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Liver Shunt My three and a half year old baby girl, Sadie, was diagnosed with a liver shunt two days ago. Praying its surgical so it can be repaired. I have been referred to the Hope Center in Vienna Virginia. Any one have any experience with them? |
We have just recently undergone the LS surgery at the University of Florida. I don't know about the facility that you will be going to, but I am happy to provide any support or guidance that I can if you need it. |
Thank you. Sadie has always appeared healthy. She did have a luxating petella at 13 months. Now she is 3 and 1/2 years old. When we adopted her she was 11 weeks old and weighed 1.8 pounds. She grew into a beautiful 6 pound baby girl with all the breed standard would outline, steal blue and tan, perfect in size and shape and all the spunky little attitude we all except and want in our babies unfortunately this too seems to be all too common in Yorkies. We had no warning until a seizure on Monday this week and the world as we have known it has spiraled into a very dark place. Sadie is our world....she truly has stolen our hearts and is the perfect little princess. |
I'm sorry your little girl is ill. I don't have any experience with liver shunts or the Hope Center, but I've heard many successful stories on YT. There are many surgeons using her techniques, but Dr. Tobias at the University of Tennessee (Knoxville) is an expert on liver shunts. I will keep you and Sadie in my prayers. If you haven't read this PDF on portosystemic shunts,I think you will find it helpful. Please let us know how your baby girl does. http://www.vet.utk.edu/clinical/sacs...2013-09-26.pdf |
Post Liver Shunt Surgery-what to expect Thank you. I am just so overwhelmed right now. does anyone have any information regarding post liver shunt surgery and what to expect if surgery is possible? |
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I can't offer any advice at all but I just hope all goes well and I can appreciate your worry and stress. Take Care, Kat . . and Tessa the Yorkie! |
As strange as it sounds to someone not going through it, we were praying for a surgical shunt too. Luckily, our prayers were answered and we went through the same surgery a month and half ago. We won't know the overall results for 6 months, just due to the way the surgery has to work, but so far Bella has shown NO signs of problems or distress at all. |
Thank you for your input. Sadie will be at the specialist's office tomorrow at 10 a.m. Hope to know more afterwards and yes surgery is the best option now. of course no liver shunt would have been the ideal but we have to work with the cards we are dealt. All I know is that I will do what ever I can to make sure Sadie lives a long healthy life. Praying its surgical. |
My Sophie had liver shunt surgery 5 weeks ago and is doing great! Please feel free to message me. Praying for your baby. |
A good friend of mine had his 8 month Old Yorkie go thru the surgery . He is doing great! |
Our first post surgery blood work and bile test is in 2 weeks, about 7 weeks post op. Hoping to see some improvements in the numbers but not expecting them to be normal for a few months. Sophie's post bile acids were in the 300's before surgery so crossing my fingers they are down considerably. |
Bella's one month post op numbers were still elevated. But the whole purpose of this surgery is to slowly allow the liver to grow and the blood vessels to learn how to handle the blood flow that they were not having prior. The 3 and 6 month tests are really the ones that have significance to show how things are going. |
Yes, very true, it takes time. However the surgeon recommended a check 6 to 8 weeks post op to see if the numbers have started to come down. At this stage only looking for some improvement. Sophie has gained 1 lb. since having the surgery so it's looking good (that is a lot of weight for a 5 lb. dog). Also, her numbers were so darn high to begin with, there is lots of room for improvement. Both her regular vet and surgeon recommending testing this early in the game and then another test 6 months post op. At that time, I am hoping her numbers are close to normal and we can switch to a regular diet. |
Also, in theory -- the shunt is closed off 2 to 4 weeks after surgery but like you said, the liver needs to repair itself before things can be normal. |
I agree that it is something to see them put on weight and start to thrive. Bella went into surgery at 2.2 pounds. At her one month post op, she was a little over three pounds. We are thrilled to see it. There are a few different ways of doing the surgery as far as methods go, but I could have sworn that mine said it would take at least a couple of months before the shunt would close. That being said, her shunt was really large so that might play into that extra time... |
