Meet Hannah,
an adorable little four-month-old pug. She suffered a seizure April 3, 2006. Her owner took her to the Animal Emergency Clinic where she spent the night and then went to her vet the next morning. After extensive testing is was determined that she has a liver shunt. One of many test showed tremendously elevated bile acids. Liver shunts are a deformity that affects liver function because the blood passes the liver toxins may build up in the bloodstream or kidneys. Liver shunts can be internal or external.
Hannah is in Memphis now and will be taken to the University of Tennessee Veterinary College in Knoxville, TN. A shunt cannot be definitely diagnosed with blood work. Her first day at UT Hannah will participate in a current study comparing a CT to scintigraphy (a nuclear scan). If the shunt is located outside of the liver, an ameroid constrictor ring will be placed around the vessel. This device slowly closes the shunt over a period of time so
there will not be such a shock to her system. If the shunt is internal, sometimes it can be corrected surgically, but most likely nothing can be done with surgery. After surgery, she will be placed on a low protein diet and monitored very closely. Survival rate from the surgery is 99%, and 85% are clinically normal within 3-6 months after the surgery. Her owner loves her dearly and if she had the resources there is no doubt she would do all she could to save her young life. Instead she decided to turn Hannah over to rescue where she will get the care she desperately needs and the chance to spend the rest of her life a happy and healthy girl.
Hannah has the most loveable personality and we are grateful she hasn’t begun to have other symptoms. She appears to be a typical Pug…she is a little 5 lb butterball full of energy! Please keep Hannah in your thoughts and prayers. This is both a risky and expensive surgery. We pray this is a correctable shunt. The plan is for Hannah to arrive in Knoxville April 22 where she’ll be pampered for a couple of days in the home of a wonderful Pug lover who recently adopted Bessie from Pug Rescue of Memphis. She will be in the hospital from Tuesday April 24 until Saturday April 29. Roger & Anna will be there to pick her up and bring her back to Memphis , where Dr. Blackburn will take over her care.
We are a small rescue group and this is one the biggest cases we have taken on, so pray for Hannah and us. We are all grateful the have the opportunity to help this precious girl and we are very happy to know there are kindred spirits out there like ourselves always ready and willing to help the cause however we can. Hannah’s medical care will be a minimum of $1,500.00. If you would like to make a donation to help with restoring this young Pug back to health you can do so several ways .
Update 4-22-06: Hannah left the Basco's this morning and was taken to Nashville by Barry & Dana. They met with Jim and he took her on to Knoxville. She will stay with Ginger until Tuesday when she will be admitted to the hospital. For pictures of Hannah with the Basco Pugs and her other new friends click on her to see her photo gallery
Update 4-26-06: Hannah is a huge hit at the University in
Update 5-2-06: Hannah is back at the Basco's. For an update and new pictures click here Hannah
Hannah Update 5-12-06: Hi Everyone. Well, first of all I am finally off “crate rest and exercise restriction. Mr. Roger took me to the vet on Wednesday and I got my stitches out. I have to continue taking Lactulose, but Ms. Anna puts it in my food and I really 
don’t mind it at all. It helps me until my liver begins to function like it should. I weigh almost 6-1/2 lbs and I’m eating like a Pig. I’m so happy to be able to prance around outdoors with my foster siblings. I think I like Sissy the best. She is the oldest, but we are almost the same height. She bascially ignores me unless I crawl up on her back while we are all cuddling on the sofa. Max is more my age, but I think he’s jealous. He goes in my personal private room and takes my toys out…one at a 
time. It’s okay because he has certainly shared a lot with me. I have my evening meal with all of the other Pugs. I don’t eat the same thing they do, but I bet I eat more! I still have to go to bed by 8:00 PM every night. I’m tired by then anyway… but come 5:30 AM I am ready to have my breakfast and go potty. That’s another thing… I’m beginning to get the potty training thing…..you do your business outside!!! I go see Dr. Blackburn in two weeks and after that it is a possibility we may be able to start looking for my forever home. It 
>would be more than fine with me to stay here, but Ms. Anna thinks that a home with fewer pets and maybe even some human kids would be better. She promises that I will stay here in Memphis or no further away than 50 miles. I would also like my future family to have another Pug. One of the best things that has come out of this ordeal is I have a new friend. Her name is Bailey and she is a girl Pug who had the same surgery I did. She had her operation 2 months ago. Her and her Mom and her Grandmother came over to see me last weekend. They also brought Bonnie, her cute, but gigantic Schnauzer sister. Here's a picture of them.
I also want to thank everyone for your prayers and donations. Thank you for helping me and all the Pugs who for whatever reason need an organization like this one.
Update 6-05-06:Hi everyone. It’s been a few weeks since my last update. I’m enjoying life, but have had a small set back. About two weeks ago Anna noticed I was loosing hair around my eye and forehead.
She suspected I had mange and Mr. Roger took me straight to the vet where it was confirmed. Most dogs have the demodex mite on their skin and with the recent stress in my life and my immune system being low it has spread all over my body! I’m not contagious. If it was Max would certainly have it by now. I don’t know what I would do without him to play with and climb all over. It's been about two weeks now and my hair is starting to grow back in. I’m taking liquid Ivomectin and antibiotics for the mange and I’m still on the Lactulose and something to help keep my food down. I’m up to a whopping 8 lbs now. This weekend Mr. Roger can start mixing about 1/4 of regular puppy food in with the Science diet I am on for my liver. He is a good food mixer… I watch him make the other Pugs meals and I like to sit and cry while watching him just like Jake does. I can get very ferocious sounding if any Pug(s) dare comes near me while I am eating.
Update 2-25-07 WOW! That's all I can say. I
can't believe it's been 8 months since my last update. I
weighed 8 lbs... now almost double that at 14 lbs. I'm sure
everyone know by now the Basco's adopted me. My oldest sister,
Sissy passed away in December. It was so sad. My Mom was
really hurting but she was happy to have all of us to help ease the
pain of our loss. On December 31, 2006 I turned 1 year old. My
brother Max just had his 2nd birthday, and Dee Dee, Jake & Pearl
turned 9 on the 8th of December. Max is still my favorite
brother. My sister Pearl is really nice. I like her.
I love to chew on nylabones and Max. Especially when he has
mind on something other than playing with me.
Since my last update I've had surgery on both of my eyes.... they wouldn't close all the way when I was sleeping, so they began to dry out and I was getting ulcers. It's was a fairly simple surgery and Dr. Blackburn just put a few stitches on the outside of each eye and I was good to go!
If you have a Paypal account or a credit card, you can send a donation for Hannah by clicking below:
Or
Mail a donation to:
Pug Rescue of Memphis, Inc.
PO Box 241503
Memphis, TN 38124-9997
