CT scan and Dye fail

So Lexx had his post OP CT scan on Thursday to check his shunt.

To make a long and frustrating day short, the CT showed that the pressure and fluid build up in his ventricles had shown no change. This means that the shunt is not working, or that the valve that we installed is not the correct one for Lexx.

The first thought was that the valve itself was not the proper pressure valve for Lexx and that it would need to be replaced. The surgery isn't a big deal, but the valve itself is very expensive.

After some consultation, it was decided that we should check to see if the shunt itself was working by injecting a dye ( myelogenic) into the shunt and watching it move through into the abdomen. WELL. It didn't. It moved UP into Lexx's brain.

Bad news: when the dye is in the brain, its known to cause seizures... in NORMAL dogs let alone epileptic ones. Double bad news: Lexx would have to remain at the clinic overnight for observaton. Triple bad news: the shunt isn't working at all.

Now surgery is booked for next week. A clamp will be placed in the shunt tube between the valve and his brain to prevent the dye incident from being repeated. This surgery will be completed under a fluoroscope so that the progress of the dye through the shunt can be monitored.

Our first thought is that there is an inclusion somewhere in the tubing, either from fatty build up putting pressure on the tube, the tubes being tangled or kinked or a protein build up in the valve itself.

It is still a possibility that the valve is not working properly, and will need to be replaced. Since this option costs me a thousand dollars, I'm really REALLY hoping thats not it.

In all his awesomeness, my surgeon is doing everything for free, including the anesthetics, the hospital stay and the surgery itself. So thats incredibly helpful. The only payment required will be for the abdominal surgeon that will be required to enter his abdomen to help fix whatever problem that may be found. Can't ask him to work for free!