Liver Shunts in Dogs

Category: Liver
Inheritance: Multifactorial
Breeds documented: 12
Published sources: 9

Overview

An abnormal blood vessel can let blood from the digestive organs bypass the liver instead of being filtered there. This is called a portosystemic shunt, or liver shunt. Waste substances then enter the rest of the body, and the liver may stay small and work poorly. Most shunts are present from birth, although others develop because of liver disease. These changes can affect behavior, coordination, digestion and urination.

Signs to watch for

Poor growth or a smaller than expected body size
A reduced appetite, vomiting or diarrhea
Drinking more and urinating more often
Unsteady walking, circling or unusual behavior
Episodes of confusion or seeming unusually quiet
Seizures, such as stiffening or jerking episodes with reduced awareness

Signs of shunts present from birth usually appear in young dogs; shunts caused by liver disease tend to affect older dogs.

When to get help Arrange a vet examination promptly after your dog's first seizure.

Diagnosis and tests

Vets use an examination, blood tests and urine tests to investigate a suspected shunt. Blood testing may measure bile acids, substances the liver makes for digestion, before and after a meal. High bile acid levels alone do not confirm a shunt because other liver diseases can raise them. Scans help the vet locate the vessel carrying blood around the liver.

Breeds with documented risk

12 breeds

By breed size

5 Toy
7 Small

Most popular breeds on this list

Yorkshire TerrierToy · Toy Group
Miniature SchnauzerSmall · Terrier Group
Shih TzuSmall · Toy Group
MalteseToy · Toy Group
Scottish TerrierSmall · Terrier Group
Cairn TerrierSmall · Terrier Group
Biewer TerrierToy · Toy Group
Silky TerrierToy · Toy Group

All 12 breeds, A to Z

Biewer Terrier

Cairn Terrier

Dorkie Source petmd.com

Yorkshire Terrier

Inheritance

Multifactorial
Several genes and the environment together set the risk. Diet, growth rate, weight and exercise can all play a part. There is no single DNA test. Screening the parents (for example hip or elbow scores) and choosing from lines with good results lowers the risk, but does not remove it.
As stated by OMIA

We've gathered what published sources say about this condition, so you can talk it through with your vet. It isn't veterinary advice: you and your vet know your dog best.