8/26/13: Meet Zeus, an 22month old male who suffers from an Internal Liver Shunt along with several other new maladies.
We have known Zeus since he was a puppy, when he was first diagnosed with the liver shunt (well before Simon). Zeus has Not been treated medically because his owners were unable to financially swing getting the coil procedure that we were able to have done to Simon. (it costs about $6000)
Recently, the family decided that they could no longer care for Zeus. We snapped him up as fast as we could.
Zeus is suffering with bladder stones, diagnosed last year. He has now developed bladder infections and is peeing blood. He is in serious need of palate surgery, will need entropion and also neuter.
He has already been transported to UGA for evaluation. The urgency was not because of the Internal Shunt, the poor baby was in pain with bladder stones, bladder infection, yeasty skin and a palate so enlongated that we feared he was going to go into respiratory distress from the excitement and fear of the “rehoming”. Tomorrow, he will undergo anesthesia for a CT scan to evaluate the size of the internal shunt, have his bladder irrigated to attempt to flush out small bladder stones. If the stones won’t flush out, they will proceed with removal of the stones from his bladder, palate surgery and neuter. He will also need entropion surgery, but the vet staff at UGA fear that he will be under anesthesia for too long to address the eyes as well.
Update 9/2/13: Zeus was released from UGA yesterday. He had palate surgery, nostrils widened, saccules removed, neuter, and CT Scan to evaluate his internal liver shunt and had most of the tiny stones in his bladder irrigated out on Thursday. On Friday he had to go back into surgery to take care of bleeding from his neuter surgery, but did well.
Now he will recover from all this surgery while UGA consults with Dr. Weiss at Animal Medical Center and formulates a plan of care for Zeus to undergo the FIRST EVER Percutaneous Tranvenous Coil Embolization of Intrahepatic Shunt, in Georgia. This will open a new horizon for dogs with this malady in the southeast…ground breaking!
Update 9/4/13: Zeus is doing well post surgery. Doctors want him to take it easy for the next few weeks. I think he is mad that he can’t play with his foster brothers and sister; Meaty, Petie and Chunk. He is still going potty in the house; but I think that is because of his UTI. He is currently being treated for it but I don’t think it has cleared his system just yet.
Update 10/8/13: Zeus had his surgery on 10/3. All went well during surgery now we just wait and see. Dr Cornell put in 15 coils. But we won’t know for a little while if that was too little and he will need more added or if it was too many and he may have post surgery complications. So far he is doing well and showing no signs of post surgery complications. He goes back in a month for bloodwork and and ultrasound.
Update 11/11/13: Zeus had his follow up appt at UGA. The coils are doing their magic but they have not completely blocked the shunt. Not yet anyway. We will continue with the prescription food and meds and recheck in two months. At that time we will know if he needs to have additional coils added. But he feels great and is loving life.
Zeus will be available for adoption after all of his medical needs are taken care of.
Update 1/31/14: Zeus’s transition off lactulose was successful! But our attempt to transition him from prescription food to regular food was not as successful. He got sick a few times the first few days of having just a little of the regular food mixed into his prescription food. We went back to 100% prescription food for now and will try again in a few weeks. We got his bloodwork checked last week and all looks OK for a bullie with his condition. He was also tested for a UTI since the color of his urine is “off”. Dogs with liver shuts have a greater change to get UTI’s more often.
He is still in need of entropian surgery but we are holding off until we know if he will need another liver shunt surgery. In the meantime Dr Rush tacked his eyes lids with a few stitches. The night before they were tacked he managed to scratch his eye ball so we are currently treating that too.
Update 2/10/14: Zeus had entropian surgery on his upper and lower lids on both eyes! He is healing nicely and will have his stitches out on 2/22. Next week we try transitioning him to regular dog food again. Hopefully this time we will have better success this time.
Update 4/11/14: A few weeks into Zeus’s food transition from prescription food to regular food his body decided that it was not ready for all that protein. It came on very quickly so he went to see Dr. Rush. He gave him fluids and was able to get his heart rate down within a few hours. We consulted with Dr. Weiss at Animal Medical Center in NY and it was decided he needed to be put back on the prescription food and lactulose and that we should add two daily doses of metronidazole. He will remain on all three things and will see Dr. Weiss in July for another surgery. He will have more coils added to further close the shunt in his liver.
Update 4/24/14: Zeus had a seizure this past weekend so the neurologist put him on anti-seizure medication. He seems to be doing well and is back to his normal happy self.
Update 7/10/14: Zeus’s journey to NYC with Amanda and Stephanie…
Day 1 We left Atlanta at noon today. Our first stop was to Carolina Pantry to meet some of Zeus’s friends. Then we headed to the Satterfield’s for a sleep over.
Day 2 We had a great 4th at the lake today! Zeus had fun lounging on the couch with Hershey and hanging out with Roger on the jet ski. Happy 4th of July Everybully!
Day 3 Zeus had some fun playing with Yogi in the morning before our long drive to PA. Then in PA he got to hang out with my mom and her dog Cooper.
Day 4 Zeus had a fun filled day in PA with lots of visitors! Then around 5pm we left PA and heading to NY. Zeus put on his bow tie and walked into the hotel like he owned the place. Then of course he took over my bed. He will be heading to bed early so he is well rested for our appt with Dr Chick Weisse in the am.
Day 5 Zeus, Amanda and I got up early and had some fun in the hotel before heading to The Animal Medical Center. Once we got there we met up with Dr Chick Weisse and went over all of Zeus’s blood work and history of “issues”. They admitted him into the hospital for more blood work and some pre surgery testing. He will have surgery tomorrow. By the way he is not a fan of pooping on the sidewalk…there is no grass near the hotel.
Day 6 Zeus had surgery at 8am this morning.. Chick added one coil. His pressures are good but the next 24 hours are critical. We can not visit him today : (
Day 7 Zeus spent the morning at the hospital and was released at 2.30pm. We are back at the hotel and will spend the night here so that we are close to the hospital. He is doing great but since he has a history of seizures Dr Weisse wanted him to stay close by. If all is good in the am we will get on the road early and head back to Atlanta.
Day 8 We got on the road at 5.30am and made it home at 7.30pm. It was a long day in the car for Amanda and I. Zeus could care less…he slept the entire time ; – )
Update 9/17/14: Zeus is off both of his liver shunt medications and prescription dog food. In 30 days we will do blood work to see where his levels are.
Update 10/27/14: Zeus had his blood work done and Dr Weisse says everything is looking great! Back in August Zeus moved out of Stephanie’s house and into his future forever home. His now foster parents Amanda and Bryan will be adopting him next week!
Update 11/7/14: Zeus’s foster parents made it official. Congrats Zeus, Bogey, Amanda and Bryan!
August 10, 2020: Zeus crossed over the rainbow bridge today. Please keep his family in your thoughts.
Rest In Peace Zeus
We would like to thank Big Papa and family for covering the cost of Zeus’s surgery!
GUARDIAN ANGELS
P Kasparek
B & D Howell
SPONSORS:
H Dickinson
S Chandler
B & D Howell
D Scoppa – In memory of Freddie Fralic
W Stewart
T Helms & J Iannini – In memory of Otto Svensson
S Dickinson
L Callahan
S Yergos
