Posted by
Anh Tran on Thu, May 17, 2012 @ 09:21 AM
By: Dr. Kerrianne Kalbko, Emergency Department Veterinarian
Anubus' Story:
Anubis is a 4 month male Labrador Retriever that presented to VESCONE’s Emergency Department on Sunday May 6, 2012, after jumping from his owner’s balcony. His initial evaluation showed a slightly low blood pressure and that he was reluctant to walk on his right frontleg. Due to his low blood pressure, he was stabilized with fluids. He was also given pain medication for his lameness.
Anubis was admitted to VESCONE’s ICU for monitoring overnight of his heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure. After he was stabilized, he had x-rays taken of his right frontleg. His x-rays showed that part of his humerus, the bone in his shoulder was broken. On Monday, May 7, 2012, Anubis had surgery with Dr. Mary Ann Nieves, one of VESCONE’s surgeons. He recovered well from his surgery and he was discharged from VESCONE on Tuesday, May 8, 2012.
What is High Rise Syndrome:
Trauma, such as being hit by a car, is a common reason for animals presenting to VESCONE for evaluation. Anubis presented with a type of trauma called High-Rise Syndrome. This refers to when a dog or cat jumps or falls from a window, deck, or other structure that is elevated several feet above the ground. A common cause of this syndrome is when pets jump or fall through windows that do not have screens.
What are the injuries?
Pets can suffer varying degrees of injury from their falls. Some pets may only suffer fractures or broken bones in their legs. However others may be very critical from damage to their chest and abdomen or head trauma. Possible chest or abdominal injuries are: broken ribs, bruising to the lungs, a torn diaphragm, bladder rupture, or injury to the liver or spleen.
What should I do?
High-Rise Syndrome is an emergency and all pets suffering from it should be immediately evaluated by a veterinarian. Possible diagnostics that may be recommended are: x-rays of the chest and abdomen to evaluate for any internal injuries and bloodwork to check organ function, electrolytes, red blood cell count, and protein levels. If there is concern about broken bones, additional x-rays will also be recommended.
How can I prevent it?
High-Rise Syndrome can be prevented. If your windows do not have screens, then you can simply purchase screens. If you have a deck or porch, it should be properly gated or enclosed so that pets cannot not fall from them.
Posted by
Anh Tran on Wed, May 09, 2012 @ 01:53 PM
Maloney's Story:
Maloney is a 4 year old Pitbull Terrier who is currently being fostered with Pittie Love Rescue and receiving veterinary care at VESCONE. On Saturday, April 28, 2012, he attended a Pet First Aid class at VESCONE that was led by Dr. Amy Shroff, VESCONE’s owner. Maloney was recovering from a partial tail amputation. During the class, Dr. Shroff became concerned with some redness and discharge from his surgery site and she recommended evaluation with VESCONE’s Emergency Department.
Dr. Kerrianne Kalbko, an emergency veterinarian at VESCONE, examined Maloney. She noted that his surgery site had some areas of unhealthy tissue that would need to be removed. A culture was performed of this area to determine if there were any bacteria present. He was admitted to VESCONE’s ICU for further treatment with antibiotics and wound care.
On Monday, April 30, 2012, Dr. Mary Ann Nieves, one of VESCONE’s surgeons, evaluated Maloney. She agreed that Maloney would require an additional procedure to debride some tissue from his tail. His surgery was successfully performed and he has been recovering well.
About Maloney:
According to PittieLove Rescue, Maloney was rescued from Brockton Animal Control 6 weeks ago, was malnourished and had a bad case of “happy tail” (an injury caused by whacking the end of the tail while wagging) and diarrhea. After his surgery at VESCONE, he is recovering well.
He is currently looking for a new home. His foster parents say that he is a joy and very happy to be around. He gets along well with adults and children. He is house trained, crate trained and enjoys going on car rides.
How to Help:
If you cannot adopt Maloney, please consider donating to his cause.
Even with VESCONE’s shelter discount, the cost of Maloney’s medical expenses all together will be about $3000. People can donate directly on PittieLove Rescue’s website www.pittieloverescue.org through Chip-In, Pal Pal or credit/debit card. Checks can also be made out to PittieLove Rescue, Inc. and sent to P.O.Box 3532, Framingham, MA 01705. PittieLove Rescue, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, all volunteer organization so all your donations will be tax deductible.
