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Liver Shunts in Shih Tzu

Discussion in 'Dogs - all breeds / types' started by milly2008, May 23, 2012.

  1. milly2008

    milly2008 New Member

    I am in despair. My 4yr old Shih Tzu has just been diagnosed with Liver Shunt from an Ultra sound. Her liver is so small it is barely functioning and she has fluid in the abdomen and also in the brain although she is not showing neurological symptoms yet.
    I need to speak to anyone who has gone through this and help me decide whether I should try surgery. Vet says success rate is 50% and it is a painful operation. But she is only 4
     
  2. charmedagain

    charmedagain New Member

    Only you can decide this, I would be asking the vets how much pain she is going to be in and for how long after the surgery, How long would she live without the surgery and with it, 50% is not a lot of you really think about it.
    What are the chances of her liver failing again and the same thing happening again.

    Personally if her quality of life will be reduced i would leave things alone and allow nature to take its course but thats me..

    I have a dog that has a mammary tumour and been told that she may have some inside her body which you can't see and this is usually the lungs, Removing it would make any others rapidly grown reducing her life rather than prolonging it, so i opted to leave it alone.

    Sorry i couldn't be more help

    Mike
     
  3. charmedagain

    charmedagain New Member

  4. milly2008

    milly2008 New Member

    Thanks for the replies. Since I posted I have been in touch with a Surgeon at Sydney University Vet Faculty. There is an 80-90% success rate with surgery if it is an external shunt. She will need to go to Sydney to have a CT Scan and a couple of other tests. I will not allow her to have surgery nor will the surgeon if everything is not in order. She is now on a low protein diet for the next month and then if she is okay the tests will begin. They will not hurt or distress her. After that we will discuss her chances for surgery. Very, very expensive and she's worth it. If she was older I would probably let nature take it's course but as she is just 4 and they have a life span of 15-16 yrs she could have a long healthy life if the surgery was successful.
     
  5. charmedagain

    charmedagain New Member

    I wish there was more owners like you around.
    I hope all goes well and you manage to get her back to full health.

    Mike
     
  6. milly2008

    milly2008 New Member

    I lost my Post! Here goes again.

    Mike your reply meant such a lot to me. Apart from the surgeon everyone has reacted negatively to me telling them I will let her have surgery. They say don't put her through it or just love her while you have her, or don't spend all that money on a dog etc. I have done a lot of checking and if it is an external shunt it is up to 95% success rate. The surgeon will only operate if it is external. As for the money it is better I spend it on her than give it to my ungrateful kids so thank you Mike.


    If you cannot afford it you should never have a Pet. said my Vet many years ago.
     

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