[Sashabear0430]

*Angel Fund Update 4/2009


We have been using the Angel Fund for several things: clinical research, cost reduction (for all shunt patients), and extra support for a few shunt patients that have special needs. Most recently, our special needs patients included a Yorkie with a shunt that had complications (the bill exceeded the owner's budget; supplement with the Angel Fund allowed us to provide life saving treatment instead of Euthanasia), a shunt dog with a stomach ulcer and pneumonia that needed extra care, and a rescued Golden retriever with an intrahepatic shunt that needed a CT to confirm the diagnosis.
Our current research project is on the Protein C test. The previous study on Protein C (from Cornell) showed that Protein C activity overlaps in dogs that have a variety of liver conditions. When only comparing shunt dogs and dogs with MVD (microvascular dysplasia secondary to congenital portal hypoplasia), then any dog with a value below 70% had a shunt. In our current study, we are finding more overlap in our groups; in fact, our dogs with other congenital defects like PDAs (heart defects) had low Protein Cs. So, we are revisiting the accuracy of the Protein C test, which should be very helpful to our Yorkie owners. That project is being partially funded by the Angel Fund and is expected to be completed by the end of the summer.
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