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07-31-2015, 03:31 AM | #1 |
YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: May 2012 Location: stafford
Posts: 7
| 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? |
Welcome Guest! | |
07-31-2015, 04:56 AM | #2 |
Donating 500 Club Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: Jacksonville, FL USA
Posts: 881
| 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.
__________________ Russ, Denise, Bella and Bailey . |
07-31-2015, 05:31 AM | #3 |
YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: May 2012 Location: stafford
Posts: 7
| 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. |
07-31-2015, 06:05 PM | #4 |
Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Long Island, New York
Posts: 5,891
| 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
__________________ Lisa and Katie Ashley 6/10, Gracie 2/04, Kiwi 10/03, and Jolie 7/93 . |
08-01-2015, 05:47 AM | #5 |
YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: May 2012 Location: stafford
Posts: 7
| 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? |
08-01-2015, 11:12 AM | #6 | |
Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Toronto
Posts: 77
| Quote:
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! | |
08-01-2015, 07:16 PM | #7 |
Donating 500 Club Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: Jacksonville, FL USA
Posts: 881
| 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.
__________________ Russ, Denise, Bella and Bailey . |
08-02-2015, 09:15 AM | #8 |
YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: May 2012 Location: stafford
Posts: 7
| 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. |
08-06-2015, 05:48 PM | #9 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Richmond, VA
Posts: 59
| My Sophie had liver shunt surgery 5 weeks ago and is doing great! Please feel free to message me. Praying for your baby. |
08-09-2015, 03:56 PM | #10 |
& "The Bunny" Donating Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Mesa, AZ
Posts: 806
| A good friend of mine had his 8 month Old Yorkie go thru the surgery . He is doing great!
__________________ Katy |
08-09-2015, 04:01 PM | #11 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Richmond, VA
Posts: 59
| 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. |
08-10-2015, 05:56 AM | #12 |
Donating 500 Club Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: Jacksonville, FL USA
Posts: 881
| 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.
__________________ Russ, Denise, Bella and Bailey . |
08-10-2015, 06:06 AM | #13 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Richmond, VA
Posts: 59
| 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. |
08-10-2015, 06:08 AM | #14 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Richmond, VA
Posts: 59
| 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. |
08-10-2015, 06:26 AM | #15 |
Donating 500 Club Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: Jacksonville, FL USA
Posts: 881
| 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...
__________________ Russ, Denise, Bella and Bailey . |
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