I posted awhile back about my puppy having a strange dizzy episode...He is almost 5 months old now and had a 2nd episode today. I called the emerg vet and she said that it could be a condition known as portosystemic shunt....a dysfunctional liver. He is fine now after sleeping for awhile and she said symptoms could be aggravated by eating alot (which he does) and cause dogs to act "dopey". Blood tests in future are needed to check if this is a problem. Anyone know anything about it? What kind of treatments are there if it comes up positive?
Porto systemic shunt
- Thread starter KhayNette
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Portosystemic shunts (liver shunts- LS) usually always require surgery to close them. There are other diseases like microvascular dysplasia (MVD) which can mimic LS and do not require surgery but do require life long management.
The first thing you need to do is have a Bile Acid Test done on your dog- the vet will take blood from your dog, feed him a fatty food, wait two hours and then take another blood test. If the second number (post meal) is over 100, it is usually considered a shunt, under 100 but elevated is considered MVD.
If LS is suspected your pup will need further testing to determine whether there is actually a shunt and whether it can be successfully closed. If MVD is suspected, a liver biopsy is needed to confirm and the vet will usually wait until the pup is altered. Some people choose not to biopsy if everything but MVD has been ruled out and the vet will just treat MVD.
If a shunt is closed- the liver is usually biopsied at that time because MVD can still be present as a secondary condition. MVD is small internal shunting throughout the liver. The treatment for this condition is a low protein, low fat food for life- consisting of easily digestible proteins such as chicken, cod, and egg protein. Some vets will recommend denamarin as a daily supplement- if this does not agree with your dog- some people just use a milk thistle supplement. Personally, I use this supplement http://www.homevet.com/osc/product_info.php?products_id=74&osCsid=986806cfed6167aacb80759dfcf0a926
Many vets have not dealt with LS and MVD in their practice- if you are going to have your regular vet do the Bile Acid Test they can contact Dr. Centers at Cornell and she will explain the procedure to them. If the Bile Acids are elevated- the best thing you can do is find a board certified specialist to take it from there.
This is not a condition to wait on- Bile Acid Tests should be done as soon as possible.
What breed of dog do you have? Just wondering because it is much more likely in certain breeds.
Also- I dont know where you got your puppy- but LS and MVD are congenital defects that will usually trigger a health guarantee if you have one from the breeder.
Please feel free to PM me with any questions- I have been researching both LS and MVD for years now.
On a more positive note, I have seen and read stories of many dogs who have come through LS surgery with flying colors and are doing well... as well, I am successfully managing two MVD dogs (one confirmed, one suspected) and know many others as well.
Good Luck.
The first thing you need to do is have a Bile Acid Test done on your dog- the vet will take blood from your dog, feed him a fatty food, wait two hours and then take another blood test. If the second number (post meal) is over 100, it is usually considered a shunt, under 100 but elevated is considered MVD.
If LS is suspected your pup will need further testing to determine whether there is actually a shunt and whether it can be successfully closed. If MVD is suspected, a liver biopsy is needed to confirm and the vet will usually wait until the pup is altered. Some people choose not to biopsy if everything but MVD has been ruled out and the vet will just treat MVD.
If a shunt is closed- the liver is usually biopsied at that time because MVD can still be present as a secondary condition. MVD is small internal shunting throughout the liver. The treatment for this condition is a low protein, low fat food for life- consisting of easily digestible proteins such as chicken, cod, and egg protein. Some vets will recommend denamarin as a daily supplement- if this does not agree with your dog- some people just use a milk thistle supplement. Personally, I use this supplement http://www.homevet.com/osc/product_info.php?products_id=74&osCsid=986806cfed6167aacb80759dfcf0a926
Many vets have not dealt with LS and MVD in their practice- if you are going to have your regular vet do the Bile Acid Test they can contact Dr. Centers at Cornell and she will explain the procedure to them. If the Bile Acids are elevated- the best thing you can do is find a board certified specialist to take it from there.
This is not a condition to wait on- Bile Acid Tests should be done as soon as possible.
What breed of dog do you have? Just wondering because it is much more likely in certain breeds.
Also- I dont know where you got your puppy- but LS and MVD are congenital defects that will usually trigger a health guarantee if you have one from the breeder.
Please feel free to PM me with any questions- I have been researching both LS and MVD for years now.
On a more positive note, I have seen and read stories of many dogs who have come through LS surgery with flying colors and are doing well... as well, I am successfully managing two MVD dogs (one confirmed, one suspected) and know many others as well.
Good Luck.
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Need Help
My pet shih-tzu 2.3 years old suffering from portosystemic liver shunt. My vet trying to find some specialist in my local area (Hartford CT). They are suggesting me to go for surgery. I can go for surgery but not sure how effective it would be. Is there any risk involved? Please some guide me. I will take my baby to any doctor in the country but i need to treat him with best medical facilities. My vet told me there risk involved but not sure what route i need to go. Please someone guide me or show me some direction.
