Ginger Price

     Meet "Ginger" Price, she is an 11 yr old female/spayed Welsh Corgi. Ginger was dropped off to stay with us at Ft. Ben Boarding & Grooming on August 8th, 2011. Upon drop off her owner requested an exam to check her ears and stated that "Ginger" was slowing down a lot.

    When Dr. Grosser did his physical exam he noted that Ginger had pale gums. Her ears were infected but otherwise her exam was within normal limits. We ran an in house packed cell volume (PCV) to measure her percentage of red blood cells and it was 10% (normal being 36%-60%). We sent a full blood panel to the lab and in the meantime started Ginger on oral Prednisone for Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia. This is a condition where the body's immune system destroys it's own red blood cells. Prednisone blocks that destructive reaction by suppressing the immune system and it's response.

    Ginger's owner was undergoing eye surgery herself and was not able to be reached. We rechecked Ginger the next day. She had not eaten and her pcv had dropped to 9%. We took abdominal x-rays to rule out an abdominal mass, because Ginger seemed to be having abdominal pain. No masses were found on x-rays. At that point Dr. Grosser decided we needed to intervene with a blood transfusion.

    Rocco was our donor dog. He is a 1 1/2 yr old Shepherd mix that belongs to a staff member here at Post Pet Hospital. We started the transfusion that evening and finished the next day. Ginger responded well to the transfusion. She started eating and drinking and her pcv jumped to 27%.

    Her owner picked her up on August 12th and was thrilled that we had taken such good care of Ginger and that she had responded so well to the treatment. We rechecked Ginger a week later and her pcv was up to 31%. We decreased her dose of Prednisone because she was starting to urinate on her bed. She still continued to do well at that dose and at her next recheck her pcv was 33%. We decreased the Prednisone dose again and still saw the same good response. Ginger is now eating well and enjoys her walks with her owner. We recheck Ginger on a regular basis to make sure she continues to respond well to treatment!
 

Shovel Head

       This is Shovel Head, a 6 yr old female Boxer that was presented to Post Pet Hospital for the first time on July 26, 2011.  Shovel Head was brought in because she was having a prolonged heat cycle. Upon physical examination Dr. Grosser noted longstanding swelling of the vulva as well as some vaginal discharge, otherwise Shovel Head’s physical exam was normal. Dr. Grosser recommended an ovariohysterectomy (spay), with the initial diagnosis of vaginal prolapse or vaginal hyperplasia due to prolonged heat cycle or increased estrogen levels.

      Shovel Head’s owner consented to surgery.  We ran preanesthetic bloodwork that was normal and placed and intravenous catheter and started her on IV fluids.  The actual spay was uneventful with a normal appearance to the uterus and ovaries.  However the perivulvular swelling was discovered to be a large tumor, approximately 7 centimeters in diameter, attached to the outside of the vaginal tract.  This mass was large enough to cause interference with urination and some vaginal discharge.  The tumor was removed and Shovel Head recovered well from anesthesia and surgery.  The most common type of tumor that presents like this is a benign tumor from the muscle of the vaginal tract called a leiomyoma.  We do not expect any reoccurrence of this mass.  Shovel Head is enjoying a happy carefree life now.

                                                Spanky


      Meet Spanky, a now 14 week old Chihuahua puppy. Spanky wins Pet of the Month based on personality and cuteness! Spanky spent a couple weeks with us during business hours for "puppy daycare." He was vaccinated and microchipped while he stayed with us and socialized as well. Spanky lives with a Shetland sheepdog, a Yorkie/Chihuahua mix, a few cats as well as his beautiful two legged family. Now that he gets to stay home during the day there is a lot more work getting accomplished at Post Pet Hospital!!

