Most of what we know about liver shunts comes from research done on Yorkshire Terriers, a breed where this problem is widespread. While we know that the problem is inherited, the mode of inheritance is unknown. Vets at the University of Missouri School of Veterinary Medicine have been working trying to answer this question with a colony of Yorkies with repaired liver shunts but have been unable to get any of the bitches pregnant. The Scottish Terrier Club of America is now looking into the possibility of developing a DNA test to detect the carrier status of this problem. Liver shunt can be difficult for a breeder to recognize but is easily diagnosed with a bile acid test.
Affected puppies are normally small and unthrifty.
After eating, they can exhibit bizarre behavior caused by a buildup of ammonia in the bloodstream. Surgery can normally correct the condition, depending on the location of the shunt, but it's not always completely effective and it's very expensive, often running into thousands of dollars. Back to Top Juvenile Cataracts To date, only a few dogs have been affected by juvenile cataracts and apparently only one line. In Miniature Schnauzers, congenital juvenile cataracts are caused by a simple autosomal recessive gene. In other words, both parents must be carriers.