| If you are thinking about adopting a puppy, you | | | | severed and will not work any more; essentially, |
| should be aware of some of the conditions that | | | | this makes the puppy responsible for its own |
| affect them. There are some conditions that are | | | | functionality. |
| specifically geared towards young puppies rather | | | | When the puppy is born, the blood vessels within |
| than older dogs, and the phenomenon is known as | | | | in the fetus that allowed the fetus to bypass the |
| a liver shunt. If you are in a place where you are | | | | liver need to close, rerouting the blood to the liver. |
| thinking about adopting a puppy, make sure that | | | | However, on the other hand, if the blood vessels |
| you understand what a liver shunt is and how it | | | | do not close, the blood will continue to be shunted |
| might affect the way that he grows and | | | | around the liver, leading to the name of this |
| develops. To fully understand a liver shunt, there | | | | condition. When this happens, the blood that |
| are a few things that you need to keep in mind. | | | | travels through those blood vessels are not going |
| When you are looking at a liver shunt, you will find | | | | to get adequately filtered as the mother's liver is |
| that you need to understand how the puppy | | | | no longer handling it. In some cases, liver shunts |
| develops in his mother's body. First, remember | | | | are very large, but on the other hand, they might |
| that the fetus is connected to its mother's | | | | also be partially closed; the extent of the liver |
| circulatory system through the placenta, the | | | | shunt depends on how open the blood vessels |
| artery and the umbilical cord. While the cells | | | | are. |
| cannot move to the mother's bloodstream, the | | | | It is important to remember that liver shunts, no |
| liquid portion of the fetus's blood cannot. Because | | | | matter how mild or severe they are, are |
| of this set up, the mother's liver is going to be | | | | considered live threatening. In cases where the |
| performing most of the necessary waste disposal | | | | liver shunts are severe, it can be noticed when |
| for the fetus, because the fetus's liver is not | | | | the puppy is a few years of age, while in cases |
| going to be to be up to handling it. The fetal liver | | | | where it is comparatively mild, it might not be |
| is still in the process of developing and cannot | | | | noticed until the puppy is a year old. In most |
| handle most of the functions that it will need to. | | | | cases, surgery is used to close the shunts, though |
| Because the fetus's liver is not yet full developed, | | | | alternations of diet and an administration of |
| the fetus will have blood vessels that move | | | | medication can also help. Restricting the protein |
| around the developing liver, instead of going | | | | your dog's diet can reduce the production of |
| through the liver as it would when the fetus | | | | waste in the blood and in mild cases, can an |
| becomes a fully formed puppy. Because the liver | | | | effective treatment. |
| cannot handle the flow of blood, this is something | | | | Take some time and make sure that you |
| that is important. When the puppy is born, the | | | | understand this condition and what it might mean |
| things connecting the mother to the baby are | | | | to your puppy! |