Ruby's Surgery

Hi, my name is Heidi and I’m raising funds to help with the cost of our sweet Ruby’s surgery to correct a rare liver defect.

Ruby has had our hearts for 7 years. On June 27th I took her to our family vet after I noticed weight loss and some concerning behaviours. Four weeks later, after two emergency hospital stays, a dozen or so blood and urine tests, tubes/IVs, several ultrasounds, xrays and finally a CT scan, the amazing Internal Medicine team at Boundary Bay Specialty Hospital finally diagnosed her with an Intrahepatic Portalsystemic Shunt (IHPSS).

Unbeknownst to us she was born with it. It's rare and tricky to fix, but fixable, with an 81% success rate.

The shunt, or defect in her liver is directing the blood out into her body before the liver has had a chance to do its job and filter out the toxins. The toxins can build up and create a condition called Hepatic Encephalopathy in the brain. This is what Ruby was suffering from. Confusion, pacing, panting, whimpering, drooling and an inability to settle herself. Heartbreaking to watch. The liver failing also results in a deficient protein supply and abnormal fat and protein metabolism, hence the weight loss.

To contribute to an already rare condition, Ruby's shunt is located within her liver versus outside it. So more rare, more tricky to fix....and more costly.

Right now the condition and toxins in her body are being controlled with 3 medications and a special diet. She is comfortable and continues to pass the wag test......still showing excitement when she sees her Grama Betty, favourite friends/neighbours or best buddies Thomas and Baxter. But the prognosis on the meds/diet alone isn't great.

Thankfully there is a procedure and the team at Boundy Bay Speciality Hospital here in Surrey, BC has done it before. Simply put, they would go in through a vein in her hind leg and close the shunt using tiny metal coils. Ruby's Internal Medicine Vet, Dr. Pan, is optimistic that it could give her a good quality of life and several more years to swim at the beach, cuddle with her stuffies, visit Grama Betty and be loved by me, her dad and 3 human brothers!

As anyone lucky enough to be loved by a dog would say, she's family.

We're currently $15,000 in.

The surgery is estimated to cost between $18,000 - $21,000. 

The surgery would take place in a couple of weeks once the right team is assembled, supplies are ordered and Ruby gets established on a course of pro-active anti-seizure meds as seizures can be a post-operative complication.

Knowing that I would kick in for a pup in Ruby's situation, I'm swallowing my pride and putting this out there. If you're able to pitch in a little - an enormous heartfelt thank you! And if you aren't, still a huge thank you for reading through this, sending well wishes and positive thoughts Ruby's way.

I will keep you all posted.

xo Heidi, Ruby & Family