My pug puppy needs liver shunt surgery. What are her survival chances?

With a liver shunt the puppy will not thrive and eventually will die, especially since he already has severe clinical signs of illness. The liver is the main detoxification organ of the body and when it does not work properly the body slowly poisons itself and will die. So surgery is highly recommended provided there is not already serious damage. I am sorry, that the news is not so good.

These pets can undergo anesthesia if certain precautions and certain medications are used. These dogs will undergo anesthesia to have the operation preformed to repair the shunt and they will generally do fine. So it can be done safely but it still carries an increased risk compared to a normal dog. I would recommend to talk with Pako's veterinarian about the risk/benefits of anesthesia specific to his situation. Also, ask about the experience his veterinarian has had with dogs who have a history of liver disease. I hope I have answered your question!

I'm sorry to hear that! It really depends on the severity of the shunt and what kinds of symptoms she's showing, so this would be a good question to discuss with your veterinarian - but in general, surgery is strongly recommended for dogs with liver shunts who are having neurologic symptoms. Medication and diet are usually not sufficient to control their symptoms without surgery.

This sounds like Coco may now have acquired portosystemic shunts. These shunts form to bypass the liver when blood pressure through the liver becomes too high. Unfortunately these shunts cannot be surgically corrected and managing symptoms with medications is the only treatment option. I'm so sorry about Coco's diagnosis. Hopefully you can get some guidance from her veterinarians about what to expect.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm sorry that Macie has a Porto-systemic-shunt. Prices vary depending on where you live and which vessel is abnormal (difficulty of the surgery). Price can also vary depending on how Macie would do post-op. We all hope for no complications but sadly they happen which can extend the hospital stay, monitoring and price. A simple clamping of an easy to access shunt can cost $2000 while others can cost $5000. It is best to get an estimate from the surgeon who will possibly do the surgery. After they evaluate the ultrasound they will know how hard the surgery will be. I hope this helps in some way and good luck!

Poor Bruce! This is quite scary new, I know but it can be quite treatable. If you can afford it and for the best possible outcome, I would ask for a referral to a specialist. A specialist will be able to do a thorough abdominal ultrasound to see the shunt and determine what type of surgery might be needed. Surgery is the best option as it can usually repair the problem and he can live a normal life. If this isn’t an option, then yes I would certainly try to manage it medically. You can switch to a special food and add in a medicine that will help decrease the toxins that his body isn’t able to get rid of on his own. Unfortunately neither option is 100% guaranteed to work, but I have see good success with both especially with early intervention. I hope this helps and gives you some peace of mind. There are options. You just have to decide which is best for you and Bruce. Please let us know if you have additional questions. I have included an article with more information. Hugs! https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/portosystemic-shunt-in-dogs

I am so sorry Skipper may have a liver shunt! The best and preferred treatment for a liver shunt is surgery to identify and close the abnormal blood blood vessels. This will eliminate the shunt and return normal blood flow to the liver. A high protein diet is not used to treat dogs with a liver shunt; in fact, it's a restricted protein diet. A reduced protein diet helps reduce the production of toxic wastes such as ammonia. A minority of dogs can be treated medically with this low protein diet and medications, but surgery is the best treatment for it. A liver shunt surgery is costly and the cost does depend on the clinic. From estimates I have seen at veterinary schools in the US, I would expect to spend at least $2000-3000 on this surgery, but your vet can give you a better idea of the cost. I hope this helps!