yesterday on the phone, and it depends on the condition of the dog. Just to let all know, this isn't Krystal's fault that Melody had liver shunt. It's the fault of the breeder and all she's trying to do now is what's best. In the case of Melody, 2.6 lbs., sometimes it's not in their best interest to have such a surgery done and to just maintain them on diet and medications. Granted the life of the dog is shorter but even with surgery they tend to have other health problems, especially relating to the kidneys.
More to come.

You forgot to tell us what "expensive test" you were referring to.......

[mylittlegirls]

Originally Posted by SassyAnn101

I am very confused now by what you have said. Dr Tobias at UT who is considered to be one of the best is out of town at this time due to her husbands illness, but there are several other surgeons at UT that are very qualified to perform the surgery. I am 110% sure that at UT they do many surgeries on puppies which weigh under 5-7 lbs, the first symptom of a Liver Shunt is not gaining weight, so a puppy with a Liver Shunt will weigh alot less that what a standard should weigh. At UT they base their decision for surgery on the results of a BAT test and a Scingopy (spelling). After doing the Scin... depending on what they see (shunt, no shunt, Photo, shunt or Internal shunt.) I would be shocked and saddened if I learned that a vet from UT or any other Hospital would give this type of advice to someone concerning a pet they have never touched. I have personal experience with the doctors at UT, and their procedures. If this is the truth please tell me the name of the doctor who is giving this advice.


Another thing is there is mention of the very expensive test that was ran on Melody. What type of test was that? All that has been mentioned before is a BAT and it isnt expensive.

I'm aware of her husband's illness and what she's dealing with herself.
My concern is why she has to surrender her baby just so this surgery can be done and placed only in a UT Home... Now do you know the reason they are placed in these homes only?

[jeanm1963]

This is actually wonderful news.. She looks great MUCH MUCH better then the puppy I saw that went into surgery, she looks stablized, so while she is healthy and not banging into walls, GET HER TO A SPECIALIST.....

PERHAPS I AM MISSING SOMETHING HER, AND I AM GOING TO ASK THIS QUESTION FOR THE FINAL TIME, THIS QUESTION IS ADDRESSED TO KATHLEEN.. WHAT QUALIFICATIONS DO YOU HAVE MORE THE DR TOBIAS AND DR CENTERS THAT YOU CAN DETERMINE THE FATE OF THIS PUPPY!! I SERIOUSLY WANT TO KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS AS IM SURE MANY PEOPLE ON THIS BOARD DO!!!! I KNOW OF NO VET LET ALONE A SPECIALIST THAT WOULD TELL YOU WHAT IS RIGHT OR WRONG FOR THIS PUPPY WITH OUT A EXAMINATION. FOR GOD SAKE I KNEW MY DOG HAD AN EAR INFECTION , SHE HAD EVERY SINGLE SIGN, MY VET SAID I DONT CARE WHAT YOU KNOW BRING HER IN. SO WHO IS THE SPECIALIST THAT SPOKE TO YOU WITH ALL YOUR EXPERTISE IN LIVER SHUT THAT GAVE YOU THIS ADIVSE???

Originally Posted by Jinxiee

Melody is doing much better today, she had a good nights sleep and this morning had 2 BM. The bloating is gone, she is active..even playing with Lilly.

I fed her and gave her meds and will keep doing so. As for giving her up to a rescue I don't want to put her through that right yet cause she is so weak. She seems really happy right now and if things do get worse I WILL take action. But for now she seems to be doing well.

I spent awhile today trying to take pictures so you all can see her. So as you can see she is NOT in pain or miserable. I am not a bad mommy I try to do my best to take care of her. Right now she is sunbathing with Lilly.

I do get a income but it is very limited. I am making payments towards paying her off then I will save up for her surgery.

So anyways here she is.

~Krystal