Liver Shunts

[dwerten]

Portosystemic Shunt (Hepatic Shunt) in Dogs

[Rklane56]

yes i was...i currently moved to long island where there are move board certified vets and better surgeons if needed...

[dwerten]

Originally Posted by Rklane56

yes i was...i currently moved to long island where there are move board certified vets and better surgeons if needed...

i have a friend with a liver shunt surgery survivor in new jersey if you want me to get her specialist - I believe it is Dr green at Red Bank she is tough to get in to see but she is really good - is that too far from you ?

Red Bank Veterinary Hospital
197 Hance Avenue
Tinton Falls, NJ 07724

731-747-3636
_________________

Red Bank Veterinary Hospital

[TLC]

Originally Posted by Rklane56

Thank you for everything guys, the biopsy came back fine, nothing was found and they didnt find anything in the ultrasound or the exploratory surgury...The only thing that points to a shunt is the bloodwork...the scientigraphy will tell me 100% if there is a shunt...Im hoping that he will be ok being managed medically...a part of me if hoping that the scientigraphy comes back saying there is noting wrong, is that possible?!?!?

Did they Biopsy different parts of the liver? I have read/heard that there could be MVD in only 1 part of the liver.

[TLC]

Originally Posted by Rklane56

<LI class=ArticleContentBullet lastVisited="0" roundtrip="0">Lack of appetite
<LI class=ArticleContentBullet lastVisited="0" roundtrip="0">Lethargy
<LI class=ArticleContentBullet lastVisited="0" roundtrip="0">Weakness
<LI class=ArticleContentBullet lastVisited="0" roundtrip="0">Disorientation
<LI class=ArticleContentBullet lastVisited="0" roundtrip="0">Stumbling
<LI class=ArticleContentBullet lastVisited="0" roundtrip="0">Circling or pacing
<LI class=ArticleContentBullet lastVisited="0" roundtrip="0">Apparent staring into the corner
<LI class=ArticleContentBullet lastVisited="0" roundtrip="0">Pressing of the head against objects
<LI class=ArticleContentBullet lastVisited="0" roundtrip="0">Seizures
<LI class=ArticleContentBullet lastVisited="0" roundtrip="0">Blindness
<LI class=ArticleContentBullet lastVisited="0" roundtrip="0">Behavioral changes
<LI class=ArticleContentBullet lastVisited="0" roundtrip="0">Excess salivation (more common in cats)
<LI class=ArticleContentBullet lastVisited="0" roundtrip="0">Vomiting
<LI class=ArticleContentBullet lastVisited="0" roundtrip="0">Diarrhea
<LI class=ArticleContentBullet lastVisited="0" roundtrip="0">Increased thirst and [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]frequent [COLOR=blue !important]urination[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] (more likely in dogs)
<LI class=ArticleContentBullet lastVisited="0" roundtrip="0">Straining to urinate
<LI class=ArticleContentBullet lastVisited="0" roundtrip="0">Blood in the urine
<LI class=ArticleContentBullet lastVisited="0" roundtrip="0">Failure to grow and thrive
<LI class=ArticleContentBullet lastVisited="0" roundtrip="0">[COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]Weight [COLOR=blue !important]loss[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR]
These are things that are normal for a dog that has liver shunts and timmy does none of these things...he is hungry all the time, has fine bowel movements, doesn't overly drink or uninate, there is no blood in the urine, he is a great size, he is strong, doesnt stumble or circle, doesn't stare or press his head against objects, he sees everything and he is the same mood all the time! The only thing he does do is shake, but it could be because he gets cold easily...once i hold him he stops shaking! COuld his Bile Acid High Level be something else?

Sounds just like my Roxy. She is 5 lbs. When I didn't know she had liver issues, the only thing I can say that she did, was she was very docile at times, and she would lay on the couch and sleep. Now that I know she most likely has MVD and she is eating the proper food and getting the right supplements, she is a brand new dog, she plays ALL the time!

She doesn't really have any muscle tone though, which I believe is a symptom too. And she gets cold very easy and shakes too.

I hope you find the answers, but know this is managable!

[TLC]

Originally Posted by Rklane56

yes i was...i currently moved to long island where there are move board certified vets and better surgeons if needed...

I am on Long Island too. Who is the Specialist?

[dwerten]

Originally Posted by TLC

Sounds just like my Roxy. She is 5 lbs. When I didn't know she had liver issues, the only thing I can say that she did, was she was very docile at times, and she would lay on the couch and sleep. Now that I know she most likely has MVD and she is eating the proper food and getting the right supplements, she is a brand new dog, she plays ALL the time!

She doesn't really have any muscle tone though, which I believe is a symptom too. And she gets cold very easy and shakes too.

I hope you find the answers, but know this is managable!

have you had her thyroid checked with a 6 panel thyroid only because getting cold easily is a sign of that as well just thought i would throw that in there so if not maybe do the add on with next blood work to rule that out

[TLC]

Originally Posted by dwerten

have you had her thyroid checked with a 6 panel thyroid only because getting cold easily is a sign of that as well just thought i would throw that in there so if not maybe do the add on with next blood work to rule that out

Thanks. She will be getting her yearly blood work done in March and I will ask them to test for that!

[dwerten]

Originally Posted by TLC

Thanks. She will be getting her yearly blood work done in March and I will ask them to test for that!

yeah make sure they send to michigan state lab as they and jean dodds are most accurate with thyroid panels and make sure t4free, t4, t3free, t3, t4aa, t3aa as that is the most accurate way to test for hypothyroid. My dd is hypothyroid and they only need one symptom to have it at least rule it out to be safe as low thyroid can cause a lot of probs including seizures if low enough. 1.0 t4free is normal for yorkies and my dd was .30 - she went from .78 to .30 in one year and vet told me no need to do thyroid so i went to jean dodds and glad i did as she was hypothyroid at .30 and she had only lost all hair on neck. Text book is hair loss on back and tail so dd did not read the text book lolllll

[Rklane56]

Originally Posted by TLC

I am on Long Island too. Who is the Specialist?

It is in manhattan...AMC...Animal Medical Center - New York City they were excellent!!!

[Rklane56]

Originally Posted by TLC

I am on Long Island too. Who is the Specialist?

It is in manhattan...AMC...Animal Medical Center - New York City they were excellent!!!

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by Rklane56

It is in manhattan...AMC...Animal Medical Center - New York City they were excellent!!!

Impressive staff and facility from what I see.

[dwerten]

Originally Posted by Rklane56

It is in manhattan...AMC...Animal Medical Center - New York City they were excellent!!!

this place is good as my friend is picky and she sees the nephrologist there for her dog with kidney disease

Nephrology | Animal Medical Center

[ArmaniMan]

I was just reading through your post and was going to suggest AMC to you, glad you have found this place... it is an amazing facility... Dr. Cook treats my MVD dog... I found her when I was frustrated and sick of vets who didnt know anything... she was amazing in working to diagnose my dogs issues.

[ging4444]

I just had my dog operated on for a liver shunt at the University of Tennessee in January. He had no liver shunt symptoms. I took him in for a full blood test after Christmas because I felt something was not right. He wasn't as active as I thought he should be for his age and he would shake a lot. I always had sweaters on him because he would get cold so easily. I was surprised to learn he had a liver shunt because he didn't do the things on the list but I am so glad I had him tested just to make sure. Please go to the liver shunt forum other people have posted on here for more information. They are wonderful and will help you. My dog is so different now I can't believe it.