Dog ate chocolate?

 ask a vet

Liver shunt surgery.

Species: Cat
Breed: Mixed Short Hair
Age: 6-12 months
Recently I found out that the kitten I adopted a few months ago has a Portosystemic shunt. His symptoms are subtle but a bile acid test concluded that he does have a shunt. We are going to put him on a low protein diet and lactulose and hoping that as he grows that he will out grow the shunt. But I am worried that if all this fails we will have to do surgery, which I'm not sure I can afford.

I was wondering if anyone knows of any foundations or organization that help with the payment of the surgery? I never been a person to ask for money and I hate the idea of it but I have become attached to this little guy and hate to see anything bad happen to him.

If you have any information I would be grateful :)


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

This is a tough situation to be in. Unfortunately cats don't tend to do as well with liver shunt surgery as dogs do. But, there are some cats that do well. An ultrasound may help your vet determine if Diesel is indeed a good candidate for surgery.

You may get some help from some of the following resources:

Help with Vet Bills

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?

Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Not eating, losing weight. My cat has lost a lot of weight in the past 3 weeks. She cries for food but then... (9718 views)

Feeding sardines. I have a male Maltese which I have owned for 4 years, he was a rescue dog so his... (14886 views)

Sudden pain in dog. I have a nine year old female black lab mix, Polly. When I adopted her, I was... (6551 views)

Older cat missing litter box. My 18 year old male cat is getting into the liter box and urinating on the floor... (15840 views)

Coughing and panting. My dog is 12 1/2 and he has a hacking cough and pants all the time except when he's... (31516 views)

Is Frontline working for fleas? I live in Iowa and rescued a black Pug from a family in July. The previous owner... (18525 views)

Do dogs get gonorrhea? Hi Dr. Marie, I just got diagnosed with gonorrhea, which is devastating to me. I... (39394 views)

Yorkie with diarrhea. Hello, I have a yorkshire terrier that 1 year old and weighs 5.5 pounds. He is a... (11767 views)

Why did my cat die? Hi Dr. Marie, I know you are probably overwhelmed but I pray you give me some piece... (13893 views)

Lump with open sores. Hello. My dog has a very large lump on his leg with open sores which bleeds... (28082 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.