 

    We first met "Boo" on May 9th for a groom requiring sedation. Boo is a Maine Coon cat weighing in at 21 lbs.  He loves his owner but is not very fond of our veterinary staff, no matter how he’s feeling.  We had to put Boo under anesthesia to groom him but once he dried from his bath and woke up we were unable to brush him out.  Due to the stress of Boo’s grooming his owner was willing to brush him out at home. 
       Shortly after Boo's groom he moved to a new home with his owner and started having difficulty urinating. We saw Book again on May 16th and had to put him under anesthesia to take radiographs of his bladder and place urinary and intravenous catheters. Boo spent the night at the hospital but did not eat and became more difficult to handle.  We thought it would be in Boo’s best interest to send him home where he was more comfortable.  The next day he was back in the hospital.  He was straining in his litterbox and moaning.  His bladder was empty upon examination and we sent him home on anti-inflammatories and pain medication. 
      The very next day Boo was back.  He was still only urinating small amounts and crying out when in the litterbox.  His owner was very concerned.  We kept Boo overnight to monitor his urine production.  He only urinated a small amount overnight so he was placed on anesthesia again and another urinary catheter was passed and his bladder flushed.  He was then started on medication for urethral spasms.  He seemed to improve after this.  His owner stated he was using his litterbox with fewer accidents outside the box.  However this was short lived and two days later Boo was back at Post Pet Hospital.  At this point Dr. Grosser recommended a surgery called a perineal urethrostomy. Perineal urethrostomy is the procedure that is done to make a new opening in the urethra in the perineal area (the area between the scrotum and the anus). The procedure is most commonly done in male cats that suffer from Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) and to bypass an obstruction of the urethra in the penis. It is also indicated if there is trauma to the penis or lower urethra.
            Boo’s surgery was successful and he is back at home after a weekend stay with us.  He is urinating without pain but still has accidents outside of the litterbox.  His antibiotics were adjusted post-operatively and we will be seeing him back the second week of June for his suture removal.  Boo’s owner has been compliant with medications, prescription foods and recommended treatments and we hope that Boo will make a full recovery given the right amount of time and patience!

This is “Chewy” Coles, she is a 15yr old mixed breed.  Her owners presented her to Post Pet Hospital in April for decreased mobility , lethargy and shortness of breath.  Dr. Grosser recommended a geriatric work up which includes bloodwork and radiographs.  We checked an in house packed cell volume due to the color of Chewy’s mucous membranes and it was 28% (normal range is 36-60).  Radiographs showed a large abdominal mass (10cm diameter) and lumbar spine spondylosis.  Dr. Grosser was concerned that her anemia was due to a bleedout caused by the tumor.  A splenectomy was recommended.

            We did Chewy’s surgery the next day after receiving her bloodwork.  We placed an IV catheter and gave IV fluids prior to surgery as well as pain medication and antibiotics.  Chewy’s spleen as well as a mass in her spleen and a draining lymph node were removed and sent to the laboratory for histopathology.  Chewy did well throughout  the surgery and recovered slowly post operatively.  We were pleased that Chewy improved each day and even more pleased when we received her histopath results. Results confirmed a splenic myelolipoma, which is a benign neoplasm usually seen in the spleen or liver.  Splenectomies are most often curative and there was no evidence of malignancy for Chewy. The lymph node that was sent to the lab exhibited moderate congestion secondary to drainage of hemorrhage from the benign splenic mass.  Chewy’s prognosis is GOOD!!

Toby Hawker

“Toby” Hawker is a new patient with us at Post Pet Hospital.  He is a 9yr old Male Chihuahua just adopted by his new owners.  We first saw him in February of 2011 for his initial visit and vaccinations.  We updated Toby’s vaccinations and did a current heartworm test and stool check.  He was negative for heartworms and intestinal parasites.  We also did a geriatric work-up, recommended for any pet 8 yrs and older.  A geriatric work up consists of radiographs and bloodwork.   Radiographs on Toby revealed bladder stones.  The owners knew Toby needed his teeth cleaned and had a hernia that needed repaired so they decided to schedule his surgery in March. 

Dr. Grosser did a cystotomy and hernia repair and then we cleaned Toby’s  five remaining teeth after extracting 15. He was already missing 20 teeth prior to his dental cleaning at Post Pet Hospital.  Toby’s recovery post-op was slow; he is only 3.6lbs and we were having difficulty regulating his body temperature due to his pain response.  After an additional dose of pain medications and an added heat source Toby recovered very well. 

Toby’s urinary stones were sent in for analysis and came back as calcium oxalates.  Toby was prescribed a special diet and his owner was advised to increase his water intake.  At Toby’s urine recheck the owners stated that he was doing well and had his spunk back.  Urinalysis was good and the owners were advised to keep up the good work!

