Bucky's Portosystemic Shunt

At only 3 months old, Bucky was diagnosed on 7/8/2021 with a Portosystemic Shunt. We are trying to get in with UF Vet School or Blue Pearl for an evaluation appointment & surgery. The surgery alone is expected to be $4500-$7000. Plus the extra appointments and special low-protein food.

Bucky came to us as a future stud dog, service dog, and father of service dogs. However, now the hope is just that he will live.

He is such a sweetheart, loves cuddles and kisses, and deserves a chance at life.

Please save Bucky, our little Winter Soldier.

What is the prognosis for a dog diagnosed with a portosystemic shunt?

Most dogs improve almost immediately with proper diet and medication. About one-third of the dogs treated medically will live a relatively long life. Unfortunately, over half of the dogs treated medically are euthanized within ten months of diagnosis because of uncontrollable neurological signs such as seizures, behavioral changes, or progressive liver damage. Dogs that tend to do well with long-term medical management are usually older at the time of diagnosis, have more normal blood test values and have less severe clinical signs.

Dogs with a single shunt, especially one that is extrahepatic, have an excellent prognosis if surgical correction is performed.

How successful is surgical treatment?

Surgery provides the best chance for a long, healthy life in most dogs with extrahepatic shunts. If ameroid constrictor placement is performed, survival rate is over 95%. Many dogs are clinically normal within four to eight weeks following surgery. A small percentage of dogs will develop multiple acquired shunts and must be managed with a protein-restricted diet and lactulose for life.

https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/portosystemic-shunt-in-dogs