How is Liver Shunt diagnosed?
There are a number of possible abnormalities that might point towards a portosystemic shunt on: • Routine Labwork Routine performed serum chemistries are fairly nonspecific toward confirming the diagnosis of porto-systemic shunts, but there may be a decreased total protein (primarily albumin), decreased blood glucose, decreased cholesterol, & decreased blood urea nitrogen (BUN). The uric acid levels may be elevated in a significant number of those Maltese affected. Acid levels are extremely important in the diagnostic screening of symptomatic potential shunts. Fasting and a two hour post meal blood samples are evaluated for bile acid levels. In virtually all porto-systemic shunts there will be a significant rise in the bile acid levels over normal. The use of bile acids in screening clinically normal for liver shunts is not currently being advised due to the variation of normal bile acid levels in Maltese, and other breeds as well. Reports of recent vaccination with modified-live vacci
