On April 27th, 2005 our battle began against a terrible disease, "Liver Shunt Disease", with no knowledge of what a liver shunt was!!!

I brought home a little black and tan female Yorkshire Terrier, weighting maybe two pounds, that we named SuziQ. I didn't even make it thru the first night without noticing something was wrong!!!

I took SusiQ back to the Petland's vet for that was a requirement to keep the contract valid. The Petland vet said that she was probably just scared of her new surrounding!!! THAT WAS SO RIGHT "LOL" but not the real problem!!!

Well, to make a long story short, we took SusiQ to several vets and she was treated for low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Then a vet in Fort Myers, Fl said he thought SuziQ had a liver shunt and he could put the ring on it. Unfortunately he couldn't find the shunt so he suggested that we put her down!!!
That was out of the question……

By this time my husband Paul researched and found Dr. Karen Tobias at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. She explained what was going on and what needed to be done to save SusiQ's life.

Also by this time several months pasted and SusiQ was having episodes (seizures) as we called them twice a week. My husband, Paul and I would take turns holding SusiQ to our hearts. We figured if SusiQ could hear our heart she would feel our love for her. I swear this kept SusiQ alive. She was so sick and she refused to eat.

The turning point of our journey was on Aug 10th, 2005 at 11a.m. Dr. Jennifer Fick called me from the University of Florida veterinary hospital in Gainesville, and told me that she found SusiQ's liver shunt and successfully put the Ameriod Constrictor ring on it. I cried like a baby and she said, "why are you crying Mrs. Jasper? I believe that SusiQ is going to be okay." I replied, "I'm so happy and I kept saying
thank you."

On Aug 13th, 2005 we brought our little 8 month old SusiQ back home, where now, after months, her Bile Acid Count is normal. SusiQ runs, plays, eats good "LOL" ,and has that "YORKIE ATTITUDE" that we all know and love.

But I must add that our journey wouldn't have been such a happy ending if it wasn't for the Yorkshire Terrier National Rescue, Inc. This web site led us to our answers. Also, thank goodness for the Liver Shunt & MVD Support Group for it lead us, day by day, thru the surgery and the daily support we needed after the surgery.

We couldn't have done it without ALL of you supporting us. Thank you all for your dedication to help educate the people, like myself, that didn't know what a liver shunt was.

My journey's reward is looking into my 7 pound SusiQ's eyes;
THEY DANCE WITH THE LOVE OF LIFE!

Brenda & Paul Jasper