Posted by
Anh Tran on Thu, May 03, 2012 @ 01:30 PM
By: Dr. Lindsay Vaughn, DVM, Diplomate, ACVECC
A real case: *names have been changed
“Maizy*” came to the VESCONE emergency department today after accidentally drinking a glass of wine. After briefly leaving the room, Maizy’s owners returned and found an empty wine glass and their beloved Cockapoo displaying abnormal behavior. She was very sedated and appeared unable to walk.
Her owners immediately brought her into VESCONE for evaluation. On presentation, Maizy was neurologically inappropriate and depressed. She required hospitalization and supportive care treat her alcohol toxicity. After spending 24 hours in the hospital, Maizy is back to her normal energetic self and is ready to go home.
What is alcohol toxicity?
Alcohol toxicity can be associated with accidental ingestion of alcoholic beverages, alcohol-containing household products such as windshield wiper fluid, or uncooked bread dough.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms associated with alcohol ingestion can range from mild depression and disorientation to severe central nervous system depression. At higher doses, animals can develop respiratory depression, low blood sugar, low blood pressure, and abnormal heart rhythms.
How is it treated?
Depending on the amount of alcohol ingested and the severity of the symptoms, the pet may require intestinal decontamination and supportive care. If the alcohol was recently ingested, vomiting can be induced. They may also require a medication (activated charcoal) to bind the toxins within the intestinal tract to prevent absorption. They also typically will receive intravenous fluid therapy supplemented with vitamins which aids in metabolism of the alcohol. With severe alcohol toxicosis, more aggressive therapy may be warranted. Most animals are expected to recover within 12-24 hours with treatment.
How do I prevent this?
To avoid alcohol toxicity in your pets, keep all alcohol containing substances out of their reach. If you think your pet is suffering from alcohol toxicity or may have potentially ingested alcohol, contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control hotline.
If you or someone you know believes that their animal is in need of immediate medical attention, please call VESCONE at 781.684.8387. We are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Posted by
Anh Tran on Mon, Apr 23, 2012 @ 03:19 PM
By Amy Breton, CVT, VTS (ECC)
Pets provide companionship and are, without question, part of our family. Research has shown that people who lose a pet experience the same stages of grief and same emotions as when they lose a human family member. The loss can be just as devastating. Unfortunately there is often not as strong of a support system within families for the member who lost a pet and sometimes no support system. While many people may not understand the grief you are experiencing, it is important for you to understand it is normal and nothing to be ashamed about.
While there is no right or wrong way to grieve, there are some healthy ways to help cope with the pain. It’s important to understand that everyone grieves differently. Even years after a losing a pet, a sight, a sound, or a particular date can spark memories that trigger grief. Grieving is a slow process that cannot be rushed or hurried.
It’s important to allow yourself to grieve in a way you are comfortable. Some people like to create a memorial to their pet in their home, others may create a photo album of their favorite pictures. Some people write blogs or their pet’s life story. Others may feel the need to rid the home of anything reminding them of the pet or hide pictures until they are ready to view them later. Some people may need to take a couple days off from work while others find that they want to go to work as usual to keep their mind off their sadness. All of these actions are normal.
There are many pet loss support hotlines and websites. Tufts University, located in Grafton, Massachusetts has trained grief counselors available free of charge to speak to you if you feel you need to talk to someone. Below is the number to the Tufts Pet Loss Support Hotline and some reputable websites on pet loss.
Tufts Pet Loss Support Hotline:
508-839-7966
Resources for Pet Loss Support:
http://www.tufts.edu/vet/petloss/resources.html
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/grieving_pets.htm
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/pet-loss/
Posted by
Anh Tran on Thu, Apr 19, 2012 @ 08:28 AM
With the weather getting warmer, we're leaving the house with our dogs more. You may have seen dogs running in severe heat or dogs sitting in cars lately. We've asked Dr. Amy Goldstein, from the Emergency and Critical Care Department to tell us more about heatstroke in dogs and how to prevent it. Is your dog more at risk because of his breed?
Photo Credit: http://heat-exhaustion-symptoms.blogspot.com/2011/07/heat-stroke-can-cause-death-to-your-dog.html
Heat Stroke
Heat stroke starts when the body temperature goes above 105 degrees Fahrenheit. The normal temperature for a dog is 100.5 to 102.5. When the body temperature goes above 109 degrees animals can develop organ failure and death.
