Chewed Stick Pieces Can Get Stuck in the Dog’s Head
Youd think if a dog chewed a stick into a million pieces, as some like to do, the pieces would get ground up in his GI tract and that would be the end of it. But once in a while, a splintered-off piece of stick doesnt even make it into a dogs throat, let alone his stomach or intestines. Instead, the splinter wends its way into the lining of the animals mouth - the oral mucosa - and from there begins to migrate.
Impalement By A Stick
Occasionally, a dog will be hurt by a stick not because he chewed it and a remnant ended up remaining somewhere in his head or neck but because he has been impaled by one. Hell be running through the woods, for instance, and a stick that is jabbed into the ground - maybe a rotted tree limb - will be sticking out at an angle, much like those protrusions at a car rental agency that dont allow you to back up once youve gone through the gate.
Where Did Lassie Go?
Who knew Reese Witherspoon had the ability to shuffle the breed cards, so to speak, shifting one breed in particular closer to the top of the deck? But she did. When her Legally Blonde character Elle Woods took her Chihuahua, Bruiser, from California to Harvard Law School, Chihuahuas began to enjoy greater popularity among those bringing a purebred dog into their lives, much as Brussels Griffons got a boost from Verdells finally stealing Jack…
Ear Infections in Dogs: When External Ear Canals are Removed
Cocker spaniel Fred, an active dog who loves to chase deer and squirrels in the field behind his home, was about five years old when his owner, Dick Moreau, noticed that his pet had been shaking his head and scratching his ears. This went on for a couple of weeks until Mr. Moreau took a close look at Freds ears and found what looked like a growth inside the left one. He took Fred…
Breed Trend Facts and Figures
Mutts, or mixed breeds, remain the most popular canine pet, with all pure breeds following behind. In the 1890s, after mutts, it was Saint Bernards that were among those breeds topping the charts. They really were used to locate and rescue freezing and helpless travelers in the Swiss Alps, not just then but for centuries. …
Do Not Resuscitate Orders for Dogs
At many veterinary hospitals, particularly at referral hospitals that have intensive care units such as the Foster Hospital at the Cummings School, any one of three color codes may be in order: Code Red, Code Yellow, or Code Green. And its up to you, the owner, to decide which its going to be. It comes down to how aggressive you want the veterinary teams efforts to become in working to save your dog should she stop breathing.
The Nuts and Bolts of CPR
Dog owners should be aware that in no way is CPR a guarantee that a dog will start breathing again. Papers have shown that the actual success rate of CPR is not great, which is the same as for people, says Armelle de Laforcade, DVM, an emergency and critical care veterinarian at Tufts. We can in many cases get the heart beating again, but the dog will have a high chance of arresting again or…
Which Goes First, the Heart Or the Lungs?
When people die on the surgery table, its usually a result of cardiac arrest. The heart stops after beating erratically (fibrillation), and that is followed by a cessation of breathing. Dogs tend to have cardiac arrest, on the other hand, because they stop breathing to begin with. Either way, its cardiopulmonary arrest, cardio standing for the heart and pulmonary signifying the lungs. Thats why theres both a C and a P in the CPR that…
Does Your Dog Need a Sedative or Painkiller?
A number of older dogs are brought to our Foster Hospital for Small Animals because they have started engaging in outbursts of bizarre behavior. Before they get here, it has often been assumed that they have developed canine cognitive decline - the dog version of Alzheimers - and have been administered sedatives to keep them calm in the throes of their dementia. But what we have found in more than a few cases is…
Minimally Invasive Surgery Reaches the Veterinary Operating Room
Minimally invasive surgeries like laparoscopic and thoracoscopic surgery, have been performed on people for at least three decades, but now they are coming into more and more common use in veterinary operating rooms. Its a trend in human medicine that veterinarians are happy to be following.
Whats Involved in a Spay? Youll Get a Different Answer in Europe
Whether performed laparoscopically or traditionally, a spay in the United States generally means removing both the ovaries and the uterus. Not so in Europe, where for quite a long time spays have involved removing the ovaries only. The reason we remove the uterus here is concern over a uterine infection after the operation called stump pyometra. …
