Millie Buechele

Millie had surgery at UT in January of 2009 for a single shunt. When her bile acids wouldn't go back to normal they found that she had developed MVD.  Millie is the sweetest baby.

Smudge Arnason

Smudge was born May 8, 2006 and has asymptomatic MVD

Dixie Buechele

Dixie was diagnosed with Liver Shunt in February of 2006, had surgery at UT in July of 2006 and hasn’t had a problem since.

Mouse Schwarten

DOB:  11/01/03

LS Surgery and ameroid placed:  04/15/04

I adopted little Mouse knowing he had a liver shunt. Mouse was a very tiny, sick little boy when I adopted him.   At 5 months old, he weighed 2.6 pounds.    Plans were in place for him to come to me and UT for his surgery.  His arrival was delayed by 4 days  because he was found comatose behind a refrigerator  a couple of days prior to his departure from Missouri.   He spent  3 days in ICU at a veterinary facility in Missouri to stabilize him. He came to me a scrawny, sickly little boy.  He arrived in Knoxville on April 13, 2004 and  was immediately admitted to UT for work-up and surgery.  Two days later he was stable enough to undergo surgery.  He did very well in surgery,  However, he was reluctant to eat and I had to continually go and hand feed him while they kept him on fluids and such in ICU.  He spent 3 days in ICU after his surgery before he was discharged to come home with me.

My dad came over to visit and see my new “addition”…..Dad shook his head and said Mouse was so sickly looking that he was afraid he wouldn’t make it and my heart would be broken – he question me as to why I would adopt a pup as sick as Mouse.  I told my dad Mouse was going to be fine.  I never questioned my adopting him and such.   

His reluctance to eat continued when I brought him home – thus mom laying on the floor with him at meal times and hand feeding him – frequent meals to make sure his blood sugar didn’t drop..  To entice him to eat his L/D, I had to add a ‘tad’ of baby food with no protein in it – his favorite was Gerber Garden Mixed Vegetables!   Well, in no time at all, I saw the true spirit of Mouse!  He was (and still is) a little monster!  This little boy kept me on my toes and I could not discipline him because of knowing how sick he was – Mouse being a monster brought tears and smiles to my face – I knew he was feeling good!

At 3 months post surgery he had his bile acids done – and they were normal!!  Mouse is a little boy – small statue – and is 5 pounds now.  He is a corrected LS baby – i.e. a normal, healthy little boy.  He has got a mischievous personality and keeps his Mom on her toes!  Ahhh….my other boys listen to mom – not Mouse!  I get the look like “what? I’m just having fun”.

Every day is an 'adventure' with Mouse!  :)

Tiffany Gilligan

Tiffany is a liver shunt baby and is currently on a medical management program and doing very well!!

Winky Rose

Winky was born 29 November 2006 and diagnosed with a liver shunt at 7 weeks of age.  He had his liver shunt surgery at 9 weeks of age weighing in at a whopping 1.6 pounds.  His surgery was performed at the University of Tennessee Veterinary Hospital and he is named after his surgeon, Dr. Krahwinkel.

Today, Winky is a healthy 2 year old with an unusual zest for life.  He loves to bark and play and is full of energy.

Molly Rose

Molly was born with a liver shunt and medically managed for the first seven and a half years of her life.  She had her liver shunt surgery at the University of Tennessee in 2002.  Today Molly is fourteen years old and living a very happy life as a senior citizen!!