Causes of heat stroke
The temperature in a parked car can go up to 160 degrees in the summer even with open windows. Exercise on very hot days can also lead to heat stroke. The main way that dogs dissipate heat is through panting. This is easily overwhelmed on hot days.
At risk breeds
Any dog can develop heat stroke when they are outside in extreme heat or they are shut in a car. Puppies, overweight dogs, dogs with other illnesses, dogs with heart disease, dogs with a thick hair coat and older pets are at a higher risk. Dogs such as pugs that have a short muzzle are much more likely to develop heat stroke.
Symptoms
The first sign of heat stroke is excessive panting. Their gums may become bright red. As their temperature continues to increase they will become weak and they can collapse. Some dogs will develop vomiting. When the temperature gets high enough you may notice red dots on their skin or gums. These are small areas of hemorrhage.
What to do
If you are concerned about heat stroke you should immediately bring your pet to a veterinarian. On the way you can cool your pet with wet towels or room temperature water.
What to expect at the vet
Once your pet’s temperature is taken and heat stroke is confirmed they will be cooled with a bath and intravenous fluids. Blood work will be performed to check your pet’s organ function. Most dogs with heat stroke will need to be hospitalized and they may need very intensive care depending on the extent of the organ damage.
If you or someone you know believes that their animal is in need of immediate medical attention, please call VESCONE at 781.684.8387. We are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Posted by
Anh Tran on Wed, Apr 18, 2012 @ 02:11 PM
Do you know what foods are toxic to your pets? Take our quiz and learn more.
For more information visit these sites:
http://www.vescone.com/for-pet-owners/pet-safety-tips/pet-toxicities/
Posted by
Anh Tran on Mon, Apr 16, 2012 @ 02:51 PM
Emergencies and disasters have affected many of us around the country this past year. This past week, the Midwest has had string of tornadoes. This past summer, in our neck of the woods, western MA also experienced tornadoes. As Massachusetts residents, we are used to unpredictable and bad weather.
March 9th 2012: Reunited with his beloved dog, Alabama tornado victim Greg Cook cries with joy. Photo Credit: AP Photo/The Decatur Daily, Gary Cosby Jr.
However, whether you have one pet or a household full of pets, it is important to be prepared for any emergency. We asked Dr. Amy Shroff, Practice Owner of VESCONE and Chair of the Massachusetts Veterinary Medical Association’s Emergency & Disaster Preparedness Committee to give us some tips on how to best manage a disaster or emergency with pets.
Here is a checklist of things you should consider before an emergency strikes.
- What is your evacuation plan for your family and pets?
- Do you have a pet first aid kit?
- Where can you stay for emergency or temporary housing?
- Do you know where your nearest 24 hour emergency veterinary hospital like VESCONE is located?
- Do you have 3 days’ worth of food, medication, bedding and supplies for your pet ready in the event you need to leave your home quickly?
- In the event something should happen to you and/or you are away from your pet, do you have an emergency contact who also knows your pet and his or her needs?
The better prepared you are, the better other aid organizations like the Red Cross or SMART (State of MA Animal Response Team) can help should you need it.
We also recommend that pet owners have:
- pet insurance
- be up to date on all of their pet’s vaccinations--including rabies
- have an accurately registered microchip
- have name and address tags on their pets collar
- carry a Pet ID info card on you at all times
A Pet ID card is a handy small card you can keep in your wallet or glove compartment that contains all of your pet’s emergency contact info, rabies back dates, and veterinary information all in one place.
VESCONE offers these cards at our Pet First Aid classes. Please see our website for more information about our First Aid Classes for Pet Owners http://www.vescone.com/for-pet-owners/first-aid-classes/.
For more information about emergency and disaster preparedness, please visit these websites:
www.Humanesociety.org
www.ASPCA.org
www.fema.org
www.Smartma.org
www.petfinder.com
Posted by
Anh Tran on Wed, Apr 11, 2012 @ 01:53 PM
With the holidays over, please make sure that your delicious leftover chocolate is beyond your pet's reach. Amy Breton, CVT, VTS (ECC) and emergency nurse extraordinaire, explains what happens when your pet ingests chocolate.
