Day 31: Medication Ingestion/Poisoning and Bite Wounds

                Today was a little bit busier with technician appointments than the past couple of weeks have been, but still relatively slow when it came to surgeries or pets having actual issues or emergencies.  There was a neuter and a spay, and in the corral area of the recovery room, we have a Husky mix named Bear who had eaten Ibuprofen (and possibly some Zyrtec as well).  She was being given Famotidine (to protect the stomach and prevent it from being upset from the Ibuprofen/Zyrtec ingestion and/or from any other antibiotics she was being given), Carafate (to help treat any ulcers she was getting from an upset stomach), Misoprostol (help treat her upset stomach), Tramadol (to help reduce any pain), charcoal (to help get the Ibuprofen and Zyrtec out of her body), and fluids to hydrate her.  She had come in sometime on Sunday, and she seemed to be feeling better now.  She was very energetic and didn’t seem to be feeling badly at all; she also didn’t throw up or have any diarrhea during the day (unlike Bailey from day 24).  So, that is definitely a good sign.

Bear, the Husky mix.

                Later on in the day, we had an emergency of JoJo, a Doxy, who had gotten attacked and bitten by a pit bull.  She had two large holes where teeth had gone through, and she had some other smaller places on her neck where teeth had made other marks (but not large holes).  Dr. Lou first gave her some propathol (a type of anesthesia), and once she was asleep and hooked up to oxygen and a gentle, continuous flow of anesthesia gas, her holes and wounds were flushed with saline solution, and then Dr. Lou felt around her throat and in her wounds to search for any pockets (cavities in the skin as a result of the injury).  She did find some, so she inserted a tube through the hole wounds to drain the bodily fluids that would start to fill up in the pockets.  This way, the wounds would be able to heal. Dr. Lou sewed up the holes and then sewed to the tube to her skin so it wouldn’t move around or fall out.  The tube is going to have to stay there for a few days (up to a week) to make sure all the fluids get drained and to make sure the wounds are able to heal properly.

Side view of JoJo the Doxy.  She was very chubby, and it made her very cute.

JoJo.  She was very shy and seemed very worried (she was a bit shaky), but she was very sweet and calm for us.

Giving JoJo the Propathol.

The two major holes/tears in her neck.

Flushing the wounds.

Dr. Lou checking for (and discovering) the pockets.

Placing in the drainage tube.

Sewing up the excess hole area (that the tube isn't occupying).

The finished project, with the tube cut the the appropriate length, sewn to the skin (so it won't move around or slip out), and the excess parts of the holes (where the tube isn't occupying space) sewn shut.