Patient of the Month

Sunshine is a lovely senior dog with a sweet and sunny disposition, with a condition known as laryngeal paralysis. This condition is relatively common in older large breed dogs and is characterized by loud breathing sounds, voice changes, tiring easily with exercise and excessive panting. The laryngeal nerves control the opening and closing of the larynx or voice box muscles. Paralysis results in the abductor muscles being unable to work properly and it becomes difficult to breathe through the paralyzed laryngeal folds. Sunshine had laryngeal tie back (lateralization) surgery done to physically open the larynx and has done very well since surgery. He was also tested for thyroid disease, which may play a part in this disorder and is being treated for hypothyroidism. Despite all of this Sunshine still loves coming to the vet and we are all happy to see him breathing easier.

Trigeminal neuritis is a disease of sudden onset where the fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal nerve) becomes inflammed. This results in drooling, difficulty eating or drinking, jaw paralysis and the inability to close the mouth. Guiness is a very happy 5-year-old chocolate lab that recently developed this condition. While relatively uncommon, trigeminal neuritis usually resolves in 1-6 weeks with supportive care such as diet changes to allow the pet to eat (soft food made into meatballs usually works!). The cause of trigeminal neuritis is currently unknown, however most dogs make a full recovery.

Antifreeze is a common toxin for household pets. It has a pleasant taste and unfortunately very small amounts can be fatal. Bones is a happy 4 year old yellow lab who decided some antifreeze would be a tasty snack. Fortunately for Bones he was caught in the act and brought in for treatment immediately. Antifreeze is metabolized very rapidly by the liver and it is these toxic metabolites that lead to kidney damage and ultimately acute kidney failure. Treatment involves giving fluids and ethyl alcohol intravenously for several days.

Loki is a friendly male cat who was adopted from the SPCA. He arrived at his new home with a history of previous upper respiratory infection and an infected left eye. When Loki was brought in for examination, the tissue lining the eyelid was so swollen and painful it was impossible to examine his eye. Rhinotracheitis Herpes Virus was suspected as the underlying cause of Loki’s eye problem. Herpes virus is very common in cats especially in shelter environments, which can be prevented by vaccination. Symptoms include sneezing, conjunctivitis and lethargy. In some instances the virus can cause damage to the cornea (surface of the eye) and sinuses. Once infected, cats with herpes can have recurrent episodes throughout their life. Fortunately, Loki responded quickly to treatment and is enjoying his “forever” home.

Riley is a 9 year old large breed dog with an unusual type of tumour. Riley has an insulinoma. This is a tumour in the pancreas which produces insulin. Insulin is a hormone which allows extra sugar to be removed from the blood stream and stored as starch and fat, keeping the blood sugar level stable. The insulinoma produces excess insulin resulting in dramatic drops in the blood sugar. In Riley’s case this caused him to have a number of symptoms including disorientation, trembling, listlessness and even seizures. Insulinomas are a type of cancer and the goal is to maintain Riley’s quality of life for as long as possible. Currently, Riley is on medication to help increase his blood sugar and is being fed frequent high calorie meals. So far he has responded well to treatment and his family is enjoying every day with this loyal friend.

Samara, a curious 7-year-old Siamese cat had a difficult month. Over Thanksgiving Samara was hospitalized for periodic vomiting, lethargy and decreased appetite.  Initially she seemed to improve with supportive treatment but over the next week Samara started to deteriorate.  Blood tests and x-rays did not determine the cause of Samara's illness.  Exploratory surgery was the next step and the results were surprising. Samara had swallowed a large amount of sewing thread, which had become wrapped around her tongue and then swallowed.  Because the thread was so fine it was not easy to see and it became tangled in her stomach and small intestine. Despite being long, the surgery was successful and we are thrilled to see Samara recover completely.

Frank is a 5 month old mixed breed puppy who became lethargic, stopped eating and had a low-grade fever. Within a few days the cause of his illness became obvious. Frank developed a large abscess below his jaw and along the side of his neck. Treatment required surgery to flush and drain the abscess as well as a Penrose drain and antibiotics to clear up the infection. Once the abscess was drained Frank began to improve immediately

Brutus came to the clinic and was a very sick bulldog. For 2 days he had been lethargic and off his food. He was also coughing, retching and bringing up blood-tinged fluid. Examination, blood tests and chest x-rays revealed bacterial pneumonia with consolidation of his right cranial lung lobe. Brutus was hospitalized and started on IV fluids and antibiotics for 24 hours. There are many different underlying causes of pneumonia in dogs. In Brutus’ case we believe aspiration of food into his lower airways resulted in bacterial “aspiration” pneumonia, a very serious condition if not treated aggressively. Once on antibiotics he began to improve rapidly and after 4 weeks Brutus is back to his old self.

Reznor is a very special dog. He is a 7-year-old Leonburger with a loving and gentle nature. Reznor came to the Animal Hospital in January 2010 after eating bird suet and becoming lethargic and refusing food. He was placed in the hospital on intravenous fluids and antibiotics but his condition continued to deteriorate rapidly. Reznor developed a severe arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm) and grossly enlarged heart on chest x-rays. He was rushed to Washington State University (WSU) for a cardiac ultrasound and was admitted to their I.C.U.