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DAVIS Sandy,a6-month- old female Labrador re- triever, presented to UC Davis Veterinary Medi- cal Teaching Hospital for evaluation and treatment of an intrahepatic porto- systemic shunt (IHPSS). An IHPSS is a birth de- fect of the blood vessels that bring blood to the liver for purification. Sandy was previously diagnosed with the IHPSS by her referring veterinar- ian, and Sandy's vet sug- gested her owners bring her to UC Davis to see Dr. Bill Culp with the Soft Tis- sue Surgery Service. San- dy's family made the 500 mile journey from their home near San Diego to see Culp, who has per- formed many shunt pro- cedures. Culp's team got to work on Sandy, performing sev- eral diagnostics as part of their study on Sandy's IHPSS, including a tech- netium scan, bloodwork, a CT scan and an abdom- inal ultrasound. All tests confirmed or were consis- tent with the presence of an IHPSS. The CT scan al- lowed visualization of the shunting vessel and helped with planning the best treatment approach. The goal of any treatment with liver shunts is to close the shunting vessel over time, thus redirecting blood flow through the liver, allowing adequate nutrition to reach the liver, as well as for tox- ins to be removed from the systemic circulation. Historically, the treat- ment options for IHPSS included medical manage- ment or an open surgery. The outcomes with these treatments were variable, and many dogs would not respond well. A newer In- terventional Radiology technique, called percu- taneous transvenous coil embolization (PTCE), per- formed in a minimally invasive fashion has re- cently shown promise in the treatment of this dis- ease. UC Davis is one of the few veterinary hos- pitals offering this state- of-the-art therapy and is one of the leaders in In- terventional Radiology. Culp and his team dis- cussed the situation with Sandy's owner, and it was decided that treating the shunt with PTCE was the best course of action. Sandy was anesthe- tized and prepared for her procedure, and the PTCE was performed. During this procedure, a stent is placed in the caudal vena cava — largest vein in the abdomen which returns deoxygenated blood to the heart — along the region of the shunt and coils are released into the shunt. These coils allow for clot formation which will grad- ually occlude the shunt ves- sel over time. Sandy's surgery was a success. She returned home, where she was put on strict orders to rest for two weeks. That in- cluded only going outside on a leash, no running, no jumping and no playing — a tall order for a 6-month- old puppy. Sandy's fam- ily made sure she got her proper rest, as this im- proved Sandy's chances of a successful outcome. Sandy returned to the VMTH three months after her surgery, and passed her re-check examination with flying colors. Her owners reported she was doing well at home with good activity levels and a good appetite. Her bloodwork showed improved liver val- ues. A CT scan showed an improvement in liver size and vascularity demon- strating improved blood flow. Sandy's initial re- sponse is very promising, and a full recovery is ex- pected allowing Sandy to live a normal life. T he William R . Pritchard Veterinary Med- ical Teaching Hospital at the University of Califor- nia, Davis — a unit of the School of Veterinary Med- icine — provides state-of- the-art clinical care while serving as the primary clinical teaching experi- ence for DVM students and post graduate vet- erinarian residents. The VMTH treats more than 47,000 animals a year, ranging from cats and dogs to horses, cows and exotic species. To learn more about the VMTH, please go to www.vetmed. ucdavis.edu/vmth. UC DAVIS Ve te ri na ry s ur ge on s sa ve puppy with liver defect COURTESYPHOTO Sandy, a 6-month-old female Labrador retriever. PHOTOS BY CHIP THOMPSON — DAILY NEWS Geldings practiced in the outdoor ring and presented dry, trail and cattle works abilities in the Pauline Davis Pavilion Thursday. HORSEBACKHEROES PLEASE RECYCLE THIS NEWSPAPER. Call:PhyllisParker BRE#01139319 Banner Real Estate 530-941-0263 Two commercial properties adjacent to one another. Bulkeley is approx. 6225 sq. ft. featuring an auditorium with stage, reception area, several offices, conference room, kitchen and 2 covered patios. Park is approx. 1200 sq. ft. with kitchen and bathrooms, 2 two car garages, covered patio and both have ample parking. Call for appointment to view properties. 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