# Sad news



## huff1472 (Jan 12, 2013)

I posted awhile back about our new puppy Belle that we got from Fran Lovitt of Ilovitt Maltese. She is the sweetest little puppy anyone could ask for! I was quite alarmed when we went to get her at how extremely thin she was. We went ahead and brought her home, but she just really never ate much at all? I took her to my vet the next day after we got her and he agreed she seemed very thin. She seemed happy and playful, but I just new deep down something was not quite right with her. We went back to the vet on Friday and she had only gained .2 in over 6 weeks!! She went from 2.4 lbs to 2.6 lbs. She turned 6 months old on May 6th. My vet ran a blood profile panel on her and everything was pretty normal except her liver ALT was 360 with between 10-118 normal range!! I had a feeling her liver was the problem. I contacted her breeder who is willing to refund my $ and take Belle back, but we are all devastated and heartbroken. My vet is consulting with an internist and will call me on Monday. Looks like the next step will be a BAT. I am so sad and so is my 8 year old daughter. We have been in tears since finding all of this out! I am hoping to be able to find another female puppy from
another reputable breeder. If anyone knows of one available please let me know.
Will update when I know more.


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

I read back to see your story---noticed that I had recommended the BAT test back in April---was that ever done? The BAT is different from a normal liver result---it is a test where blood is drawn & then the pup is fed & redrawn after 2 hrs. (simplistic explanation). It may be that your pup just has MVD like a lot of the maltese on this site. Please do the BAT & then if needed follow up w/the Protein C test before giving your baby back. MVD is very treatable.
If your baby is vomiting, head pressing, etc. then it would more than likely be a shunt---is she showing those signs?


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## lols82 (Nov 13, 2012)

Don't give up hope with the little thing, hopefully the vet can get to the bottom of what is wrong exactly and it can be managed. Good luck to you and little Belle.


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

I forgot to say that Eva (April's baby girl) had 335 ALT and is on Denamarin & home cooked special diet & was diagnosed w/MVD & a tiny shunt. The numbers have been moving downward & she is asymptomatic. You may want to PM her---she could be a great encouragement!


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## Tanner's Mom (May 27, 2005)

If Belle has MVD, it is very manageable. Tanner has it. His ALT has been as high at 900 but mostly in the 300 range. Today, it is within normal limits. He eats low protein food, no beef, only chicken, and takes 1/4 tab of Marin daily. Tanner will be 9 next month!


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

Another person to ask advice would be Debbie Blaha---she was very encouraging to me when Kitzi's ALT went up for no apparent reason (he had a very good BAT). We are back in the normal range!


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## Bailey&Me (Mar 8, 2010)

I'm sorry that you're going through this. I would also say though, like the other ladies have already said, don't get alarmed yet. Please get a BAT test ASAP and go from there. I have read somewhere that the majority of Maltese may have some degree of MVD and most of them are asymptomatic. So Belle may just have MVD which can be easily managed through diet, so if it were me, I wouldn't jump to the conclusion of returning her just yet. It is recommended that all Maltese puppies get a BAT done at 16 weeks old so you can have a base line. Again, don't be alarmed if the number is a little above the "norm" because that is pretty common for Maltese. If the numbers are sky high, the next step after that is generally a protein C test, I believe it is called. So what I mean to say is, a high ALT doesn't necessarily mean she has a shunt or a serious liver issue...so please don't stress out just yet, just do a BAT and continue with the testing if necessary after that...you may find that its something very manageable. There is a lot of great information about this subject on SM. I would recommend reading all you can and talking this through more with your breeder. Honestly, because MVD is so common in the breed, you may end up having to deal with it again to some degree with any other Maltese you bring home. Many of our members have dealt with it and can offer great advice. 


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## mdbflorida (Feb 28, 2013)

Oh, I am so very sorry. Hopefully she will get the attention that she needs and you can manage it so she can have a happy and healthy lifef.


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## Furbabies mom (Jul 25, 2011)

Hopefully the BAT test comes back ok, and it's MVD. My Dewey has it, but has no symptoms.


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## luvsmalts (Oct 21, 2008)

I'm so sorry, I know you are all heartbroken. I have no experience with MVD and I'm sure no one would wish this on any puppy. Glad to hear your breeder is willing to take the puppy back. I hope you can find the right puppy for your family.


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## chicklet and simba (Mar 19, 2013)

First of all, I'm so sorry you have to go through this with your pup and I hope everything works out.

I just have a quick question for everyone... It seems that you all know so much about what tests and things like that to get for your babies and it leaves me thinking if I am supposed to go get those tests? I got Simba at 10 months and he seems very healthy (except for some food allergies) but I am wondering if there is extensive testing he should have gone through at his first vet check up when I got him. He will be due for his Distemper/Parvo booster in a couple of months so we'll be at the vet's. I just want to know what tests I should be inquiring about.

Thanks for your help, and again, I hope the little fur baby in question feels better real soon.


