Life and Death on a Daily Basis

We at the Hospital have been dealing with one emergency after another. Oh yes, we still have our daily functions; Appointments, Procedures etc. But we have also added a number of crazy emergencies. To top it all off we had to euthanize our darling little patient Jordan yesterday. We've been treating him since November for Diabetes, on Thursday he went into Renal Failure and yesterday we lost him. Jordan was a wonderful little patient, easy to treat and take care of. I was there with him in his final moments along with Dr and Tech. We talked to him and pet him until he slipped away.

Last week we got a call from an owner about her Pit Bull that was at Animal Control. He was being held for Rabies Quarantine as his owner had not vaccinated him in 3 years! Stupid. He bites people and the most recent victim was her brother. Sent him to the hospital. The story is that he got Parvo while at AC. Hm. Anyway, he was dying. We were asked if we could save him. (why?) So she could take him back home and put him back in the yard on a tie-out? Wow, what a life! And they wonder why he bites. Anyway, I was asked to help with treatment. He was brought to us by Animal Control Officers, carried in so as to not even remotely give any chance of Parvo hitting the ground or our floors. Muzzled and on the exam table he let us give him IV fluids, IV meds and AC was told that we would not keep him in Quarantine because Dr would not risk staff getting injured trying to treat him. AC didn't want him back because of the Parvo threat. What a mess. And to think that ALL OF THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED for a lousy few bucks of vaccinations. As of yesterday, they've spent over $1,000 keeping this animal alive. So they can take him home and tie him up in the yard and show everyone how tough they are because they have a Pit Bull. I can't wait for the day that this breed is no longer a status symbol or "fashion statement".

Monday a staff member, BJ I'll call her, brought in her German Shepherd because she had been vomitting. Dr. and BJ suspected an obstruction. Xray confirmed. She had a belly full of stones. Seriously, stones lots of 'em just packed into her stomach. The film showed them all packed in there with no way to pass. So, in they went and a couple of hours later had removed a good pound or so.

Yesterday another staff member, KH, brought her Bulldog in for a possible obstruction. Again, Xray's confimed a mass in the belly. In they went to surgery AGAIN and a couple of hours later had her dog in recovery and the Victoria's Secret Thong removed. I wasn't there for that surgery as Tuesday is my only short (6 hr) day. I was there in Xray when Dr read the film, he told me that he was going to make all staff ship their dogs out of town until our other Dr got back from her mediacal leave!

On a side note, we have done these types of surgeries often and most live. However, some die on the table. At the point of near closing they can go into Cardiac Arrest. I have yet to see one saved once that happens. And they try, they try HARD to save them. Just like you see on TV. These are not easy surgeries. They are stressful and lengthy and recovery is hard.

I'm off to get ready to see what today brings. I groom this morning then am in the back of the hospital til close.