                                          Rudy Dye

                We chose “Rudy” Dye as our February pet of the month because of his sweet disposition and strong will to live.  Rudy was presented to Post Pet Hospital January 17, 2011, because the owner reported that Rudy wasn’t eating and was having trouble getting around. They had also noticed blood in the water bowl. Rudy had a 36 lb weight loss since we had last seen him in March 2005.

            Physical exam findings were pale mucous membranes with a decreased refill time, dehydration, bleeding from the nose and ataxia.  Radiographs were taken to rule out a foreign body, a blood sample was submitted to the lab and supportive care was initiated.  An IV catheter was placed and fluid therapy started, medications were administered for shock & bleeding.  In house urinalysis showed blood in the urine as well as glucose and ketones. Insulin treatment was started at that time. Initial bloodwork showed elevated pancreatic enzymes, liver enzymes and blood glucose.

            Our diagnosis and treatment for Rudy was multilayered and complicated. We gave the owner a guarded prognosis as it seemed Rudy was not responding.  Rudy was hospitalized for 4 days before being released to his owners.  The owners continued struggling to get Rudy to eat but did a great job accomplishing that goal after a few days of different food trials!  The owners were administering twice daily insulin and reported constipation at home and Rudy seemed a little wobbly.

            At our one week recheck Rudy’s blood glucose was still significantly elevated.  Dr. Grosser did a gradual increase of the insulin amount over a period of time and recommended a blood glucose curve.  Approximately one month after Rudy’s initial presentation we kept him for the day to perform a blood glucose curve.  Rudy’s curve could not be completed due to his response to insulin, his blood glucose continued to increase despite treatment.   We rechecked a urine at that time and he still had glucose and ketones testing positive in the urine. 

Despite the test results Rudy seemed to be improving.  He was eating well and had an increase in his activity level and was putting on some weight.  His only symptom at this point was an increase in water intake and urination.

            Rudy continues to have an elevated blood glucose to this day even on two types of insulin twice daily.  His spirits are good and we continue to monitor him on a regular basis.  We would like to take this time to thank the owners for their patience and persistence in treating Rudy.  He is one of the most good-natured patients here at Post Pet Hospital.

                                        Lily Abrams

                      Lily Abrams is a 1 ½ yr old exuberant & rambunctious Labrador mix.  She was adopted from Animal Control as a puppy and has been a patient of Post Pet Hospital since her adoption.  She was presented in December with lameness on her left hind leg.  Dr. Grosser diagnosed a medial luxating patella.  She was sent home on anti-inflammatories and pain medication with instructions to leash walk only and rest.  Dr. Grosser discussed surgical repair, but wanted to rule out confirmation or over exertion.  At a 7 day recheck we did radiographs.  Lily had good pelvic confirmation and minimal curvature to the tibias and at that time he graded her bilateral luxating patellas at a 1.  Surgical repair was put on hold.  One week later Lily was limping on both hind legs and we went ahead with surgical repair of both stifles.

            Pre-operative bloodwork was done and an IV catheter placed.  Pain medication was administerd pre-operatively and a Fentanyl patch was applied for post-operative pain.  Lily was started on intravenous fluids for surgery while Dr. Grosser did a derotational suture and lateral imbrication on Lily’s right hind leg and a lateral imbrication on her left hind leg for repair.  Lily was discharged on antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and an additional pain medication.

            We spoke to the owner 24 hours post-operatively and Lily was weight bearing on both legs but pacing and would not lie down.  Dr. Grosser increased her Tramadol (pain med) dose and recommended cold compresses.  We rechecked Lily at one week and she was painful but weight bearing on both hind legs with good range of motion.  Another week later Lily was non-weight bearing on her right hind leg.  We radiographed her right hind leg and discovered that with Lily’s activity level she had broken down her surgical repair.

            A second surgery was performed two weeks after the original surgery to repair the right hind leg again. We kept Lily hospitalized for 3 days post-operatively and she was discharged on a mild sedative.  She had a minor set back with the weather when she slipped and fell on the ice but at this point she is like a new dog per the owner.

