Liver Shunt !?!?!?!?

[morkiecalvin]

So Calvin had his ultrasound this morning and he does have a shunt. He also has a large bladder stone. The surgeon that our vet uses is board certified. So we are waiting to hear if the surgeon will come to his office. If not, then he said that they will refer us to one of their centers.

We did contact the breeder and she said that she has never had a shunt in any of her litters. NJ law says that the breeder is responsible for up to twice what you paid because it is a birth defect. She told my husband that since she isnt a pet shop that she is not responsible but that is not what the law says. So we will see where we get with that. Im not trying to be greedy but I just want my boy to be okay.

[ladyjane]

Personally, I would only do a liver shunt surgery in a hospital with board certified vets on staff. I would not have a surgeon come to my vet to do that kind of surgery.

Now, in saying that, I don't know what type of facility your vet has. I am assuming it is a regular practice. If so, and there is not 24 hour monitoring and an ICU there is no way I would do that.

I don't want to tell you what to do....just suggest that you think long and hard about what could happen following surgery. I once had a pup who had surgery for two discs in his cervical spine....he was at A&M and thank God he was because he had complications following surgery and at another facility I am sure he would have died. He had problems coming out of the anesthesia and could not come off of the respirator. It was a touch and go couple of days.....I will never forget that experience.

[AllDogBoots]

Originally Posted by ladyjane

Personally, I would only do a liver shunt surgery in a hospital with board certified vets on staff. I would not have a surgeon come to my vet to do that kind of surgery.

Now, in saying that, I don't know what type of facility your vet has. I am assuming it is a regular practice. If so, and there is not 24 hour monitoring and an ICU there is no way I would do that.

I don't want to tell you what to do....just suggest that you think long and hard about what could happen following surgery. I once had a pup who had surgery for two discs in his cervical spine....he was at A&M and thank God he was because he had complications following surgery and at another facility I am sure he would have died. He had problems coming out of the anesthesia and could not come off of the respirator. It was a touch and go couple of days.....I will never forget that experience.

I agree with everything stated above.

[Ladymom]

Originally Posted by morkiecalvin

So Calvin had his ultrasound this morning and he does have a shunt. He also has a large bladder stone. The surgeon that our vet uses is board certified. So we are waiting to hear if the surgeon will come to his office. If not, then he said that they will refer us to one of their centers.

We did contact the breeder and she said that she has never had a shunt in any of her litters. NJ law says that the breeder is responsible for up to twice what you paid because it is a birth defect. She told my husband that since she isnt a pet shop that she is not responsible but that is not what the law says. So we will see where we get with that. Im not trying to be greedy but I just want my boy to be okay.

Under the Pet Purchase Protection Act, as long as she sells five dogs a year she is considered a pet dealer and has to reimburse you up to twice his purchase price for vet bills as long as it is within six months of his surgery. She may not like it, but that's the law.

http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/9899/Bi...000/960_U1.HTM

I sure wish more states had similar legislation!

[katy-yorkie]

Originally Posted by ladyjane

Personally, I would only do a liver shunt surgery in a hospital with board certified vets on staff. I would not have a surgeon come to my vet to do that kind of surgery.

Now, in saying that, I don't know what type of facility your vet has. I am assuming it is a regular practice. If so, and there is not 24 hour monitoring and an ICU there is no way I would do that.

I don't want to tell you what to do....just suggest that you think long and hard about what could happen following surgery. I once had a pup who had surgery for two discs in his cervical spine....he was at A&M and thank God he was because he had complications following surgery and at another facility I am sure he would have died. He had problems coming out of the anesthesia and could not come off of the respirator. It was a touch and go couple of days.....I will never forget that experience.

This is excellent advice. When I have inquired about surgery for LP, I have had friends/receptionists at the vets office/etc., tell me the vet at their office is board certified. He is board certified BUT he is not board certified in orthopedics. If I use them for the surgery, Buster comes home the same day of the surgery. It will be up to me to take care of him. If I use a board certified orthopedic vet, he will stay in the hospital over night where he will get meds probably via an IV, and have someone take care of him. I love my vet but I think this is out of his league.

[Nimue]

I'm so very sorry to hear about Calvin's ultrasound results. Thank goodness there are so many people here who can offer advice. I'll be thinking about you and your little guy. Hugs to both of you.

[DvlshAngel985]

Originally Posted by morkiecalvin

So Calvin had his ultrasound this morning and he does have a shunt. He also has a large bladder stone. The surgeon that our vet uses is board certified. So we are waiting to hear if the surgeon will come to his office. If not, then he said that they will refer us to one of their centers.

We did contact the breeder and she said that she has never had a shunt in any of her litters. NJ law says that the breeder is responsible for up to twice what you paid because it is a birth defect. She told my husband that since she isnt a pet shop that she is not responsible but that is not what the law says. So we will see where we get with that. Im not trying to be greedy but I just want my boy to be okay.

What a hard horrible lesson to learn. You're so happy to get a new puppy only to find the breeder is a piece of work when you run into trouble. I hope Calvin gets better soon. Please tell us when he is scheduled for surgery so we can have him in our prayers.

[Patti]

I am sorry to hear about Calvin's Liver shunt. I will keep him in my prayers for a safe procedure and full recovery. I agree I would only have the surgery done by a board certified surgeon at a 24 hour facility.

[judyp515]

I think my little Louie has a liver shunt. It started out with bladder stones and needing immediate surgery to clear the stones out of his bladder and urethra. His stones came back as being urate stones so we did a blood test with pre # being 324 and post # was 289. He is now on KD science diet prescription food, an antibiotic and lactulose. He is back to normal, running around, eating well and playing. With the expense of his last surgery, we are not going ahead with any other surgery and hope and pray we can control him medically. He didn't have any symptons until age 3.

[louannf]

Im new to this site,this is my first post and would just like to say how sorry I am about Calvin.I will keep you both in my prayers.

[littlewhip]

Im so sorry to hear about your little one, prayers for you both, I know all to well about LS wishing him well with his surgery.

[morkiecalvin]

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers....

[bnbiggs]

Sorry to hear about little Calvin, I know how scary it can be. Just about a month ago I thought my little Dior has a liver shunt and did ALL the research on it. Dior has AAI which was nothing to do with her liver, but I was going to take her to the University of Tennessee. They invented this really neat ring that closes the shunt slowly so there are less complications! Anyway I know how worried you must be and I hope everything goes well!!

[ladyjane]

Praying for Calvin ....

[ClareNstuart]

I sent the link to this thread to my breeder and she just told me that it infected her computer with a virus!!??