Case of the Month

New Cases:

Gorilla Glue is Not Made for Dogs.
Two German Shepherds presented after chewing up a bottle of Gorilla Glue two days earlier.  The dogs were not eating well and acted painful on abdominal palpation.  Radiographs revealed material in the stomach.  Blood work was normal but the concern was the glue.  Gorilla Glue is a polyurethane glue that expands to 10 times its normal size.  It dries into a very hard mass that is resistant to breakdown even in the acid environment of the stomach.  Because of this, we doubted that the glue would be passed or breakdown.  There was also a concern that the chemicals in the glue could cause organ damage if left in place.  The decision was made to take both dogs to surgery and remove the glue from the stomach.  Both dogs recovered uneventfully from surgery and were discharged with instructions to lock up the glue!!

Nose Jobs Are Not Just For the Stars.
For short noses (brachiocephic breeds) such as pugs, breathing can be a real chore.  The snorting and wheezing that is so common in these dogs is not just something to chuckle about, it is a problem in moving air.  These dogs snort and wheeze because their airway has a number of things that prevent air from moving easily.
1)   Their nostrils are generally too narrow preventing air from entering and often close more on inspiration.
2)  Their soft palate (that tissue that hangs down in the back of the throat) is too long and stretches with time resulting in a flap that closes over the windpipe further inhibiting airflow.
3)  Their windpipe is narrow relative to their body size and often begins to collapse with age due to the constant suction it is under from breathing.

    Like many people with sleep apnea, these dogs can develop severe respiratory problems that get worse with age.  They often cannot exercise or sleep well.  Eating can become a chore since they are reluctant to stop breathing in order to swallow.
     In order to relieve these problems, some dogs need a nose job and a laser soft palate resection (often done in people for snoring or sleep apnea).

This dog has had one nostril opened to increase airflow.  The soft palate was resected at the same time.

Previous Case:

Three Samoyed pups were presented after purchase at an auction.  All three came from the same litter and were soon found to have severe hip dysplasia.  The most affected pup had a dislocated hip, the other two had very loose hips that would no doubt need to be addressed.    

The first pup had surgery done to remove the ball of the hip joint.  This is called a femoral head and neck excision.  The ball of the hip that fits into the socket is removed and allowed to "float" out of the socket.  The result is that the ball of the hip does not rub in the pelvis or pinch the sciatic nerve that runs down the legs and lies above the hip socket.  Pain is greatly reduced and most dogs will get normal or near normal function without long term medications.    

The other two pups had a revolutionary procedure performed to try to give them adequate hip joints.  Young dogs (less than 20 wks of age) with severe hip dysplasia can have a pelvic growth plate closed by electrocautery (use of electricity to heat the tissue and stop its growth).  Closing the growth plate that lies on the underside of the pelvis and allowing the top growth plates to continue to grow has the effect of rotating the hip joints out over the top of the leg bone.  The end result is a more stable joint without the need for more invasive and painful corrective surgery.  The two pups that had this were jumping and running the next day and will hopefully never need hip surgery again.

Please note:  The cases highlight the problems with purchasing animals from unknown or less than reputable breeders.  If you believe an animal is from a puppy mill, DO NOT PURCHASE IT!!!  You only encourage the breeder to breed more of the same.  Puppy mills and poor breeders will stop only when people stop paying them for their dogs.  When looking for an animal, always be prepared to walk away if it is not healthy, insist on a money-back guarantee in writing if there is a health problem (most breeders will give you 48 hrs to have the animal examined by a veterinarian), and report the breeder to the humane society or the American Kennel Club if warranted.