My yorkie liver is in bad shape

[TxVicki]

Keeping prayers going out that your baby continues to improve.

[danieloneil01]

She's doing very good now. Her pee is still rather a deep yellow, but my in laws are both in healthcare and said it may take awhile for her pee to be back to normal once it gets rid of the infection. But she is drinking plenty of water and eating (soft) dog food. Today she was back at her old self humping her bed. The antibiotics are gone but we still have the liver pills we give her once every morning.

Thank you everyone for the well wishes and prayers.

[sandy simpson]

Oh I am praying for that little Yorkie to get better. These dogs are small and need only the food that is meant for them. May the Lord who created her and watches over her bring her to good health soon. Every prayer we say is heard and I hope to hear a really good report soon!

[danieloneil01]

Update:

Bree isn't 100% back to health as her skin and eyes are still yellow along with her urine. She is eating and drinking fine though. So I decided to take her to another vet and get a second opinion or if they could give me some meds that would help.

Her last weigh in before being sick was 9lbs. When I took her in the first time she was down to 8lbs. When I took her in yesterday she is 6.5lbs. At 9lbs she was extremely over weight because of us.

I took her in to see the new vet. She told me that she would like to do an ultra sound to see what's going on, maybe she has tumor(s) or something else wrong. I agreed as it's been long enough not knowing what's wrong. She gave her an injection of Vitamin B complex, Convenia and Fluid Therapy. Along with Denosyl to give everyday. Funny thing is I told her the other med says to give without food and I told her that's impossible. She laughed and said I'll show you a trick. She got a pill out opened her mouth and just put it down her throat. LOL, damn that was easy. I thought that would choke her with a pill in her throat like that.

So today we got the ultra sound and her gall bladder was GIGANTIC!!!!!! She said it so big that it's pushing the other organs around (shifting) and there are no tumors. She said this is unusual in dogs of her age. So she gave use Ursodiol to shrink the gall bladder and to get another ultra sound on CHRISTMAS EVE. This medication is supposedly fast acting if it's going to work. If not we may need to think about getting the gall bladder removed.


Medication she is taking

Cerenia
Ursodiol
Amoxi
Metronidazole
Denosyl

She's an active dog and seems normal other than her yellowish tint and goldish urine

Medical bill so far 2200.

[danieloneil01]

2200 is total even from first vet. I can't imagine the cost to remove a gall bladder.

[ladyjane]

I have a pup who was recently hospitalized with liver and gall bladder issues. They scared me when they started talking about removing the gall bladder. It is not simple surgery in dogs like it is in humans. There is at least a 30% mortality rate...perhaps higher. Make absolutely sure you trust whoever might be doing this surgery. I personally would have taken my Olivia to Texas A&M if she ended up needing the surgery. Fortunately she did not..she is not totally out of the woods and needs ultrasounds every 3 - 4 months but so far, so good. I know A&M is far for you...but the one thing about them is that if a pup is hospitalized, you only need to put 50% of the bill up front and they make a six month payment plan with the final bill.
Best wishes to you...I will keep your baby in my thoughts and prayers. Do hope the meds work for her!
Oh...and as for bills, I totally get it. My Olivia's bill after three days in ICU was right at $3,000. Insurance is good, but you cannot get it for a pre-existing condition.

[ladyjane]

You might also want to look into getting Care Credit:

CareCredit Healthcare Finance - Payment Plans and Financing for Cosmetic Surgery, Dental, Vision, Hearing, Veterinary & Other Medical Procedures

[danieloneil01]

Sorry, I haven't updated my location. I moved back home which is between Houston and Galveston in a city called Dickinson. I can pay cash that isn't the point. I love my dog but there's a point in which I'm willing to spend on an animal. I might sound like an a hole but I'm being honest.

I also tried getting a quote on dog insurance but a few said she was to old.

[danieloneil01]

Between my 3 yorkies I'm about 7k into them in vet bills over a 5 year period and it'll only get worse as they age. One of my males came from a bad breeder and needed surgery on his back leg. The leg joint to the hip was degenerative and needed to be fixed.

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by danieloneil01

Sorry, I haven't updated my location. I moved back home which is between Houston and Galveston in a city called Dickinson. I can pay cash that isn't the point. I love my dog but there's a point in which I'm willing to spend on an animal. I might sound like an a hole but I'm being honest.

I also tried getting a quote on dog insurance but a few said she was to old.

You don't sound like an ahole. Sometimes there is a limit on what people can spend and you always have to weigh a lot of factors...age of the pup and also the predicted outcome. Not sure where she is being treated right now, but I live not far from you and honestly if one of my pups needed soft tissue surgery which is what this would be, I would high tail it to College Station. I have to say that I am not sure I would put my Olivia through that surgery....she is approximately 10 years old and it is very risky surgery.

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by danieloneil01

Between my 3 yorkies I'm about 7k into them in vet bills over a 5 year period and it'll only get worse as they age. One of my males came from a bad breeder and needed surgery on his back leg. The leg joint to the hip was degenerative and needed to be fixed.

Trust me I understand...I am over that amount in one year. I try not to even think about how much. Had one in November 2011 who went to A&M for surgery to remove a salivary gland. Had one who was hospitalized last year at this time ... she ended up being diagnosed with lymphangectasia. She was in ICU for a few days. Then I had one with surgery due to hip dysplasia and then Olivia a few months ago. Seems that when it rains it pours. I am hopeful that 2013 will be break time for me....perhaps for you, too!!

[Verbena]

I hope the meds are going work for Bree. Good thoughts for you both

[Verbena]

Good luck with the ultra sound

[sandy simpson]

Mly prayers for a heling for this little Yorkie. You are so wise to take her to another vet and it sounds like this vet is great. No amount of money can take the place of the love a Yorkie has for us. You will be surrounded by our prayers and love.

[lynzy420]

I am not condemning you I actually understand what you mean and respect it....I'm just at a different place in my life where my animals mean the world to me, I am 47 my kids are gone etc., I can not put in to words how much they mean to me, there truly is nothing I wouldn't do for them...I have spent well over $20,000 on Miss Mini...(its always difficult to admit that its way over 20) but its true. When I (use to be we) make a decision on their care the first question we always ask is will it fix them? will their quality of life be good? I won't settle for less, if their quality of life is in jeopardy then I just simply won't do it....but if its curable and/or controllable, I will just keep taking loans and whatever I have to...soon enough they will be gone as will I, I'd rather spend my days knowing I am doing everything I can for my pups and making them as happy as they make me....they are blessings, and I am not afraid to admit that there isn't anything I won't do for them...