Liver Shunt

It was one week ago that we realized Madison was sick... We were in Christiansburg and she was acting funny walking with her head down, circling the room, not willing or wanting to sit, and not eating or drinking... not acting very puppy like at all..... after a night of worry she woke up FINE.... ate like there was no tomorrow and was the puppy we loved...
Then it happened again... hmmmm was she over tired? Too much for a little puppy? Fast forward to Tuesday... Amanda decided something was wrong.. and to the vet they went... white blood count 51,000.... way to high for anyone... so on antibiotics she went... but she continued to get worse.. Thursday they admitted her and the word liver shunt started to come up... She was admitted and pumped full of drugs-- she wasn't walking, nor did she have balance, she was being force feed... and given an enema to remove the toxins that were building in her body... Amanda went back up at midnight to give her more medication as by now she needed round the clock care... A trip to the specialist confirmed our fears.. it was a liver shunt and it would require surgery.. Expensive surgery... Amanda who worked 2 jobs --60 hours a week so she could attend school this fall without worrying about money had spent over $1000 dollars in two days... And when I looked in her eyes I knew the animal lover in her couldn't wrap her heart around anything other then saving Madison...Friday she was better but certainly not stable... and not ready to come home... When prayers are asked miracles come in the form of Angels... Kim stopped by to pick up her car and looked at Amanda and even though the Dog breeder in her said it was time to put Madison down she knew the feeling of loving a puppy and stroked Amanda a check for $1000.00... I couldn't have asked for a better friend.. she certainly did more than I could have ever thought possible.. not only did Madison have a chance at survival but my daughter had a chance at recovering from this horrible ordeal.... That night I went to the clinic with Amanda... and held Madison and whispered softly in her ear that she must have a guardian angel... The next morning Madison came home... on special food "KD" the day was good... she was walking better.. by now we had learned alot about this affliction ... A liver shunt is when the blood vessels go around the liver instead of into it... your liver filters ammonia and toxins out of your body... so for Madison all the neurological problems, loss of vision, unstable walking, head pressing, wall walking these were all being caused by her own body poisoning her. And most of the toxins were the direct result of protein. The KD is a very low protein food.. and should have made a big difference... and it did except for right after she ate....
Sunday----I heard Amanda scream... and running to the cage I expected the worst... but what I found was my daughter holding her dear puppy whose eye had come out... probably the direct result of falling due to a lack of balance... Again angels intervened... and Doctor Brown met us at the clinic on a Sunday morning when we really should have been sent to the emergency clinic... The surgery was quick and the eye was stitched closed so it could heal... And a recommendation given to stop all protein... Madison would finally get her wish and have table food! Rice, carrots, mashed potatoes... Unfortunately Madison still was not eating on her own... so my blender went on high speed and we used a syringe to feed her.... after 12 hours of no protein.. she was back!! There is nothing like a puppy who has to wear a big plastic collar who is supposed to be resting--full speed full energy and no desire to lay quietly.... The good news.. she was eating on her own and finally went potty...
Amanda was supposed to go to VA Tech on Monday-- but without knowing what was next for Madison she stayed home and gave Madison the care she needed..
Tuesday I contacted The VA TECH school of Vet. Medicine... they could do the surgery on Thursday... Which meant We had to get Amanda to school and puppy packed.... And Angels intervened again... Amanda got a call for a job interview at the local vet office in Christiansburg... its not a guarantee but it was enough to make her realize that she had a chance of recovering from this financially...

If anyone had told me that I would become so attached to this little puppy I would have told them they were crazy... I'm not an animal lover... but this one touched my heart --- touched all of us...
We have read everything we can on this from the internet... , from the books at the Prince William Animal Hospital where Amanda works.. heck I even found a yahoo group... And from what I have learned Madison is fighter and she deserves this chance...
The plan today?? well Amanda and Madison are on their own in their new house in Christiansburg... Tomorrow Amanda will take Madison in for her surgery and Sunday her Dad will drive down to help care for Madison when she gets out of the hospital on Monday.....