Vet’s a pup star
POOR Elle the dog was blowing up like a balloon every time she took a breath after an attack that punctured her lung.
But thanks to a roll of clingfilm, she’s back on the mend.
Amid the current crisis, it’s a reminder that vets and other services that we rely on are still working hard in the background and deserve our thanks more than ever.
A DOG who was left blown up like a balloon was saved after quickthinking vets used cling film to deflate her “Michelin Man” body.
Elle suffered a punctured lung after being bitten on the chest by another dog last week.
The teeth failed to break the skin despite causing the horror injury, which meant air leaked out under her skin every time she breathed.
The condition, known as subcutaneous emphysema, is rare but can prove to be fatal if not treated in time.
Elle was raced to Albavet in Kirkcaldy, Fife, where staff used the compressive therapy to bring her back to her normal size.
The two-year-old was then stable enough to undergo surgery to repair the internal damage – a 2cm hole in her chest – just two days later. She underwent the complex anaesthetic and surgery, in which staff had to breathe for her before the wound was stitched up. The Chihuahua Maltese cross is now recovering well thanks to the team effort from Albavet. Clinical director Tom
BY SARAH VESTY sarah.vesty@reachplc.com
Henderson said: “Elle has made a very good recovery up until now.
“She is back to exercising and is showing minimal signs of pain.
“For the size of the hole, she’s only a 3.8kg dog and she had a 2cm wound through her ribs into her chest.”
He added: “It is a difficult period for vets and we’re striving to offer a critical service to our clients and their pets at the same time as minimising the risks of exposure to our client, staff and their families.”
In 2017, the Scottish SPCA were brought a hedgehog who had blown up to the size of a beach ball after suffering from the same condition.
Zeppelin measured 30in in circumference after being hit by a car, vets believed.
He was returned to the wild by staff at the centre in Fishcross, Clackmannanshire, after 253 days in care.