Our June 2010 Featured Pet: Studs Delmond
& His Snake Bite Survival Story

 
I am Studs Delmond, a 6-yr old Sheltie and one very lucky guy. On Memorial Day weekend, while playing in my yard, I sensed an intruder in the bushes. I went right in there and dragged a water moccasin out to give it the shaking of its life, but my efforts earned me some nasty bites and an even nastier dose of venom. Now, if you think getting a poisonous snake bite is just a matter of going to your vet for a shot of antivenin and Voila! you are cured, let me tell you just how wrong you are! 

   First thing that happened after my close encounter with the snake, my usual vet clinic in Gainesville couldn’t even get me in to be seen by a doctor. I told you I’m a lucky guy though, and well-loved too, because my humans took me to Lake Area Animal Hospital in Melrose, where they know just how bad a snake bite can be and even keep antivenin in stock for different types of poisonous snake bites.

    I was really swelling up so my humans elected to have the doctor give me antivenin. I already told you that fixing up your pet after a snake bite isn’t just a simple matter of getting a shot of antivenin. Antivenin treatment requires IV administration along with fluids, antibiotics, pain medication, blood work, hospitalization...you get the picture now. I was able to go back home the night of my snake encounter, but on Memorial Day my humans saw blood in my urine and it being a holiday, off we went to the emergency clinic. My front legs, chest, jaw and mouth were so swollen and very badly bruised the ER doctor had to put the IV in my back leg (you know they usually put it in your front leg). I couldn't even eat or drink water; that will tell you how badly a snake can mess you up.

   Well I spent all day Tuesday at Lake Area Animal Hospital, receiving fluids and being cared for by those nice people who said I’m a real “trooper” (I think that means I was quiet and never once complained) and then it was more of the same at the emergency clinic that night because I was still too sick to go home. Wednesday I was back at Lake Area and starting to look and feel better so Dr. Blackburn said I could go home for the night-Hooray!

   Sad to say, that wasn’t the end of my ordeal, not at all. Some effects of snake bite can occur days and even weeks later. I had to go back to Lake Area Animal Hospital to be treated for open wounds from the snake bites and open wounds all over my throat area where damaged and dying skin was sloughing off, gross-I know! Good thing I couldn't see myself, but think how my humans felt when they looked at what used to be beautiful long fur!

   Anyway, the Lake Area folks cleaned me up and I went home and continued to heal and feel much better, but my story doesn't end there because I still had to go back to Lake Area Animal Hospital to have some damaged skin surgically removed and closed. These last photos are when I went back to have my stitches removed.
    Now I am fully back to being my super sweet and wonderful self (hey, I’m not vain, I’m just telling you what the humans said) but I'm telling you, snake bites sure are bad news! I’ll tell you one more thing; you don’t have to go nose to nose with a poisonous snake to get the very best care at Lake Area Animal Hospital because they will take care of all your needs; but I sure do recommend them if you find yourself in a predicament like mine. Those nice people have won my gratitude and affection and my humans agree because they have decided to make Lake Area Animal Hospital my new vet care providers. I really am a lucky dog!  

Our November 2009 Featured Pet: In Memory of Sunny McBride

   Sunny McBride lost her brave fight with bladder cancer on November 3 and was eased across the rainbow bridge with humane euthanization at her home. Though she has left this mortal world behind, Sunny still has an important message to convey; one of love, courage and the will to survive.
   After an ultrasound test in November 2008, Sunny, a then 10-yr old yellow lab, was diagnosed with an advanced stage of bladder cancer. Though the average survival rate for canine bladder cancer is 3-6 months, it was even less for Sunny because her cancer was so advanced at diagnosis. There was no treatment available to cure Sunny’s cancer; it was too large for surgery, and radiation and chemotherapy would not be effective.
   Still, Sunny’s loving family gave her a fighting chance: The NSAID or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug Piroxicam has been shown to help slow the growth of bladder cancer and provide palliative pain relief and Sunny was also on Sucralfate to prevent stomach upset and ulcers. Though she developed a few bladder infections this past year, Sunny’s vet team performed cultures & urinalysis to identify the bacteria and were therefore able to prescribe the appropriate antibiotics so she continued to do well. 
   At the end of October, Sunny stopped eating and did not respond to the medications prescribed for upset stomach and nausea. Though she had by far exceeded the survival rate for a dog with bladder cancer, let alone advanced bladder cancer, Sunny’s good fight had come to an end. Sunny was a good pup and she has this important message to share with you pet parents: Talk to your doctor at Lake Area Animal Hospital if you notice any changes in your pet’s health or behavior. It is very important, especially for your senior pets, to have regular health check-ups and routine blood work. Even if it seems "too late", remember me, Sunny, and give your pet the chance to be loved by you and give you all the love they can for as long as they can. 

          Hi, I am Tuffy English, a 13-yr old Yorkie with a tale to tell. I was not feeling good for a few weeks, so Mom gave me chicken & rice to encourage me to eat; she thought I was just getting old and needed some extra good food. My stomach was not feeling good, I started having diarrhea and then Mom noticed some blood in my stool, so she took me to Dr. Henry at Lake Area Animal Hospital. I normally see Dr. Henry at my house because he comes and does house calls for me and my other friends. 
   On physical exam I looked pretty good and the only thing Dr. Henry could find was a belly ache, so he ordered some blood tests and x-rays of my tummy. My blood tests looked good, but Dr. Henry thought he saw something in my stomach and wasn’t sure if it was a tumor or what. Mom ok’d having Dr. Gelatt  come do an ultrasound to see if she could tell what was in my tummy. Drs. Henry and Gelatt thought it was not a tumor, but still couldn't tell what it was, so Mom agreed to have Dr. Henry operate on me and explore my stomach. Well, Dr. Henry opened my belly and found a piece of rubber felt in my stomach which was blocking my intestines. You see, I was a naughty boy and ate something I shouldn’t have: a rubber felt pad from under the bar stool. Mom has no idea how or when I ate it and me being an older dog I just shouldn't have done it.
   Now I am feeling great, just like a new dog, and so happy my loving mom gave me a chance and didn’t just say it was old age or a tumor and that’s that. Dr. Henry said it was very unusual for a senior pet to eat something like puppies do but I still hope everyone reading this will realize that we seniors and well-behaved pets can sometimes be naughty too. So PLEASE don’t take anything for granted and do take your sick pet to Lake Area Animal Hospital because you just never know!