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Yorkshire Terrier Portosystemic Liver Shunts in Yorkies
Liver Shunts is one of the diseases prevalent in the Yorkshire Terrier.
Liver Shunts in Yorkies has been further broken down.
Portosystemic Vascular Anomalies PSVA in Yorkies
Microvascular Dysplasia MVD in Yorkies AKA
Hepatic Microvascular Dysplasia HMD
PSVA is a shunt that can oftentimes be repaired surgically, although a lot of Yorkies or dogs can also be maintained on a special liver shunt diet. There is a lot of information on the web for liver shunt diets for the Yorkie. PSVA is usually over 200 on bile acid tests.
Yorkie MVD is usually under 200 on bile acid tests per current information and can be maintained on a special liver diet. In fact most don't even have any symptoms. If you are seeing symptoms with your I would start them on the liver diet if MVD is shown on bile acid tests.
Per recent studies, MVD dogs do not have high blood ammonia values and Yorkie PSVA usually does have. So much more is known now than when Liver Shunts became so prevalent in the Yorkshire Terrier. Per studies most dogs with high bile acids under 200 (MVD) will live a normal life so don't panic over testing. Do your research and determine the best options for your Yorkie. Quite a lot of these dogs can be maintained on special diet alone. Others might also need the inclusion of lactolose and/or antibiotics to reduce the bacteria in the intestine.
A Portosystemic Shunt is known also, Portosystemic Vascular Anomalies PSVA. Most often this condition is the result of blood flowing through the portal vein directly into the systemic vascular system; bypassing the liver. This bypass of the liver, is a normal condition during fetal development. The bypass should, however, close off shortly after birth.
In the case of a dog with a Portosystemic Shunt; a portion or all of the blood does not go through detoxification. The result is a poisoning of the body's tissues and cells. This poisoning can impact the body in numerous ways, ranging from poor weight gain, excessive sleepiness, vomiting, and seizures.
There are tests available to the veterinarian to aid in the diagnosis of this condition. Among these tools is urine analysis by cystocentisis, x-rays, ultrasound and rectal portal scintigraphy. Most often for final diagnosis you would need to go to a specialist though.
Care of a Portosystemic Shunt can only be through surgery or a special diet. Unfortunately not all of the animals have a successful outcome from surgery. Medical management is available in the event of inoperable shunts. The prognosis has to be evaluated case by case. Success in the treatment of Portosystemic Shunts relies heavily upon early diagnosis, and immediate treatment.
Through responsible breeding, it is hoped, that this condition can be drastically reduced; with the ultimate goal of elimination within a breed and bloodline.
In getting a new puppy it's highly recommended to buy one from a breeder that does early spay/neutering as it is well known that if the puppy survives the anesthetic at the least they will have a very hard time recovering from it if a shunt puppy.
Hepatic Encephalopathy HE
Von Haller documented the use of milk thistle for liver ailments in 1744. Milk thistle has been mentioned as a folk remedy for asthma, cancer, hepatitis, and spleen problems. Milk thistle has been under scientific and clinical investigation since turn of the last century, mainly in Germany. In the 1960s, German scientists identified a group of active ingredients from milk thistle, mainly from the seeds, and named them collectively as "silymarin"
Silymarin is known to protect the liver by altering and strengthening the structure of outer cell membranes liver cells, preventing toxins from entering the liver cells. Silymarin, as an anti-oxidant, may also reduce damages to liver cells caused by chronic use of certain prescription drugs. The silybin component of sillymarin has been related to cholesterol-lowering effects. Through the capability to increase bile solubility, sylimarin may also help prevent or alleviate gallstones.
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