Hi, please help

[Cheerful1]

Sending prayers to you and Boufo.

[msvette2u]

I'm so sorry you're having to deal with this, your puppy is so young

We had a dog with a mild liver shunt, and gave her liver support supplements.
S Adenosyl (SAMe) for Dogs and Cats by Vitality Systems

Milk thistle can also be used, providing your puppy pulls through.
The problem of course, if it's a liver issue, the liver has to detoxify the anesthesia correctly or surgery is often too risky.

[arycrest]

Wish I could help you ... hope and pray your pup will be okay.

Years ago I read a lot about liver shunts on certain AOL dog breed boards ... can't recall the breeds today so I googled breeds prone to shunts ... Shih Tzus, Yorkies, Tibetian Spaniels, and Minature Schnauzers (spelling may be wrong). Also mentioned were Irish Wolfhounds and Labs for a different type of liver shunt. Why don't you see if you can find more information by checking out these breeds where the problem is more prevalent.

GOOD LUCK!!!

[msvette2u]

Liver Shunts in Dogs

[Zeeva]

OH MY :C

Sending good health vibes to Boufo. Wish I could help. That sounds absolutely awful.

[GatorBytes]

Originally Posted by Shlee

Hi there. It's my first time posting on here. I recently bought a long haired GSD. I called him Boufo. He is only 9 weeks old.

Yesterday while he was on my lap while my friend was driving Boufo started weeing and pooing. I got my friend to pull over and as I lifted him outside he was fully stiff and fell straight over onto his head. I picked him up again and he fell over again. I then laid him down and realize he was having a seizure. He was frothing at the mouth and his heart was racing.

I quickly drove him to the vet when they sedated him and did test. They said he had fluid in his lungs but were not sure why.. After about 24hrs of test and 6 or 7 more seizures they are still unsure of what is wrong. They think it is a shunt near his liver which is not allowing him to process his food properly. This is causing a build up of toxins in his body which they think is causing the seizures.

They are waiting for results from a test which had to be sent away. I hopefully get these results tomorrow morning.

They also can see something in his stomach. They think he may have eaten rocks. He is currently unable to pass these through his body. This is causing more complications in diagnosing exactly what is wrong.

He is currently too unstable to operate on as the medicines will most probably kill him..

Does anyone have any information or experience with shunts and or rocks in a dogs stomach.

Please help if you can.

Thanks,
Nick

What tests? Was he x-rayed to determine what is in the gut? You don't have to anesthesize to x-ray, especially with advent of digital...

Could the vet not have induced vomiting while being supervised or giving something to help evacuate thru the other end?

Is it possible that the cause is the rocks or whatever and not a liver shunt. Dogs unlike humans only produce bile and enzymes when they eat. So if rocks are sitting in the gut the stomach is producing acids trying to dissolve to make it ready for transport to the small intestine. From there the pancreas and liver excrete enzymes/bile - the pancreas also regulates insulin...I think there could also be some kind of toxin introduced via the ingestion of something - possibly lead - this could have a direct effect on the neuro system and megaE causing the regurgitation and fluid in the lungs. This constant excretion of enzymes can cause the auto digestion of the internal organs and stomach. You may want to get to another vet.

I think the vet should have forced evacuation of the stomach contents.

[selzer]

Any news?

It sounds like the pup is poisoned and that is what is causing the liver numbers to be bad, but I am not a vet. Definite emergency situation, and I hope your dog pulls through, but I am really concerned with the cause of the obstruction and possibly poisoning being still in the stomach.

[Shlee]

Wow! thank you all so much for the support.. it really helps.. =)

I just picked him up from night time emergency and took him to the day time vet. He didn't have any seizures overnight which is good.. I think he was pretty heavily medicated though.

The test results I'm waiting for is the blood work to determine whether or not he has a shunt.

I spoke to the vet about trying to induce vomiting but they are saying that he is currently too out of it and too unstable to try.

I hopefully get the shunt test results in the next couple hours..

I'll keep you all posted. Thanks again.
Nick

[Shlee]

They have ruled out a liver shunt and they have spoken to 2 specialists who are now saying check for lead poisoning, neospora, coccidiosis (I think that's what they said) and one other thing.

The problem is that they take 7-10 working days for the results to come back and I am currently paying $600-$900 dollars a day to keep him monitored at the vet. I just can't afford to keep paying that each day. I have spent over $3000 in the last 2 days..

I just don't know what to do. I just want my puppy back.


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[GatorBytes]

What is the prognosis. Do they feel confident that if they find a problem he will be well?

Was he just vaccinated? What ones, 7 in 1? 5 in 1? anything else - flea/heartworm prevention.
Ask the vet or breeder for the vaccine info - manufacter, lot # ~ this could be a vaccine reaction...they do not always happen within hrs.

Is he still out of it and what are they doing about the stomach contents. Did they x-ray to see if they can induce vimiting or are waiting to see?

Need to look neospora prevelence in your area.

Coccidiosis ~ this shouldn't take 7-10 days
Symptoms in young dogs are universal: at some point around 2–3 months of age, an infected dog develops persistently loose stools. This diarrhea proceeds to stool containing liquid, thick mucus, and light colored fecal matter. As the infection progresses, spots of blood may become apparent in the stool, and sudden bowel movements may surprise both dog and owner alike. Other symptoms may include poor appetite, vomiting, dehydration, and sometimes death.
Treatment is extremely effective and routine, but may be expensive for some dog owners. A veterinarian can easily diagnose the disease through low-powered microscopic examination of an affected dog's feces, which usually will be replete with oocysts. One of many easily administered and inexpensive drugs will be prescribed, and, in the course of just a few days, an infection will be eliminated or perhaps reduced to such a level that the dog's immune system can make its own progress against the infection. Even when an infection has progressed sufficiently that blood is present in feces, permanent damage to the gastrointestinal system is rare, and the dog will most likely make a complete recovery without long-lasting negative effects.