Any liver issues are potentially serious and frightening. I did lose one dog to liver shunt issues..it was a rescue..and by the time it was caught through blood work it was too late to save him. He was 4 months..six when he died. And you are right, you really have to get into it in depth which means a specialist and big bucks to be able to pinpoint exactly what if involved and what possible treatment can help. Otherwise it is hit or miss. I am glad all had a happy ending with yours Crystal. Pam M
From: Crystal Thirion <[email protected]> To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, November 1, 2011 12:00 PM Subject: Re: [Chihuahuas] Liver Shunt I'm not a vet but i think if it was a liver shunt they would have found it way before 7 months. Pups do not use their livers while they are in the womb because the mothers liver filters everything. Either sometime right before or right after birth, the shunt is supposed to close so the pups liver can function on its own. Our pup was diagnosed at 12 weeks with a liver shunt. We switched him to low protein food and started him on lactalose. He had cluster seizures and was basically on the brink of death when we took him to the vet. He is 6 months now and we just switched him back to normal food. I'm still giving him lactalose but he seems to be doing good. My vet said that blood work can show if the liver isn't working well but she said the actual tests to diagnose a liver shunt are very expensive so she just started treating it The research I did looked horrible too. I would seek a second opinion. I think if it was a liver shunt it would have affected him as a pup. Keep us posted `’•.¸*♫♪(✿◠‿◠)♫♪*¸.•’´ (♥) Crystal (♥) ¸.•’´*♫♪(✿◠‿◠)♫♪*`’•.¸ On Oct 31, 2011, at 10:52 AM, Patricia Polk <[email protected]> wrote: >I read your posts but never have posted. > > >I have a 7 month old Chi long hair....Gidget's baby teeth aren't coming out. >In perpetration to remove these teeth blood work was taken. Seems that a >liver issue may have started. The vet called it a liver shunt. Have any of >you heard of this? Can you advise me. The internet paints a pretty bleak >picture of this problem. > > >Thank You, Gidget and her mom Pat > > >Patricia Polk >www.flickr.com/patquilts2008
