Thank you. I had some absolutely vital advice on YT that spurred me on. I don't think we'd be this close to finally helping him get the correct treatment without ya'll.

My Teddy's BATs were mildly elevated...we recently sent his biopsy out. We had not sent it right after his surgery. He does have some changes in his liver which is common with shunt dogs.

The vet nutritionist told me she does not do low protein....she advises moderate protein for MVD.

I agree with you and others. I would not be doing a biopsy. The only reason I did was because the sample was taken when the shunt was repaired.

If I could physically do a happy dance right now I would! :yay_jump:So happy no shunted and it seems like over all they did a pretty thorough exam of him internally. Not sure what MVD is so I will hit up the library on here and educate myself. I hope he recoups quickly from today...you, too!! In my thoughts and prayers!!! :love-hug3

Wonderful news for Tibbe and you! I am very, very happy for both of you.

Give your little guy a hug from me and the boys. :)

Kudos to you for your persistence in getting to the bottom of this, awesome job. With a management plan, you and Tibbe are going to have MANY more happy years together, he is so lucky to have you!

yay so glad that news was good! :)

I wrote a whole long reply to this last evening and poof - hit something and it was gone and I just gave up.

Anyway, does your nutritionist think low protein is bad for MVD dogs or that the dyplastic veins and the liver manage to filter the blood and accommodate protein better than dogs with frank shunts so the dog can have a higher-content protein diet? I'm not sure about GI-broken-down protein and ammonia or what all happens once the blood reaches the MVD'd liver. I'm still searching for that article(now searching online books on Google) that explains what those inadequate veins do and don't do at the microscopic level faced with a fresh milliliter of blood after a meal or drug is ingested. Anyway, I'll probably start slow with him and change over slowly to be sure he won't itch and see how he does with the vet recommendation or the internist's and then when I can afford it in a month or so, seek out a nutritionist.

Does it make a difference to your nutritionist whether the protein is animal or not?

Thank you all again and again for the good wishes! I was so afraid to give Tibbe that Metronidazole but apparently it sure has helped him. He bugged me for food all last night and I was too scared to give him more than 20 or so pieces at any time since the vet said feed him small increments for the rest of the day. But today he got to have his full breakfast and he wolfed it down, seems bright as a penny, alert and all that but still not a bouncing and cocky little beast who teases me all the time. He's probably a bit sore from yesterday so I don't expect him to be just normal quite yet. But he's barking and all - just not bounding off the back porch and dashing for the big tree and the squirrels at the back of the yard at warp speed or nagging me to do training all the time.

So glad that test is over and we're no longer facing that I keep smiling to myself. Thank you all for your prayers and many good thoughts about it. It couldn't have gone better and that Animal Imaging Center treated us like celebrities or something the entire time we were there. They were so nurturing and kind and solicitous. It's a magnificent place and the huge huge equestrian part of it is just enormous and top-notch everything.

Elle's nutritionist never made us do very low protein either.mReally deoends on the dog and the type of protein.

Your main focus will be to keep the food intolerances and allergies under control.

I don't delve into nutrition that deeply....I listen to her and do what she recommends. :)

I also had no reason to ask about other proteins. BUT because of his possible IBD which just came up recently, he is now on Hill's Z/D

I've heard of Hill's Z/D before. I would like him to be on lower protein than he is now with his Hill's I/D GI but I'll just have to see what the vet says tomorrow and then we'll go from there. Hope to get that nutritionist consult sooner rather than later and will right away, of course, if he's not doing well on whatever they change him to.

You could have your vet do a consult with the one I use....not sure what her fee is. I can ask for you if you are interested. I have been very happy with her. She has worked with me with four of my pups. My Cookie is doing fantastic thanks to her.

I've only experienced bad itching in a dog when he was briefly on RC GI but it was nothing compared to what he had last week for two nights! I would do ANYTHING to help him avoid that again.

Ellie gets that. Then on the foods she doesn't itch she is either extremely intolerant, gets esophageal irritation, or can't keep weight on. So we literally have like one food choice.:rolleyes:

BTW, always remember that rx foods can be sent back for a refund.

Z/D is a great food. Ellie tanked on it though. :(
She can\'t eat meat..even hydrolyzed.