My name is Daphne!

12/2/14 Daphne has basically been doing well. She is eating well and had a long stretch where she was running around and playing. It was looking like she might have been stable enough to finally have her dental done, however recently, she has not been eating as well and choosing not to engage. We are working on adjusting her medication again to see if we can find the right balance again for her that allows her to behave like a normal little dog. Daphne will go in for another ammonia level check to see how things are going for her and to make sure the ammonia levels are at a minimum. Because her liver shunt surgery failed, Daphne will need to be medically managed the rest of her life which will involve frequent adjustments to her medications, prescription food and ammonial level checks once a month. For now, it is our hope that the levels will remain in the normal range and that we can move forward with getting some of her bad teeth out!

Update 08/30/14: Daphne continues to hold her own. We cant seem to get the right combinations of medications to regulate her. She will have average ammonia levels one day and 3 days later be dangerously high. She is tired of all the blood draws and cries as soon as we get to the vet because she knows what is coming.... poor thing! Some good news is that she has put on some weight! I have not had to force feed her for a little bit now - it sure is nice to see her eat!! When Daphne is feeling good, she runs around the house trying to get the other dogs to play. She is a HUGE snuggler and would love nothing more than to sit with her person all day long! Daphne continues to sleep well and takes her medicine like a champ. It is our hope that once she is stable, she will be able to be adopted out to her own loving family who will spoil her rotten! When will she be ready? We don't know. In the meantime, she will continue to have all the tests and medical attention she needs to keep her on track. Thank you so much for reading about Daphne!

Update 08/15/14: Daphne is holding her own. She eats on her own about 50% of the time and is down to only 3 medicines that have to be given every 8 hours. Tuesday, she will have a bile acid check and another ammonia level check to see where she is. Neurologically, she seems to be doing ok. I do not see her condition worsening, however I would feel so much better if she would improve and stabilize a bit more! Because she is not considered "stable" yet, she will be going with me to a family member's wedding. We were fortunate enough to secure an RV so she can go with me and have all of her things with us. It is my hope that even though we are out of our normal environment, she will do well because there are many familiar things around her. Please keep her in your thoughts as stress tends to cause issues medically with some liver shunt dogs. I will update again in 2 days! Thanks for checking in!

Update 08/07/14: Tuesday, Daphne went in to have her ammonia levels checked since they were dangerously elevated not too long ago resulting in emergency care. The news we got today was not good. Her ammonia levels during emergency care was at 500 and down to 138 the follow day after spending the night at the hospital. Today, we learned that her ammonia level is back up to 285 which is dangerously high. It is suspected that the liver shunt surgery was not a success. She likely formed many new shunts to take the place of the large one that was attempted to be repaired. Although only an expensive scan can confirm this, the Dr.s do not feel like it is necessary since she is showing medically that the life saving surgery did not work for her. The only option for Daphne is to be medically managed through a controlled diet low in protein and several medications that need to be given several times throughout the day/night. Please send some positive thoughts for Daphne as we try to figure out the right balance of medications that will keep the ammonia levels in her brain at a manageable level quickly before she has any long lasting neurological damage. Thanks for checking in on her.

Update 07/31/14: Daphne came home late last night. Neurologically she is much better, but still has a ways to go. When Daphne entered the ER, her ammonia level was over 500 and after treatment it was down to 138. Although at 138 the ammonia level is still too high, the Vet felt that she could be medically managed and would be more comfortable at home. When I went to get her, I was happy to see her wiggle dance because when I took her in, she wasn't moving much at all. Today was full of medicine and LOTS of snuggling. She wanted to be held the majority of the day, so Miss Daphne got her wish! Thanks for thinking about her, we would not be able to help dogs like her if it weren't for people like you. Thank you!

Update 07/29/14: Daphne had a major set back last night. Around 10pm, she started getting very wobbly. She began walking funny and falling over. On our way to the after hours ER, it was obvious that she was having a lot of trouble controlling her body. Because she had just had her meds and a bit of Karo syrup - just in case it was connected to her blood sugar issues, I was fairly confident that the episode was bigger. They immediately took her blood sugar and determined as I suspected, it was fine. They then ran a blood panel and checked her ammonia level. The results came back quickly and showed that her ammonia level was over 500, the electrolytes were low and her potassium levels were concerning. By the time she was officially admitted, she could not see and was basically "in a coma" according to the vet. Through the night, they worked to get her levels corrected quickly to give her every chance possible to reverse the neurological issues they were seeing. I got an update at 2:30 that she really hadn't moved much and that they were continuing Laculose enemas to help bring the ammonia levels down in her blood. By my next call at 6, Daphne was up and walking around and eating a bit on her own. Her gait remains clumsy, but it was great news to hear that she had improved that much. Daphne will likely remain in Emergency Care until tomorrow so they are able to keep her IV treatments going and to ensure that she is stable enough to continue the slow process of recovery at home. Please keep Daphne in your thoughts today and thank you for your support.

