“A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.“- Josh Billings.
Tuxedo is a 8 week old Yorkie that loves getting into everything. “He eats everything he can find” explained his owner. This is what brought him into North Town Veterinary Hospital.
On September 16th, 2015 Tuxedo began acting differently. He started vomiting and having diarrhea. When he lay down he would weep in pain and was not acting like his playful self. Tuxedo’s owner knew something wasn’t right! She immediately rushed him over to North Town Veterinary Hospital and explained his symptoms. After the doctor examined Tuxedo’s X-Ray, they were recommended to have a better look at what was happening inside his body. The X-Rays revealed a foreign object lodged at the ileocecocolic. This meant Tuxedo at 8 weeks old needed exploratory surgery to get the object out before it permanently damaged his insides or became fatal. On September 17th, Tuxedo underwent exploratory surgery and Dr. Forbes was able to dislodge the foreign body and move it into his colon where the object was able to pass. Tuxedos entire abdomen was thoroughly explored to ensure there was no additional foreign material. The surgery was a great success and there were no complications. Tuxedo’s owner was surprised to find out that the foreign object was a carpet staple! “He must of pulled the staple out of the carpet” his owner told the hospital staff. Tuxedo was super excited to see his owner after his surgery. He wagged his tail and smothered her in love and kisses. Our goal at North Town Veterinary Hospital is to keep pets happy and healthy. With that being said there are a few things new pet owners can do to reduce situations like the one Tuxedo was in.
Getting a new puppy is an exciting time for anyone. But there preparing for your new bundle of joy properly and promptly is important. Puppy proofing your house is a must and will eliminate many dangers. Walking through all the rooms in your home and ensuring dangers such as cleaning supplies, ingestible items, bathroom essentials such as razors,soap and pills are all kept out of reach will help creat a pet friendly environment. Make sure there is no access to dangerous foods, exposed wires and cords will also help keep your new addition safe. By childproof in your home and having a trash can that locks you can greatly reduce any accidents that could occur. Investigate baseboards and carpets to guarantee objects can’t be wiggled out of place and always try to keep the toilet seat down to prevent any unexpected injuries. Staying diligent about tidying up and putting clutter away will help keep out furry friends out of harms way. These are just a few things that pet owners can do to promote a safe and welcoming pet environment. Better safe than sorry I always say.
By: Megan Wilson
