Bark N Wag 15 Minute Vet Talk

Liver shunts (technically called portosystemic shunts) are not that common in dogs, but if you are an aficionado of certain breeds or if your dog develops liver disease, you may find yourself in desperate need of information. Read on to learn all about liver shunts in dogs. What Is a Liver Shunt? First, we need to review some canine anatomy and physiology. A network of veins (called the portal system) drains blood away from the digestive tract. This blood carries nutrients, hormones, and waste material and is supposed to enter the liver before it travels to the rest of the body. The liver takes what it needs to function properly and also detoxifies the blood before sending it onward. A shunt is defined as a passage “that allows the flow of materials between two structures that are not usually connected.” A portosystemic shunt is, specifically, an abnormal blood vessel (or vessels) that connects the “portal” system draining the digestive tract to the “systemic” circulatory system feeding the rest of the body,