Bracken, a Golden Retriever has been awarded the Fromus Vet Group’s

MARCH PET OF THE MONTH AWARD

Bracken is a big, bouncy 11 year old Golden Retriever.  You would think that after suffering for a lifetime with itchy skin, arthritis and anal gland problems, any dog would avoid visits to the vets, but oh no, not Bracken!

It was one morning when his owners came rushing into the waiting room at Fromus… “It’s an emergency, we haven’t got an appointment, but we think he has swallowed a few sewing pins”.

As a potential emergency, Bracken was seen immediately and the vet gave him a full check-over.  His owners had discovered that several pins (plus the case they were stored in!) were missing.  No one knew entirely where they had disappeared to.  With the consequence of ingesting foreign objects being potentially fatal, there was no option but to admit Bracken into the clinic for further investigations.  

Under a general anaesthetic, Bracken’s abdomen (belly), chest and neck were x-rayed.  Foreign bodies can lodge in the oesophagus (food pipe) in the neck or above the heart in the chest.  They can also escape into the abdomen where they can lodge in the stomach and small / large intestines. 

To the vet’s relief, everything in the neck and chest was normal.  The abdominal x-ray, however, revealed 2 wiggly worm-like pins.

SHARP FOREIGN OBJECTS LODGED ANYWHERE IN THE BODY
ARE A SURGICAL EMERGENCY. IF UNATTENDED TO, THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF PERFORATION.  THIS CAN LEAD TO WIDESPREAD INFECTION, SHOCK AND DEATH. IF IN ANY DOUBT, ALWAYS CONTACT THE VETERINARY PRACTICE FOR FURTHER ADVICE

The only option for removing the pins was surgery.  It was not known whether the pins had penetrated the stomach and because of this Bracken was rushed to the surgical theatre at Fromus.

A general anaesthetic carries several risks including heart and respiratory failure, hypothermia (a low body temperature) and coma.  Abdominal surgery carries an additional risk of infection and bleeding.  All the staff were very worried knowing that Bracken was going to have a tough time ahead.

 After clipping his hair and cleaning his belly, Bracken was ready for surgery.  Under sterile conditions, two surgeons began their quest for the missing pins.  After locating the stomach, they isolated it from the rest of the body to help prevent contamination.  An incision was made and the contents of the stomach were inspected.  Attached to the lining of the stomach, they found the 2 pins seen on the x-ray.  The cloth case was found next to them (see attached picture).  To the relief of the staff, the immediate intervention had prevented these pins from tearing the stomach lining, the consequences of which would have been potentially fatal.

The incision in the stomach was then repaired with 2 layers of special absorbable stitches.  The surgeons checked the rest of his abdomen to make sure that there were not any more pins that he might have eaten, but luckily there were no others to be found.

After a critical three hours in the operating theatre, Bracken was finally moved to recovery.  Despite the successful surgery, the risks of infection and shock remained high. 

During the next 24 hours, he received some strong antibiotics, painkillers and most importantly, lots and lots of tender loving nursing care.  To all of our amazement, during the several days after the ordeal he still retained his bouncy energetic nature.  His appetite did not change at all. You would think that a dog like Bracken, despite all his troubles would have learned from his experience.

As soon as he got home, he ate a flower in one gulp, so it looked like he didn’t! 

His ordeal made everyone worry, such that instead of being the pet of the month, his owners renamed him the Fromus Veterinary Group PEST OF THE MONTH !!!

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