Thanks to all for your concerns. So far the new diet we put the pup on seems to be making a difference. He is no longer showing symptoms of toxicity in his blood and is as fiesty and chipper as ever. Hopefully, this diet will continue to work for a while.
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Originally Posted by shakran
Why was the vet's advice to put the dog down? Is it just because the vet feels it's not worth the money or the time to treat the dog, or is there another reason?
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I think the vet feels as though the operation may not be a simple one and has a high probablity of being unsuccessful. Honestly, I haven't had any in depth discussion about it with the vet. Perhaps he has seen his share of these cases before, I really don't know.
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Originally Posted by Acetylene
Try the diet route. Animals do not suffer from disease as badly as we do, because they live in the "now". They don't wish they were better or worry about getting worse, they just live their lives. Don't give up on your puppy! If the time comes to put him down, HE will let you know. At the very least, the diet might buy you some time while you save up for the surgery (since it looks like shunts don't heal on their own).
Oh, and you might want to ask around for a better vet. No vet should be suggesting you put a dog down when there are other options. In fact, a GOOD vet will have financial options available, even if they will just accept postdated checks, specifically to avoid having to give up early on a dog that has a chance.
I always try to live my life with hindsight. Ten years from now, how will you feel about the decision you make now? Will you be proud of what you do? You might also ask yourself what lessons your kids will learn from this, which is likely to be an event they will remember for a long time.
What is this diet you are talking about here? Where did you find it?
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I feel the same way about this problem. I'm not the kind of person that gives up without a fight! So far the diet seems to be working, so I'm going with this for now. My only concern is whether or now the pup is suffering when his blood gets toxic. I don't know if it is painful or if it just makes him feel drunk or drugged.
The food I am giving the pup is from Hill's Prescription Diet pet food. It's a low protein diet that also contains some vitamins and nutrients that decrease toxicity in liver-diseased dogs. I also found a homemade meal recipe that I could try, but I would have to buy the vitamins and extras separately. The Hill's food is just more convenient for now.