Shelby is a 7 year old Bischon Frise. In late 2016 she was brought to the Animal Hospital very off form and with a high temperature.
We routinely see cases like this and usually an antibiotic and an anti inflammatory rectifies the problem.

This was not the case for Shelby however………..

Several weeks later all Shelby’s lymph nodes were swollen and she had lost a lot of weight. This is a very worrying sign and and rings a lot of alarm bells. Despite weeks of treatment and further tests here in the Animal Hospital Shelby continued to deteriorate.
Eventually we sent her to the Referral Hospital in UCD, After many investigations Shelby was diagnosed with a problem with her immune system.

She was put on immunosuppressive treament along with other meds. Gradually over the coming months she slowly returned to her old self.

At a check up several days ago she was in fab form. She continues to receive daily meds and will probably do so for life…….

In December 2016 Bobby started drinking and urinating a lot. He also started eating much more food. Blood tests were taken over several weeks and confirmed that Bobby is a diabetic.
Diabetes in dogs is very common, although definitely more common in the female !! The most common clinical signs are excess drinking and urnation. It is really easy to rule it out by a simple in-house blood test.
Bobby is now getting insulin injections morning and evening and in great form – as you can see from todays picture of him.

TIP – if you have a diabetic dog be aware they can get LOW blood sugar when receiving insulin. Weakness and lethargy is usually the main signs. A couple of spoons of honey by mouth will usually sort the problem

Millie Before Her Incident

She is a fantastic little dog, very lovable but can be cranky at times but we love her all the same. She is house trained also but has the odd accident!

In 2013 we nearly lost her as she was in a fight at a kennels in co Wicklow. Due to human error she was kenneled with a big dog who nearly tore her to pieces. When I got to the kennels I got a shock to see Millie’s condition. I got her into the car and put her on the front seat. There was Blood everywhere inside. She then stopped breathing due to, I found out later, she had a collapsed and Severed Larynx and a Fractured neck. She stopped breathing 3 times, one can imagine my terror.

I was alone in the car and I had to put her under my arm and drive 50 miles to UCD Vetinary Hospital with all the windows down to get more air into the Car. It was nerve racking and enduring. I tore up the road in the car. I knew Millie’s life was on the line and I didn’t realise at the time but I was putting my own life in Danger too!

I eventually got to UCD and I ran into the hall with Mille and said into the Intercom “come quickly! My Dog is going to Die!”. The Nurse rushed out and took Millie from me into the Emergency Room and all the Nurses and Vets rushed in, it was like a scene from ER.

The nurse came into the waiting room and told me I was in shock. There was blood soaked into my Tee Shirt. Then the Vet came in and said we lost her she stopped breathing but we got her back. It was panic and relief at the same time. (I am in tears writing this).

I was told to go home. The next week was the most enduring time of my life. Between being told Millie had a slim chance of survival because of the swelling she had and having to transfer her every morning and night. This was because UCD Emergency hospital closed early in the morning and opened at 6pm in the evening meaning Mille had to go to my own Veterinary Practice during the Day.

Millie after Her Emergency Tracheotomy Surgery

Receiving Some TLC After Surgery

I have met some fantastic very dedicated People including the vets Michael and Paul and the Nurses at Animal Hospital in Tallaght and UCD.

Millie was referred to the main UCD Hospital. When the Vet called me with the news that I had the option of putting Millie to sleep which I said no immediately to but she said there was 1 option of doing a tracheotomy on Millie. I was told it would cost E3’000.00. It was never about money, so I gave the go ahead.

The next day they operated and that day I could not breathe due to anxiety and worry. Then I got the call and I was dreading it but it was Brilliant News, Mille had survived and she was recovering well. She was discharged approx 2 weeks later from intensive care.

It is now 3 Years on (Anniversary in August 2016) and Millie is doing extremely well considering her initial injuries. She needs her Trachy to be cleaned about twice daily, sometimes more. I did have 1 frightening incident with her when her Trachy stuck and closed over but thank God I was there to release it. The only other contraindication is she is a bit prone to chest infections.

In May 2016 Mille came second in the Dog show in Harold’s Cross see photo, Hopefully we will have more great years to come, So a big thanks to all the Vets and Nurses for Our little Mad MILLIE, she’s  one in a Million!

A New Lease on Life

Wilma had a large bladder stone causing her great pain and discomfort.

This is the bladder stone that was in Wilma

Bladder stones, or uroliths, are stone-like mineral deposits that form in the animal’s urinary bladder. Bladder stones may occur as a single deposit, or consist of many smaller pieces. They can be large (as in Wilma’s case) and take up most of the bladder, or be fine particles that are passed when the animal urinates.  As Wilmas stone was so large, she needed surgery to remove it from her bladder.

The two most common signs of bladder stones are blood in the urine, and straining to urinate. The blood is the result of the stones rubbing against the bladder wall. The straining results from the irritation to the bladder and urethra, or from small stones or sand passing out of the bladder when the animal urinates. If the stones move out of the bladder and get stuck in the urethra an obstruction occurs. This is a painful, life threatening condition. If the obstruction is not quickly relieved the bladder can rupture, and the animal will die. If you suspect a problem you should contact your veterinarian immediately

Prevention is always preferable to curing diseases. Your pet should always have plenty of clean, fresh water available. Just as important is the opportunity for your pet to pass urine. Frequent walks allow the animal to urinate and flush bacteria and crystals from the bladder.

Wilma made a great recovery and for her loving nature and endless patience through all the prodding and poking,  she thoroughly deserves Pet of the Month!

Wilma