Dogs are still up to old tricks
ALTHOUGH COVID-19 seems to dominate everyone’s thoughts and it seems barely possible to have a conversation about anything else these days, some things don’t change… and as a vet in practice, that includes seeing dogs who have swallowed daft things.
Under guidance from the Government and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, we have stopped seeing routine cases – booster vaccinations, nail clips and prescription checks can all be delayed for the time being. However many of the cases seen by a vet in practice are of a much more urgent nature and those cases are being seen at our Somerset Road Hospital in Almondbury.
Although we are now taking histories while standing in the car park and then taking the pet into the hospital for examination without the owner, the history I was told by one owner had a familiar tone but with a twist that reflected the way so many of our lives have changed.
After a hard day of home-schooling her three children while working from home, Bruce the Spaniel’s owner sank into her sofa with a large glass of white wine. Dinner had been served and she craved for 10 minutes to just wind down from the pressures of the day. She knew that she still needed to clear up in the kitchen but that could wait.
Bruce wandered into the lounge wagging his tail and she was alarmed to see something in his mouth. Noticing her leap from the sofa, Bruce did what any food-oriented Spaniel would do, he forced the mouthful down as quickly as he could.
Bruce’s owner couldn’t be sure what it was he had swallowed until she got to the kitchen and confirmed that the left-over corn cobs from dinner that had been waiting on the kitchen worktop were one short.
Corn cobs are among the most serious foreign bodies that we see. Being cylindrical and rough on the outside, they have a tendency to get wedged within the stomach or intestine and have the potential to cause serious damage to the gut wall, potentially leading to leakage of gut contents.
Bruce’s owner was aware of the dangers associated with corn cobs and so that was why Bruce was swiftly in the Somerset Road car park. After taking him into the building, while he was held by one of our nurses, I carefully examined him. Given the history, it was no surprise that I could feel the tell-tale firm area in his abdomen.
After speaking with Bruce’s owner, consent was given for surgery. Bruce had a premedication administered and was prepared for surgery. Sure enough, in theatre, the corn cob was removed from Bruce’s stomach and it was then surgically repaired.
After a 24-hour period of recovery in our intensive care ward, Bruce was ready to be discharged. While his owner waited at a strict two meters social distancing–compliant distance, Bruce pulled me across the car park when he saw his owner.
With a tail that not only wagged side to side but also did circles, I had real suspicions that Bruce had not learned his lesson.