Chocolate is toxic to dogs and cats. Chocolate contains theobromine, which is toxic to pets. Caffeine is also present in most types of chocolate and can also be a toxic component, but in much smaller amounts than theobromine.
Theobromine and caffeine effects on the body:
-
Central Nervous System (CNS) stimulant
-
Cardiovascular stimulant (elevated heart rate)
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Increase blood pressure (mild)
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Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
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Pancreatitis (can occur days later)
Generally the pet can be seen panting, vomiting, shaking, running around and not settling down. The darker the chocolate, the more theobromine it contains. Therefore, a single bite of baker's chocolate can be deadly for pets. Conversely the pet would need more than a bite of white chocolate in order for it to produce a toxic effect. This is why when your pet gets into chocolate it's important to know what kinds and how much.
As soon as your pet ingests chocolate you should contact a pet poison control number to find out if the amount and kind is toxic for them. One of the best pet poison controls centers is ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: (888) 426-4435. A $65 consultation fee may be applied to your credit card.
If you or someone you know believes that their animal is in need of immediate medical attention, please call VESCONE at 781.684.8387. We are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Posted by
Anh Tran on Thu, Apr 05, 2012 @ 09:51 AM
With Easter coming up this weekend, your house is probably full of flowers, easter baskets and chocolate! While these are fun and delicious for humans, they can be potentially dangerous for your pets.
We asked one of our emergency veterinarians, Dr. Amy Goldstein, to give us some tips on how to keep your pet safe during the holiday and for the rest of the Spring season.
Lilies
Lilies are toxic to cats and can cause kidney failure. Even small amounts of lilies can be lethal. Lily of the valley can affect the heart as well.
Easter Grass
Just like string, dental floss, and tinsel, Easter Grass can cause vomiting and an intestinal obstruction. This is a surgical emergency.
Chocolate
Chocolate contains theobromine, a xanthine compound which is in the same family as caffeine and theophylline- and is toxic to dogs and cats. At low doses chocolate can cause vomiting and diarrhea. At higher doses it can cause a high heart rate, an irregular heart rhythm and seizures.
Fertilizers and Pesticides
N-P-K fertilizers (containing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium salts) can cause mild gastro-intestinal upset, and also skin irritation on the paws. Fertilizers containing greater than 1% iron can cause iron toxicity if ingested by a dog.
Fleas, Ticks and Mosquitos
Fleas can cause skin irritation, allergic reactions and they can transmit tapeworms. Ticks can transmit many diseases such as Lyme disease. Mosquitos can transmit heartworm to cats and dogs, which can be fatal. All dogs and cats should receive topical monthly flea and tick prevention. It is very important to read product labels very carefully on all flea and tick medications as the misuse of such medications, particularly over the counter varieties, can lead to acute toxicity in pets. It is important never to use a dog product on your cat, or vice versa. The ingredient “permethrin” found in some dog medications, while perfectly safe for dogs can be lethal to cats even in very small doses.
Insect Bites
Dogs can also have severe allergic reactions to insect bites this time of year. Common symptoms are a swollen face and hives. If left untreated, the inflammatory response can cause severe illness and respiratory distress.
Fishing Hooks and Lines
It is important to keep all fishing hooks away from your pet. They can get stuck in your pet’s mouth or paws. Fishing lines can cause an obstruction in your pet’s intestines.
Leashes
Remember to always keep your dog on a leash when they are outside. Make sure all leashes and collars fit appropriately for your animal, and are not too worn from usage. Keeping your dog on a leash can prevent them from being hit by a car or getting bit by another dog. Bite wounds are common emergencies; make sure to always keep your pets rabies vaccinations up to date.
If you or someone you know believes that their animal is in need of immediate medical attention, please call VESCONE at 781.684.8387. We are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Posted by
Anh Tran on Thu, Mar 15, 2012 @ 09:52 AM
Dr. Amy Shroff, VESCONE's Chief of Staff and owner, was recently featured on All Paws Pet Talk Radio, which is heard on Sunday mornings on Boston's 96.9 FM.
Hear Dr. Shroff's suggestions on the must read veterinary books for children, pet lovers and veterinary students. Learn about what drives Dr. Shroff to run one of the most successful Veterinary Emergency and Specialty facilities in the Boston Area.
Hear the full radio show here.