Wow a tiny pup! That is great news about her weight gain! The surgeon told me 2 to 4 weeks for the shunt to close, he indicated that they do not know for sure but that is the theory. Do you mind sharing your dog's bile acid tests results before surgery and after you had her tested post-op? |
Just seeing this. Hope that Sadie is doing well. |
I think it is so sad to see so many Yorkies having liver shunts. My best advice when getting a Yorkie (regardless of the breeder or source), is to get insurance immediately! I was also told that a puppy has to be 6 months or older before they can even diagnose a shunt. So even if you have a clean bill of health from the vet as a puppy, they can still have a shunt (this happened to me). GET INSURANCE, please. |
That's very true...they often don't show up for years. My Teddy Bear was diagnosed as an (approx) 8 year old. I had adopted him in 2007 and he was diagnosed in 2013. Prior to that he was seen by my vet on a regular basis and dentals done...had blood work done 8 times over that time span and there were never any irregularities. Here is the thread about his diagnosis and treatment. He is a happy boy now and doing fantastic! http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sic...ver-shunt.html |
Liver Disease Unknown I posted about two weeks ago under Liver Shunt. My vet thought my Sadie had a liver shunt after a seizure, elevated ATL and bile acid tests. What we've been through since. Took her to an internist who did an ultra sound, no shunt found. Took her to a surgeon did a CT, no shunt...she has no shunt. Did biopsies waiting for results. Doctor found no cirrhosis, no tumors. Her liver was discolored and "soft" whatever that means. I cannot find any information and the waiting is killing me. I am so worried. Anyone have any idea? |
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At one month post op, her Pre # was 105.8 and her post was not noted because she was still high. Prior to surgery, her first numbers were 96.4 Pre and 136.8 post. We are hoping for some improvement when we go back for her 3 month post op and 6 month retest. |
Sophie had her blood work and bile acid done on Friday -- about 8 weeks post liver shunt surgery. Waiting on results of bile test but her pre surgery ALT results were 225 and now her ALT is 102 (only 2 points outside normal range) and that is good news. Hopeful her bile acids are down too. as pre-surgery they were 350. |
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Great news!! We go back for the three months recheck in Sept and are hoping for similar numbers. |
Update UPDATE: We have been from one specialist to another....After ultra sounds, CT scans and biopsies Sadie has been diagnosed with Microvascular Dysplasia of her liver, not a shunt. She will have dietary changes and meds. she has had a second seizure but not as bad as the first and from all reports she should live a relatively normal life with a normal life expectancy. |
Hi there, I pray that your little bundles of joy are doing well. My little guy Braxton is slated to have a bile test tomorrow to determine if he has liver shunts. Please let me know if any of your babies experienced itching? He had a neurological episode (which I believe was low surgar) and he itches constantly. He has not experienced the common symptoms. Thanks for your input! |
Come to think of it, Bella was a lot more itchy before she had the surgery, but I didn't think of it until I read your post. That being said, it wasn't an all the time itching, but she did seem to itch more pre surgery than she does these days. |
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I need to check that out...curious now... |
Braxton Thanks for the responses. Brax's bile duct test came back inconclusive. The test was elevated, but not enough to diagnose a shunt. Now, he's on a rx diet to see if this helps with his itching. The vet wants to do another bile duct test to be sure in a few weeks. I may just watch him before we decide to more testing. Anyone have any experience with royal canine hydrolyzed protein food? |
I have two pups on Hill's Ultra Z/D which is a hydrolized protein food and they are doing well on it. One has gastro issues and the other had a liver shunt repair and has MVD. I imagine the RC is about the same. RC and Hill's both have similar RX foods and they usually work out well for the pups. I hope it helps Braxton's itching. |
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