My Indy has a liver shunt!!
 

Well, yesterday sucked!! I took Indy for his ultrasound yesterday and they found a really big portosystemic liver shunt. Bottom line, he either has surgery or he'll die. Good news is we caught it really early, his liver is still normal size, although lower end of normal, and he isn't showing any clinical signs yet. It is extrahepatic which means it is on the outside of the liver so it is easily accessible. The surgeon I consulted with said he is a really good candidate for surgery and gives a 90% chance of full recovery if I have it done right away before anymore liver damage occurs. Bad news is that the surgery will cost anywhere from $1800 to $3000. My husband just got laid off and started a new job with a $20,000 pay cut so money is really tight with us. Does anyone have any suggestions? Someone suggested Yorkie Rescue sometimes will have funds available to help people, does anyone know anything about this? I really want to save my baby, but I'm not sure that we can get the money for the surgery so I might have to have him put to sleep. ANY INPUT WILL BE APPRECIATED!!!

Here is a site I found a few years ago - I wish I could help more but they do help in Emergency cases - http://www.imom.org I had emailed them for my sons sick weiner dog and they responded to me within days -

I'm so sorry about your baby - I hope you can have the surgery and that it's sucessful - That's really sad news but the good thing is they can treat him. GOOD luck and keep us posted.

IMOM's MISSION STATEMENT:
Our Goals
To see a day when we never have to tell a financial aid applicant "we're sorry, but we have no funds available to help your pet". No animal should ever have to be euthanized because their person simply does not have the money to get necessary veterinary care to save its’ life.

i am so sorry to hear this news. My heart goes out to you.

OH NO!!! I am so sorry to hear this. I really don't know how to help you but someone on here will know something I am sure. Please keep us posted on what happens. We will pray that help comes your way and you won't have to put your baby to sleep! :(

I am so sorry to hear the bad news abotu Indy but the prognosis sounds good. I think the Terry Schumsky Foundation helps people who cannot afford the surgery. Have you tried that? She recently passed away but I know I donated when she died and i think her sister kept her work going. Please let us know what you find out.

I called today to schedule Indy's surgery. The surgeon will call me back tomorrow to talk to me and schedule the appointment. I will find the money, even if I have to work a second part time job and finance the surgery. I don't want to lose my baby!! He is the sweetest dog and we are very connected. He is truly my dog. He's such a snuggle bunny and I love it!! Thanks to all that responded, I am looking into both of the suggestions that Kim and Villette suggested, but it really doesn't matter whether they can give me money or not cuz he's having the surgery. I have to give him the chance at life!!

I will be praying for Indy. Chloe sends lots of hugs and kisses.
Joy, Nikki and Chloe Rose :rose: :getwellso :girl_hug: :girl_hug: :love: :love:

Do whatever it takes to
 

save your baby. When my Benni had his OD, I used my rent and car payment money to pay for his care and have been working a second job (I work days full time 40+ hours per week) and now several nights a week at a concert venue. Sometimes I get less than 20 hours sleep per week! I was almost caught up and thinking that I could quit the second job, but then my car needed repairs, so I am still working the temporary second job. I am almost 57 years old, so it is not easy, but whatever it took to save my baby, it has been worth it to me. Good luck.

Oh my gosh that is terrible, Please keep us informed on how he is doing amd whether either of those places can help you..God bless, your in my prayers.

my little puppy max was diagnosed with a liver shunt when he was 4 months old (in may of this year). we found out he had a liver shunt when he started have seizures. that was the only clinical sign he had thank goodness. we had the surgery a couple days after he was diagnosed and it has now been 4 months since then and he is doing wonderfully! max is now on a low protein diet (hill k/d) and is taking lactulose daily. they had him on amoxicillin but we recently got to quit that. we had his bile acids tested again 2 months after surgery and they were still elevated. but they said sometimes it takes 6 months for them to come down or sometimes they never get back to normal but can live a healthy life following the speical diet. we'll have his bile acids tested again in october. i am just thankful that we found out what he had early on and were able to have surgery to take care of it. our surgery cost us 1200 but i would do it all over again if i had to!

be very thankful that your puppy has not shown any clinical signs and his liver is not badly damaged. i feel confident your little baby can make a full recovery from surgery! you can find alot of good info at the following websites and livershunt.com has a yahoo group you can join to discuss more about liver shunt. if you have any questions, please let me know!! i'll keep you and your little furbaby in my prayers!!

www.livershunt.com
www.tsfannymaelivershunt.com

brooke & "max"

I am so sorry about Indy! But I just came across a site called www.tsfannymaelivershunt.com This site is where people donate money to help people who have yorkies with livershunt problems and don't have the money. Contact them! They can probably help. Especially, since that is what they collect money for. I hope I wrote the email address correctly. I was so excited about it when I came across it. I had read your post about an hour before coming across this info. If this isn't the correct address let me know! Good luck with your baby.

So sorry to hear about little Indy's diagnosis. We will be praying for you all and that you receive the help you need. Please keep us updated.

That is horrible news. I hope that you can make the right decisions for your baby and your family. I also hope that you can get the funds to pay for the surgery. Keep us updated.

liver shunt
 

Talk to the breeder..you are due a refund, since this is a genetic problem.

Im so sorry to read about Indy and the liver shunt My thoughts are with you. :) dianne and prudence :)