Thank you,
Amit
My pet shih-tzu 2.3 years old suffering from portosystemic liver shunt. My vet trying to find some specialist in my local area (Hartford CT). They are suggesting me to go for surgery. I can go for surgery but not sure how effective it would be. Is there any risk involved? Please some guide me. I will take my baby to any doctor in the country but i need to treat him with best medical facilities. My vet told me there risk involved but not sure what route i need to go. Please someone guide me or show me some direction.
Thank you,
Amit
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My pet shih-tzu 2.3 years old suffering from portosystemic liver shunt. My vet trying to find some specialist in my local area (Hartford CT). They are suggesting me to go for surgery. I can go for surgery but not sure how effective it would be. Is there any risk involved? Please some guide me. I will take my baby to any doctor in the country but i need to treat him with best medical facilities. My vet told me there risk involved but not sure what route i need to go. Please someone guide me or show me some direction.
Thank you,
Amit
Thank you,
Amit
I cannot say enough about Animal Medical Center in NYC Animal Medical Center - New York City
They have specialists who are able to handle these types of issues- they have been treating my little one for the last few years.
What makes your vet think your pup has a shunt? Has it been confirmed or is it only suspected?
There is risk involved in this surgery but in almost all cases is required.
Please send me a PM if you want any information on AMC or have any other questions.
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My dog and its shunt
I have a 14 month old puggle who is getting surgery for this disease on Jan 11. You must get your vet to schedule your dog for a bile acid test. this test will tell you if your dog has this disease. It is a blood vessel that takes the bile around the liver and it slowly kills off the liver. The bile and toxins don't clean out of the system and the dog gets ill. If our dog has one then the symptoms you are talking about sound like HE symptoms. the toxins go to the brain and can cause seizures and coma. My Gabby use to get sick once a week and pace for 24 hours constantly. vomit, look drunk and fall over. Your dog gets sick up to 2 hours after eatting. YOU MUST get your dog the test and low protien food. NO SNACKS! You need low protien food from the vet, like Hills prescription L/D food and a medicine called Lactulose that binds up the toxins and makes the dog poop them out.
You can medically care for your dog, but they usualy don't life more than 3-4 years with this. If they get surgery they have an 85-95% sucess rate of living a long life.
I am a member of a group called Liver Shunt and MVD support. I can't recall the address because it is under my favorites, but look it up and join. These people are great and their dogs have this and have had the surgery. 1. You must get he test done 2. You must get low protien food and give no snacks esp. protien. 3. You need lactulose. Your vet prescries it and you got to a pharmacy and get it. It is $7.00 for a large bottle.
I don't want to alarm you but you must ge the bile test and do not take no for am answer from your vet. Get the food and the medicine. My Gabby was better withing 2 days of starting the medicine. It buys you time. Start saving for a surgery if it turns out to be this. In Pittsburgh it costs 1700-2500$ But it can save your dog from dying and sickness.
Any questions email me at [email protected]
Melissa
I have a 14 month old puggle who is getting surgery for this disease on Jan 11. You must get your vet to schedule your dog for a bile acid test. this test will tell you if your dog has this disease. It is a blood vessel that takes the bile around the liver and it slowly kills off the liver. The bile and toxins don't clean out of the system and the dog gets ill. If our dog has one then the symptoms you are talking about sound like HE symptoms. the toxins go to the brain and can cause seizures and coma. My Gabby use to get sick once a week and pace for 24 hours constantly. vomit, look drunk and fall over. Your dog gets sick up to 2 hours after eatting. YOU MUST get your dog the test and low protien food. NO SNACKS! You need low protien food from the vet, like Hills prescription L/D food and a medicine called Lactulose that binds up the toxins and makes the dog poop them out.
You can medically care for your dog, but they usualy don't life more than 3-4 years with this. If they get surgery they have an 85-95% sucess rate of living a long life.
I am a member of a group called Liver Shunt and MVD support. I can't recall the address because it is under my favorites, but look it up and join. These people are great and their dogs have this and have had the surgery. 1. You must get he test done 2. You must get low protien food and give no snacks esp. protien. 3. You need lactulose. Your vet prescries it and you got to a pharmacy and get it. It is $7.00 for a large bottle.
I don't want to alarm you but you must ge the bile test and do not take no for am answer from your vet. Get the food and the medicine. My Gabby was better withing 2 days of starting the medicine. It buys you time. Start saving for a surgery if it turns out to be this. In Pittsburgh it costs 1700-2500$ But it can save your dog from dying and sickness.
Any questions email me at [email protected]
Melissa