Liver issues (*help!*) UPDATE!

We're where you are right as well, here's a link to something I find promising: 

http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/liver_diet.htm 

See the bottom where it tells about milk thistle dosages... I'd suggest loads of milk thistle, that's what we are doing in addition to the denosyl (similar to the one you are on except yours has more in it)

High protein foods are taxing on the liver as well. 

that's all I've got for now. gotta go to bed but I'm SURE Callie will be along  

Yeah, generally when you are feeding to help the liver you go real minimal with protein -- like down to like 15% (you could homecook for a guy that small easily).  That wouldn't be typical for a puppy BUT you sometimes do what you gotta do to heal them and then you balance it out later.

I can't encourage you enough to try to ADD a TCVM vet -- man, acupuncture helps liver SO much, and the Chinese herbals can truly help as well. 

Much depends on *why* this has occurred and given the high white cell count I'm sure infection is the leading theory.  Is the vet using any antibiotic?

Aren't Shih Tzus prone to liver shunts?

It's funny, Emma was eating Hundchen Flocken with water and canned food when her liver problem was found, too.

Liver problems make them nauseated, which is why he isn't eating. I'd make up something super simple, and super low protein/fat, and not worry about balance for the moment. Rice with a smidge of low sodium cottage cheese should work, for him. It'll turn his poop yellow, but his poop is likely to be yellowish anyways.

Get some Prozyme. Order it NOW and get the fastest delivery you can. It WILL make a big, big difference in the weight. I started Emma out with a double dose. I was desperate for ANYTHING to help her gain weight. She was just starving to death. It was awful to look at. She had no energy at all, and the liver list people (at groups.yahoo.com/group/canineliver-d) told me to BUY PROZYME NOW. I did, and she lived. She was down to something ridiculous like 12 or 13 lbs. She's 19 lbs, healthy.

 When Emma was really bad off, she ended up on a vegetarian diet, for quite some time. You might remember... I was making her tofu with rice and veggies. She was only a puppy, but she did just fine. I got a dietary supplement meant to balance out vegetarian dog diets (with extra amino acids) and it worked, for a while.

Do whatever you have to do, and don't worry about whether it's balanced, or whether it sounds reasonable. Just do it. He'll thank you for listening to him instead of your brain or your book or whatever it is that we listen to sometimes, LOL. Eventually, Monica Segal's liver diet is awesome, and that's a fantastic thing to feed, but right now? He isn't going to tolerate something that complicated. Super simple, overcooked rice with a little tiny bit of protein. 

Flagyl is the same as metronidazole, right? That helped Emma a LOT and she still takes it, occasionally, if she needs a little help.

And also, ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((hugs)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) I know how hard it is hearing that your PUPPY is so sick. Email me any time. I'm almost always around within a couple of hours. You can get me on LJ or AIM too, if you want. 

 Well, the vet did a  urinalysis today and thinks he may have Leptospirosis. It causes elevations in both kidneys and liver. There have been cases in DFW lately, and his breeder said he was playing in stagnant water a few weeks ago. She did not vaccinate for Lepto because of the reaction risks. Pushing antibiotics should help. This is good though, it means he probably doesn't have a liver shunt.

pray for him.