Maggie is a 9 year old cockapoo that was admitted to North Town Veterinary Hospital for bite wounds. Her owner was walking her one foggy night without a leash, when suddenly another dog appeared out of nowhere. The owner said that at first the dogs were just sniffing each other then things turned bad very fast. The other dog – considerably larger – than Maggie bit her as the other owner walked towards them. Maggie began to convulse and was immediately taken to North Town. Our doctors were instantly concerned about internal damage and bleeding.
Maggie suffered from three abdominal puncture wounds on her left side and was crying in pain when she arrived. Her breathing was laboured and she appeared lethargic; her prognosis was poor. Maggie had to undergo hospitalization to save her life. Maggie required ultrasounds and radiographs to assess the extent of her injuries. She was placed on oxygen therapy and underwent wound management, injections and supportive care.
Maggie stayed several days in hospital recovering. Each day was a struggle for Maggie but she continued to improve despite all odds. It was the miracle everyone was hoping for. Maggie was awarded a portion of the OSCAR Fund to assist with the cost of her lifesaving treatment. She is now happy and healthy and has recovered from her injuries.
To leash or not to leash…
Walking your pets on a leash can make a lot of sense. Even very well trained dogs can be spooked, or eye a tasty snack along the way. Squirrels certainly attract my guys! Non pet owning people are often afraid of animals running around, and sometimes injure pets while trying to keep them away, even if your pet only wants to say hi. We see animals ingesting things they should not far too often. When grabbing then swallowing something outside, pets are ingesting possible toxins, deadly bacteria or viruses and parasites. Keeping them on a leash allows you to be much more aware of what they are getting their paws on.
Animals off leash are unfortunately more often involved in vicious situations; both as victims and attacker. Having a leash on the animal can minimize or eliminate the attack in most cases.
Remember, you are responsible for keeping your beloved friend safe as well as for their actions. Leash your pet or visit the vet!
Have you heard of BDLD?
We have a term unique in veterinary medicine called BDLD, which stands for an encounter between a Big Dog and a Little Dog; usually with the small dog ending up the loser. This is actually a more serious thing than you would expect from how the injuries often turn out. The big dog will often shake the little dog, causing much more severe injuries underneath. A vet team will spring into action, looking for perforating punctures, torn muscles, collapsed lungs and internal bleeding on top of the obvious injuries or fracture. Various diagnostics such as radiographs, bloodwork or ultrasound may be required. Many of these small dogs are in critical condition and their injuries are life threatening.
The OSCAR Fund
Maggie was a recipient of our OSCAR Fund support account. The OSCAR fund stands for Offering Subsidized Care for Animal Recovery. North Town actively raises money for this fund through nail trims, bake sales and Google reviews in order to provide assistance pets in our community that need it the most. Maggie is just one of the many pets the OSCAR Fund has helped. This fund is managed in-clinic with third party or administration fees. 100% of the proceeds to our OSCAR Fund go back into our community after a brief application process and a review from our medical staff. If you are interested in donating to our OSCAR Fund, please contact the hospital and our team will be sure to get you the information you need!
