Crazy Times In Animal ER

Many dogs consider anything that looks or smells enticing to be a tasty treat. As emergency veterinarians, we have found that in some dogs, practically everything is on the menu. Whether motivated by curiosity, hunger or an insatiable need to chew, some dogs manage to swallow some bizarre things. Probably because dogs explore their world by mouthing, tasting, and chewing, as a result, some swallowed objects that got them into trouble. If an inedible object is small enough and somewhat round, it will often pass through the pet’s system, while others need surgical intervention. These six canines have taken the art of eating to a whole new level.

A 5-month old Whippet kept gulping like she was trying to dislodge something in her throat. Her family noticed this and brought her in. Upon diagnosing, we found a long and narrow fairy wand belonging to their child running across the dogs entire frame. In surgery the wand was removed and their beloved pet "magically" had a full recovery.

A family brought in their Bull Mastiff with an unusual problem: they were concerned that this hungry giant was not eating any dinner. After an X-Ray, we discovered why...he had eaten their TV’s remote control. It was successfully removed and as a result, he lost his TV privileges.

A family kept replacing the baby’s bath time rubber ducky until Mom watched their dog steal the latest duck right out of the bathtub and swallow it! After a trip to the emergency room, the family was shocked to find not one, but five, rubber duckies in their pet’s stomach.

Today technology is all around us, but a few years back, we had a family come in with an alarming situation: their pup had eaten an iPhone. After X-Rays revealed the problem, we had to make the call for surgery and remove the obstruction. Luckily we were able to remove the phone with little problem, but, without help, it could have been a close call.

One adventurous pup stole an entire bottle of pain pills that had been sitting on a bathroom counter. The owners were frantic thinking so much medication would certainly be fatal. After removing the bottle, we found that the bottle with a child proof cap had remained intact and all of the pills were safe and untouched in the bottle.

A Golden Retriever was brought in around the holidays. Turns out that she had swallowed a holiday ornament. Fortunately it was a hallmark Grinch figurine and not a glass bulb. We were able to remove the Grinch just in time to save Christmas for the family.

Luckily, all of these pups made a full recovery from their gastronomic adventures, but it’s a good reminder that if your dog swallows dangerous materials, get them to a vet! The best course in preventing your dog from swallowing dangerous items is to choose dog-safe toys that can’t be chewed into tiny pieces. Obstructions can become a medical emergency that costs you money and could even cost your pet its life.

Pain is the number one condition that families want to avoid for their pets. The hard part for many people is knowing when their pet is in pain. This is especially true for cats. Although there are differences between species, mammals all have the same basic nervous system. Therefore, if something were to cause pain to a human being, then it is going to cause pain in our cats and dogs as well. However, how they exhibit that pain can be harder to differentiate.

Cats are notoriously good at hiding pain. Even though our cat friends are domesticated, they still have a strong instinct to hide pain so that they are not perceived as weak by predators. So, if this is the case, then how are their human family members going to know when their cat is in pain?

Cats tell us a lot about themselves based on how they move in their environment, how they interact with other animals, and how they interact with their human family. Most importantly, cats give us hints

Erica Sandberg, DVM, CHPV BluePearl Pet Hospice PetHospice.BluePearlVet.com

about pain with their facial expressions. Environment: Watching your cat walk around the house can tell you a lot about their comfort. Is your cat playing with toys? Are they stretching and grooming themselves? Are they jumping up to their favorite spot on the windowsill or piece of furniture? If they are not doing these things, then they may be in pain.

Interactions with other animals: Some cats really like their housemates, while other cats would rather be alone. Knowing your cat’s normal behavior with the other animal housemates is important. If some of these interactions are changing, then it is time to consider that your cat is not feeling well.

Interactions with human family: The same goes for how your kitty spends time with you. Are they still seeking affection? Are they hiding or spending more time in new areas of your home? Are they avoiding touch in certain areas of their body? Are they being more affectionate than usual? Changes in behavior with human family members can be a sign of illness or pain in cats.

Facial expression and posture: A cat’s facial expression and body posture can reveal a lot about their level of pain. The Feline Grimace Scale (felinegrimaces- cale.com) is an incredibly helpful tool that families, and their veterinary teams, can use to determine whether a cat is in pain. Cats that are comfortable will have perky, forward-facing ears, circular eyes, a relaxed muzzle and/or their head extended away from their body. Cats that are in pain will have flattened ears pointing more towards the side of their head, squinted eyes, a tense muzzle and/or their chin downwards toward their chest.

It is important for the cat’s human family to look at their cat’s facial expression when they are at home since some of these characteristics may change when they are taken to their veterinarian. The car ride and the smells and sounds of the veterinary office can cause enough of an adrenaline rush that subtle signs of pain in cats may not be present when the veterinarian examines your cat. Taking photos and videos of your cat at home can be very beneficial for the veterinary team when it may be difficult to assess what is happening with your kitty.

Resource: Feline Grimace Scale website FelineGrimaceScale.com.