Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Dog | Chihuahua | Male | unneutered | 2 months and 13 days old
If puppies are born and one suddenly dies of a liver shunt. ..Does it mean the bigger puppy will have the liver shunt too? The one puppy suddenly collapsed and died at 2 months old. I'm worried about the other one now.
2 Answers
Published on November 4th, 2016
They could have it or not. Liver shunt can have a congenital origin. I would strongly recommend to check all of them at your local vets. Abdominal ultrasound and specific blood tests are very sensitive way to diagnose this disease.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Published on
No it does not mean the bigger puppy has a liver shunt. Liver shunt is not contagious, as it is a congenital malformation. Usually this is a "freak accident". If you are really worried you can ask your vet to do a specific exam that will reveal any problems provided there are problems.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.