TACO’s STORY

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At just 9 months old, Taco is fighting for his life.

 

Taco suffers from a congenital liver shunt whereby blood from his gastrointestinal tract is not being filtered by the liver, so the toxins and proteins cause abnormal neurologic function, which if untreated can lead to seizures.

Taco came into R2R’s foster program at 6 months as the “quiet runt of his litter”.

 

But it quickly became clear something was very wrong.

Instead of behaving like a playful greyhound puppy, Taco struggled to walk properly, swaying like a “drunken sailor.” He was lethargic, dangerously underweight, and barely eating.

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Then things got worse. Within weeks, Taco stopped eating completely and was rushed into the Emergency Vets where after yet more tests he was diagnosed with a liver shunt and then stabilised through medication and a hepatic special diet (no meat).

While this is keeping him alive for now, it is not a long-term solution. Without surgery, his future is heartbreakingly uncertain.

 

Successful surgery would give Taco the chance to live a normal, happy life — to run, play, gain weight, eat normally, and finally enjoy the carefree puppyhood he deserves.

 

His surgery is: PTCE for IHPSS

Percutaneous Transvenous Coil Embolization (PTCE) is the surgical treatment procedure using fluoroscopy to place intravenous coils to occlude the Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunts (IHPSS) in his liver.

 

Dr Stewart Ryan is a leading specialist surgeon and Professor at the University of Melbourne with expertise in complex liver shunt cases.

He will carry out this delicate surgery at Southpaws Vet Hospital in June when Taco is old enough to have his surgery.

Your donation could help give Taco the healthy future he deserves.

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