Update 07/23/14: Daphne has had a little set back. Over the weekend she wasn't acting right. Monday brought vomiting and diarrhea and then a trip to the vet. They took several X-rays and concluded what I had feared, that she had eaten some of the plastic on her pee pad and it was causing her problems. Daphne spent the rest of the day with the vet being observed and getting fluids. The plan is to see if she improved over the next day. If not, she would need to go back in and have the plastic removed from her stomach. It is Wednesday and so far so good. Although I haven't seen any of the plastic, she is now eating well without vomiting. We are hoping tomorrow will bring more good news.

Update 07/15/14: Daphne is recovering from her extensive surgery well. Her incision looks great so she will be getting her 20 staples out this Thursday. Although we will not know for a while if the surgery was a success, we did get wonderful news...the results of her tests came back. The culture to check for infection came back clean and her liver biopsy results show the only issue going on with Daphne was the liver shunt. This is fantastic news. We never thought there were more conditions to worry about, but United Yorkie Rescue is very careful to have our dogs checked out thoroughly. Thanks for checking in!

Update 07/04/14: Daphne had a large shunt on which the surgeon put on an ameroid constrictor. The bladder stones were much smaller as a result of proper medicaion. They were more like grit so the surgeon was able to squeeze her bladder and express the stones out through her urethra rather than having to physically go in and remove them. Her bladder was then flushed out and a culture was taken to test for any possible signs of bacteria left behind. They also took a biopsy of her liver - we should have the results back in the next few days. Because things were going smoothly, they were also able to spay her at the same time.

The concerns now are that the vessels are so tiny in her liver and that those vessels will not be able to handle the blood flow and that once the blood is re-routed through them, new shunts will form. Only time will tell...Her body temperature was cold so they had her in an incubator where there were warm air blowers and warming blankets to help her temperature regulate. After surgery, her red blood cells were low and there was talk about her needing a possible blood and plasma transfusion. Her blood sugars were high after surgery, but that was expected.

Last night, Daphne was up and down. She was not doing well, so the decision was made to go ahead with the blood and plasma transfusion. With her body being so fragile after 3.5 of not having the right diet or having her medical needs met, she is having a rough time post-surgery. There was hope that Daphne would come home today, however she is not well enough. Our hope is that she rallys today and can come home over the weekend to begin her long slow recovery.

How can you help? We knew that the liver shunt surgery was going to be expensive. United Yorkie Rescue does everything in its power to give dogs a chance at life, so the decision to go ahead with the blood and plasma transfusion was an easy one. Daphne needed it to live so she got it. Any donations are greatly appreciated as are your continued prayers and support for this special little girl.

Update 07/03/14: Daphne is out of surgery and is in critical but stable condition. They were able to do the shunt surgery and only time and a lot of good luck will tell whether it is a success. The other vessels are so tiny that there is some concern that they will not be able to handle the blood flow. Keep sending her positive thoughts as she enters the healing phase. Because Daphne tolerated the surgery well, they decided not only to spay her, but they were arable to remove the bladder stones easily as the meds worked and they had quite reduced in size. Daphne has a long road ahead of her before she can be adopted out. For now, she will be resting and getting stronger. If you are able to contribute to her care, she would much appreciate it. Any amount is a blessing! Stay tuned for updates...

Update 07/02/14: Daphne will see the surgeon first thing tomorrow morning. If all goes well, she could be in surgery as early as tomorrow afternoon. Please keep Daphne in your prayers as she heads into this life changing surgery. Stay tuned!

Update 06/29/14: Daphne is doing very well. A big thanks to everyone who has sent well wishes, donations, and suggestions to get her eating consistently. She is getting close to the strength we want her before surgery. Right now we are in the final stages of working with the surgeon to determine the best time line for a successful surgery. We are thinking that her surgery will be in the next few weeks. In the meantime, she continues to be my snuggle buddy! At this point, I am leaning toward finding a home for Daphne where someone is home most if not all of the day. Because of her blood sugar issues, it is very important that she eats several small meals during the day and is monitored for low blood sugar. Well, those decisions are a ways off at this point. Right now we are trying to focus on getting her in the best possible condition for surgery. Thanks again for your continued support!