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

I'm sorry you're going through this - our fluffs can worry us so. You've already gotten a lot of great advice; MVD can be managed and even shunts can be repaired. Give your baby a kiss from us!


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## huff1472 (Jan 12, 2013)

Thank you all for your kind words and info. The next step will be the BAT test. The elevated ALT does not concern me nearly as much as her lack of appetite and very poor growth. Honestly when I met the breeder and picked her up I knew she was just way to thin for a puppy. She has only grown .2 in over 6 weeks! She came to us at 2.4 lbs and is now 2.6 lbs. She is not vomiting or having any diarrhea at all. She really doesn't act sick at all just not eating and not thriving. Will let you all know the BAT results I expect we will be doing that test this week.


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## Zoe's Mom88 (Apr 25, 2011)

As others have said MVD is treatable and the puppy can live a full life with a proper diet. I wouldn't give up just yet. Prayers all will be okay for Belle. Please keep us posted.


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## Yogi's Mom (Jan 6, 2013)

*Iam So Sorry to Hear all this. But Please Keep Us Posted. Praying For Your Little One.*
*Nickee in Pa**


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## huff1472 (Jan 12, 2013)

Your prayers for Belle now named Lacy Mae are greatly appreciated! Thank you all so much! I will keep you posted.


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## ckanen2n (Jan 2, 2012)

Good advice from all here. Don't give up until you know the whole story. There is so much that can be done! You have lots of support here and great info from people with experience such as Sandi and April!


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## SammieMom (Nov 13, 2010)

huff1472 said:


> Thank you all for your kind words and info. The next step will be the BAT test. The elevated ALT does not concern me nearly as much as her lack of appetite and very poor growth. Honestly when I met the breeder and picked her up I knew she was just way to thin for a puppy. She has only grown .2 in over 6 weeks! She came to us at 2.4 lbs and is now 2.6 lbs. She is not vomiting or having any diarrhea at all. She really doesn't act sick at all just not eating and not thriving. Will let you all know the BAT results I expect we will be doing that test this week.


So sorry your Lacy Mae is not thriving. I had a puppy that was too thin, poor appetite. He also had a fine (weird) straight coat, and heavy tear staining. This was about 3 yrs ago. He would play but he got to be depressed (?) sometimes and quieter as he got near 6 months old. Like you, I knew something was not right. I had 2 brothers from an in home breeder (byb) so I could see the difference. This was all before I knew anything about all this. 

As far as a BAT test, this is guideline I used when I asked to have my girl tested last yr before I brought her home. BAT tests I was told are not related to the blood panels. And there are no guarantees a BAT is done correctly or do they mean the dog won't develop a problem later in life, BUT generally one will signal a puppy has a severe problem. My puppy was 200+ after his neuter when he developed severe seizures and circling. Would help if all breeders instead of a few did testing on their puppies. 

Normal for Maltese on the post feeding draw is #25 but for other dogs is #11-15. Many Vets don't know it's higher for Maltese and go straight for shunt diagnosis. 
They say over #99 is probable of shunt (but with a BAT only I would do more tests if my puppy had signs)
Then there is a Protein C test.
*BUT* if I had a high BAT that indicated a possible shunt I would go straight to the only one sure test, a Scintigraphy.

Praying she is having other issues that elevate her ALT. Keep us posted.


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## plenty pets 20 (Jul 8, 2006)

With all this good advice from the gals that have had MVD pups, perhaps putting her on the diet NOW that they suggest would be helpful. Getting the BAT will hopefully give you answers, but in the mean time give the diet a try. 
Just what I would do. Hugs, Edie


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## SammieMom (Nov 13, 2010)

Hopefully her BAT will be normal, but if you do need more tests. A lot of Vets say to get an ultra sound if BAT is high. But the specialist in this field say the ultra sound tech must be highly trained in shunt detection, and even then it is very difficult to see one because the liver is so tiny. They recommend Scintigraphy.


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## huff1472 (Jan 12, 2013)

Thank you Sammie's mommy! Lacy Mae's coat is kind of a weird straight also? She is also really funny with her food? She has to slap it out of the dish with her paw every single time she eats? She plays with it a bit and eats a little, but not much ever? I'm fact I can only think of 2 times in the 7 weeks we have had her that she has eaten the entire 1/4 cup of food. I feed her 2x a day! So she should get 1/2 cup a day, but I know she doesn't eat nearly that much!


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## zooeysmom (Aug 1, 2011)

Aww, I'm so sorry you're going through this scare. I hope it's something that can be managed, whether it's MVD or a shunt or whatever. Lacy Mae sounds like such a precious pup. Please give her a kiss for me.


