:crying:I'm so sorry. Poor baby. Did your vet check about seizures? That's all I could think of.
Ugh GME sounds awful. We live only an hour or so from Tufts.Ultrasounds are not that reliable for detecting liver shunts. Since her BAT results were so low, I'd get a Protein C test to rule out a liver shunt.
Comparative Coagulation -- NYS Animal Health Diagnostic Center
If a shunt is ruled out, I'd be very concerned about GME:
gme
Where do you live? Anywhere near a vet school?
She had her kennel cough, lyme, and lepto vaccines about 3 wks before it started. We did titers for everything else (parvo, distemper, and something ekes I can't remember) and those came back fine.Any change in the diet? Did she eat something different? We had a 7 month puppy whose owner fed a few almonds and was walking into walls and acting lethargic, and got diarehhea. Of course I have to ask this , has she had any vaccines lately?
If she was my dog, I'd get a Protein C test done, then, depending on the results, get a referral to Tufts.Ugh GME sounds awful. We live only an hour or so from Tufts.
Is a shunt possible with her BAT levels? We have our fingers crossed that it's MVD but I'm worried her symptoms are too severe for that to be realistic.
Emergency vet mentioned it could be epilepsy, but the neurologist wants to rule out liver abnormalities as a potential cause first.
I am so glad you are taking her to Tufts! When is your appointment?Hi everyone! Thanks so much for all your ideas and warm thoughts for Penny. Made appts with Tufts. We're going to an internal medicine specialist there to rule out all the liver issues. Then, we'll probably do a neuro consult and see if they feel any tests are appropriate.
I realized today, with probably 90% certainty, that all of the episodes followed relatively shortly after a meal. We're going to start monitoring her eating more closely in order to help confirm this if she has another spell.
Fortunately, Penny is her same energetic and sweet little self in between these episodes. Hopefully it stays that way!
Marj and Jackie are right. If you want a more reliable, less expensive test you should have a Protein C test done. An ultrasound is only as good as the radiologist reading the ultrasound and liver shunt is not an easy thing to find even for the very best radiologists. If you are that close to Tufts and your dog's symptoms are not liver related but more likely neurological I would suggest making an appointment with Dr. Allen Sisson at Angell Animal Medical Center in Jamaica Plain. He truly is the best of the best and has a great deal of experience with Maltese and other toy breeds suffering from neuro issues like epilepsy and GME. If you are closer to the western part of Massachusetts and don't mind driving, the best of the best for liver issues is Dr. Sharon Center at Cornell University Vet School. I live in Massachusetts and although I live very close to Tufts I myself would go to Angell or Cornell because I know that they are the very best in the northeast for liver and neuro. I don't dislike Tufts and would go there in a heartbeat for orthopedic issues.Ugh GME sounds awful. We live only an hour or so from Tufts.
Is a shunt possible with her BAT levels? We have our fingers crossed that it's MVD but I'm worried her symptoms are too severe for that to be realistic.
Emergency vet mentioned it could be epilepsy, but the neurologist wants to rule out liver abnormalities as a potential cause first.