johnjay
New Member
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2016
- Messages
- 523
- Reaction score
- 10
How old was Jacques #1 when he supposedly passed away? I was thinking he might have been born with a liver shunt, if what Patsy said about a liver problem is even true, but those tend to show up early. In a lot of cases it can be repaired and the Ramsey's certainly had enough money to have it done. I know a lady who just had the procedure done for her puppy and he's expected to live a normal life now, but on her income it was a huge expenditure. Did the Ramsey's not want to shell out the money? Or did BR do something to Jacques #1? I guess we won't ever know but it's weird. I would think JBR would notice it wasn't the same dog.
Interesting.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bichon_Frise
Bichons are also prone to liver shunts. These often go undetected until later in life, leading to complications that cannot be fixed, and therefore liver failure. Bichons who are underweight, runts of the litter, or have negative reactions to food high in protein are likely to be suffering from a shunt. When detected early, shunt often can be corrected through surgery. However, the later in life the shunt is detected, the lower the likelihood of surgery being a success. Shunts can be kept under control through special diets of low protein and through medications to support liver function, help flush toxins that build up in the kidneys and liver, and control seizures that often occur as a symptom of the shunt. Without surgery, Bichons with shunts on average live to be 46 years old. Owners of a smaller than average size bichon must consult a vet. Other symptoms include dark urine, lethargy, loss of appetite, increase in drinking. Seizures come in all forms; episodes of seizures can begin early on but go undetected. Early seizures can appear to be the bichon in a hypnotic state (staring at something not there), or to be experiencing an episode of vertigo, or being drunk. Shunts are a serious condition of smaller breeds, and often not associated with Bichons.