Quote:
Originally Posted by Yorkieluv  A Protein C test will help determine if it's MVD or liver shunt. MVD is tiny shunts throughout and is inoperable. If the ultrasound clearly saw an extrahepatic shunt, then the surgery should be done.
The Protein C test is relatively inexpensive though and will help decipher between MVD and liver shunt. This would be the next step before surgery.
OR a scintigraphy, but it's more costly.
BAT results under 100 are more indicative of MVD whereas numbers above 100 are more indicative of a liver shunt.
That being said, it's important to note that these are only guidelines.
I have seen cases where a dog with numbers under 100 have had an extrahepatic liver shunt, and I know of dogs with numbers above 100 who have had MVD. |
That information is very helpful. I'm worried about accepting an ultrasound report that says "appears to be a vein..." I'd prefer to see "clearly visible shunt...," and a BAT over 100 before opening up the poor puppy. Are those reports usually more conclusive? I also got a very bad feeling about the vet herself when I saw she vaccinated twice in two months for Lepto, which is suspected of causing liver malfunction. I know it doesn't cause shunt, but I've been reading of cases where something looked like shunt and got traced back to a lepto reaction. The puppy happens to have started little tremors after getting the first shot...I've had some bad vet experiences this year with other things, so I know for a fact they do not always tell the truth, and this is too important to screw up. Do they ever come back after surgery and say "oops, it wasn't really l/s." Another bothersome thing is they talk about how the puppy will be on meds and diet for life. I thought the objective of surgery was a complete cure. !?!?! If they say they think it's a single extrahepatic shunt and they can see it on ultrasound, and with BAT not being very high, ordinary common sense tells me it's a small shunt that should be 100% repairable, or close to it. Anyway, all the paperwork has been sent off for another vet opinion.