Liver shunts are also called portal systemic shunts, and are very commonly diagnosed in young puppies. This is a condition where there are abnormal blood vessels that allow blood to pass from the intestine into circulation by completely bypassing the liver.
This is a dangerous and often fatal condition because the liver is needed to filter the blood of ammonia and other toxins that are absorbed by the intestine.
HEPATIC
Many people do not realize that their puppy has a liver shunts until the dog starts to have seizures after eating meals. What they are seeing is called hepatic encephalopathy.
Almost all of these shunts are congenital which means that the puppies were born with these conditions. Two breeds and seem to be at the highest risk are Miniature Schnauzers and Yorkshire Terriers, but almost all dog breeds could have them.
This condition is most commonly diagnosed by veterinarians who use contrast dyes and x-rays. Also newer technologies might be used as well like ultrasound and MRI.
This condition is commonly fixed by surgery, which involves tying off the vessels that allow the blood to bypass the liver.
If your puppy does have this condition your veterinarian will likely put them on a low protein diet which decreases the amount of ammonia that they ingest. This helps to decrease the clinical signs and the amount of toxins in the body.
Surgery isn't always curative depending on the size and location of the shunt, so the prognosis is guarded in most cases.
Dealing With Liver Shunts in Puppies HEPATIC
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