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## Bailey&Me (Mar 8, 2010)

huff1472 said:


> Thank you all for your kind words and info. The next step will be the BAT test. The elevated ALT does not concern me nearly as much as her lack of appetite and very poor growth. Honestly when I met the breeder and picked her up I knew she was just way to thin for a puppy. She has only grown .2 in over 6 weeks! She came to us at 2.4 lbs and is now 2.6 lbs. She is not vomiting or having any diarrhea at all. She really doesn't act sick at all just not eating and not thriving. Will let you all know the BAT results I expect we will be doing that test this week.





huff1472 said:


> Thank you Sammie's mommy! Lacy Mae's coat is kind of a weird straight also? She is also really funny with her food? She has to slap it out of the dish with her paw every single time she eats? She plays with it a bit and eats a little, but not much ever? I'm fact I can only think of 2 times in the 7 weeks we have had her that she has eaten the entire 1/4 cup of food. I feed her 2x a day! So she should get 1/2 cup a day, but I know she doesn't eat nearly that much!


Oh gosh, the .2 pound weight gain in 6 weeks would worry me too, for sure!! May I ask what you feed her or what you have tried with her? It's just a thought but maybe she is super picky eater and doesn't like her current food? My Emma is the about the same age as Belle...she got really picky at one point and would go days without eating much of anything...I experimented with sooo many different types of foods to finally find one she will actually eat and now she actually chows down her food! I tried canned food, kibble and freeze-dried/dehydrated raw. I had the most luck with a dehydrated raw food...I use Addiction because it has a low to moderate level of protein. My next step was going to be to try home-cooking for her, but keep in mind for a puppy you really have to follow a specific recipe formulated by a vet. I'm not suggesting that Belle's ALT values have anything to do with her current food...just that maybe she'd be more willing to eat a different type of food and you can get some weight on her?? Sorry again for all you're dealing with...I know I would be worried too. 

You're getting some great advice from folks here who have had experience dealing with liver issues. Please keep us posted.


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## Lacie's Mom (Oct 11, 2006)

You've gotten some great advice. I agree that she may be a very picky eater and that you may not have found what she likes to eat. Mentioned in an earlier post, but I wanted to emphasis that many Vets do not know how to properly do a BAT test on a Malt and that because of this the reading ends up to be all over the place. Just letting you know to be cautious about the results. If you really believe there is a liver stunt involved, you need to go for the Protein C test.

Sending prayers for little Lacy Mae and for you and your family.
\

For those interested (and to answer some of the questions from newer members) -- you can learn more about many of the tests, vaccinations, medical procedures, etc. in the Health and Behavior Section of this forum. We have a number of "Sticky" posts with really good info. I would encourage you to at least skim these and see if they address some of your questions.


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## Mason Mom (May 20, 2013)

Bailey&Me said:


> I'm sorry that you're going through this. I would also say though, like the other ladies have already said, don't get alarmed yet. Please get a BAT test ASAP and go from there. I have read somewhere that the majority of Maltese may have some degree of MVD and most of them are asymptomatic. So Belle may just have MVD which can be easily managed through diet, so if it were me, I wouldn't jump to the conclusion of returning her just yet. It is recommended that all Maltese puppies get a BAT done at 16 weeks old so you can have a base line. Again, don't be alarmed if the number is a little above the "norm" because that is pretty common for Maltese. If the numbers are sky high, the next step after that is generally a protein C test, I believe it is called. So what I mean to say is, a high ALT doesn't necessarily mean she has a shunt or a serious liver issue...so please don't stress out just yet, just do a BAT and continue with the testing if necessary after that...you may find that its something very manageable. There is a lot of great information about this subject on SM. I would recommend reading all you can and talking this through more with your breeder. Honestly, because MVD is so common in the breed, you may end up having to deal with it again to some degree with any other Maltese you bring home. Many of our members have dealt with it and can offer great advice.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using PG Free



What is ALT and the BAT Test????


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## CloudClan (Jan 31, 2007)

Mason Mom said:


> What is ALT and the BAT Test????


BAT = Bile Acid Test

Bile Acids

The Bile Acid Test is a useful tool in the beginning stages of diagnosing a potential liver shunt and is recommended for breeds that are prone to liver shunt problems like Maltese. It is recommended to test after 16 weeks. This test is a preliminary test; however, and high bile acid test results are common in maltese due to the prevalance of MVD which may affect around 80% of the breed. MVD thankfully rarely produces significant symptoms and the vast majority of dog with MVD live perfectly normal lives. For dogs with very high BA test results there are other tests that should follow. One is the protein C test. 

ALT = Alanine aminotransferase (Common Test in Bloodwork) but it is only an indicator that something is amiss. It does not tell you what type of problem you have. There are a wide range of issues that can be associated with elevated liver enzymes and while many of them are scary, many are not. Some examples range from liver shunts to pancreatitis or under-active thyroid. The test does not tell you what you have. It only tells you that you need to search deeper to find out a cause. 

ALT


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## SammieMom (Nov 13, 2010)

Lacie's Mom said:


> For those interested (and to answer some of the questions from newer members) -- you can learn more about many of the tests, vaccinations, medical procedures, etc. in the Health and Behavior Section of this forum. We have a number of "Sticky" posts with really good info. I would encourage you to at
> least skim these and see if they address some of your questions.


Great reminder about stickies Lynn!!:thumbsup:


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