Update 06/12/14: Daphne is holding her own. Although she is not willing to eat on her own, I have been able to get enough food in her to allow her to actually gain some much needed weight. Daphne will require a life-saving expensive surgery very soon, without it, she would not be able to survive. It is crucial that she regain as much strength as she can so she is in the best shape possible for her surgery. At this time, we do not have an exact date, but have been told it should be before the end of June. Thank you for checking in on this special little girl!

Update 06/07/14: Daphne's day today was not as good. She did not eat on her own today, I had to syringe feed her. The good news for today is that I did take her in to be weighed and she is up a bit from 2.4. Tonight we struggled with keeping anything down. I hope things settle down for her tonight.

Update 06/04/14: Wednesday June 3, Daphne had a great night last night. She ate well own her own at 10 pm and again at 2am. She slept on my pillow the rest of the night greeting me with a big LOUD stretch at 6! We then got up and she ate a huge breakfast on her own and then we spent a few hours rocking in a chair on the porch. Although she is having a good stretch, I am well aware each hour could be different until she is stabilized after surgery. In the meantime, we will enjoy and celebrate each step forward! Stay tuned!

6/1/14: Daphne came home from the hospital yesterday. She is still very sick, but at a good point where they think with her cooperation, she will do well during the 2 week time she was given to become a better candidate for successful surgery. Daphne's main problem is that she is not eating. The Vets at the University Hospital in Madison, WI said that she is no longer on any specific diet. She is to be offered anything and everything to try and get some weight on her. Because of her drastic weight loss over the last few weeks, she has become quite weak. She was at 3.8lbs and is now 2.4. With some luck, we will get her weight headed the right direction. For now, she is being offered A/D and sweet potatoes. Last night, she ate 2 pieces of mango - she does love her fruit! I only wish fruit was higher in calories!! As always, please keep little Daphne in your prayers. She has a long, hard, expensive road ahead of her. Thank you for checking in on this little girl!

Bio Update 5/30/14 4:00pm Daphne, a 2.6 lb, 3 year old girl who was just surrendered to rescue 5/21/2014. Daphne did well over night at the University of Wisconsin, Madison Veterinary Hospital. They were able to get fluids and meds in overnight as well as prepare her for her CT scan this AM. I received word around noon that she was finished with the scan but was slow coming out from under anesthesia. Although this is considered common for dogs with liver shunts, it still is a cause for concern. She had the best care - her "nurse" sat with her and rocked her after the scan (and actually most of the night too!). Around 3:00pm today, radiology contacted me with the results of the scan. Daphne does have a liver shunt. If there is good news to be had it is that she has one big shunt and not several smaller ones. This means that she is a candidate for surgery! They also found several small bladder stones which will need to be removed during surgery. A urine sample showed that she had blood in her urine - that along with the fact that they have determined that she has hypoglycemia which was probably the reason that she was having seizure and coma type episodes in the past. It was also determined that her ammonia levels were very high - another indication of a liver shunt and she has a huge urinary tract infection. With all of these things, the recommendation was that Daphne stay another night in the Hospital so they are able to give her the best possible chance. Right now, Daphne is scheduled to come home tomorrow morning - as long as she continues to improve.
The most difficult part to hear was that Daphne was very close to dying. Daphne has a long uphill battle ahead of her. She is a proven fighter. With limited medical care prior to coming to rescue, Daphne has proved over and over again that it is not her time to go. What are the next steps? The surgeons want to give her 2 weeks to try to reduce the infection and see if we can get her stabilized and stronger for surgery. Thank you very much for any prayers and donations you can offer for this little girl - she is worth it! Stay tuned for updates tomorrow

Initial Bio 05/29/14 : Meet Daphne, a 3 pound girl who just came into rescue. Daphne hasn't been in rescue long, she is currently in the emergency room at the University of Wisconsin Vet hospital. Daphne has a suspected liver shunt that has resulted in several seizures and a coma in the past. She has a huge infection some where, is anemic, has severe dental disease and a grade 3 luxating patella on her left rear knee. All of this is in addition to the liver shunt! Poor little girl. Her past medical records prove that she is a little energizer bunny.... With all she has been through, she wants to live. Daphne will be available for adoption after all of her medical needs are met, but for the time being, she will remain in rescue. Daphne's medical bills are expected to be quite high. If you are able to help out with any size donation to give her a chance of life without feeling ill or pain, it would be much appreciated. Stay tuned for updates as we figure out where to go from here.