                                                  Baby Mescall
       Baby Mescall is a 1yr old, female/spayed Maltese. Baby had been to the Emergency Clinic and was being treated for an upper respiratory infection. We did a phone follow up with her on October 11, 2010. Per the owner Baby was shaking and not eating.
       Dr. Grosser rechecked Baby on October 12, 2010 and diagnosed her with white dog shaker syndrome and sent her home on oral Prednisone and A/D diet. On phone follow up they were still having difficulty getting Baby to eat and she seemed out of it.
      A recheck was done on October 16, 2010 and at that time the owner stated Baby was vomiting food and meds. We stopped Prednisone and started Baby on oral Valium and sent bloodwork into the lab. Bloodwork was unremarkable. Two days later we referred Baby to Veterinary Specialty Center at owner's request.
     Baby was diagnosed with white dog shaker syndrome at the Specialty Center. The owner declined furthur diagnostics given the likelihood of the diagnosis. Baby was sent hom on oral Prednisone and Valium, limited exercise and normal diet.
      Baby continues to take Prednisone and is doing quite well per the owner.

Snoopy Blakley is a 3yr old Male/neutered Dachshund Mix that was presented to Post Pet Hospital as a new patient on September 14^th, 2010 for being attacked by another dog.  Snoopy had extensive bite wounds bilaterally on his abdomen.  One of the wounds penetrated the abdominal wall exposing the intestines.  We rushed Snoopy to surgery to repair his wounds.  He was given injectable pain medications prior to anesthesia and we placed a Fentanyl patch for post-operative pain.  An IV catheter was placed and intravenous fluids and antibiotics were started as well.  We performed abdominal lavage and penrose drains were placed.  Once all the wounds had been repaired we placed a belly band around the abdomen.

The next day we replaced Snoopy’s belly band with a lighter bandage and put tube gauze on over it. We discharged Snoopy that evening with oral antibiotics, pain medications and anti-inflammatories.  On the third day we rechecked Snoopy and removed the Fentanyl patch.  He was running a fever so an additional antibiotic was added.  The next week Snoopy chewed out some of his sutures and we had to surgically repair that wound and replace the penrose drain.  This time Snoopy was sent home with an Elizabethan collar to prevent further damage to his wounds.  The penrose drain was removed 4 days later and Snoopy’s wounds were already healing well. At the final suture removal on Oct 8th Snoopy had completely healed and we're waiting for his hair to grow back in to hide his scars.

LADY ROBINSON

Lady Robinson is a Female Miniature Pinscher that is 1yr old.  Lady’s owner brought her into Post Pet Hospital on August 11, 2010.  Lady had been outside playing with the neighbor kids and was brought back to the owner with her injury.

Lady was completely non weight bearing on her left front leg when she presented to us.  Radiographs were immediately taken and revealed a complicated fracture of the humerus.  Lady was hospitalized and started on intravenous fluids, pain medications and anti-inflammatories.  Pre-operative bloodwork was normal.

Dr. Grosser repaired the fracture using cerclage wire and 2 IM pins.  Lady had post-operative swelling but otherwise did very well.  We will be removing the pins six weeks from the original surgery date.  For now Lady seems to be adjusting to her healing leg and is happy and active.

Meesha Harmon

        Meesha Harmon is a 10yr old Female(spayed) Pekingnese.  Meesha has been a patient of Post Pet Hospital since she was a puppy.  Meesha recently had her second cystotomy (bladder surgery) to remove bladder stones.  Meesha has had cystitis (inflammation of the bladder) since she was a young adult.  Radiographs of her bladder were normal at 1yr of age and she was treated with antibiotics and diet.  The first indication of bladder stones was in June of 2009 and they were removed surgically.  Meesha had an uneventful year after surgery until her annual visit in May 2010.  Upon physical exam Dr. Grosser found perivulvar pyoderma, while bloodwork and urinalysis were sent to the lab with results pending.  Bloodwork was normal but the urinalysis showed a high white blood cell count, a high pH, a large amount of bacteria and a large amount of struvite crystals.  At that time we sent Meesha home on antibiotics, but after two refills and returning symptoms more diagnostics were warranted.  We did radiographs of her bladder to find more stones had developed.  A cystotomy was performed and stones were removed.  Meesha’s recovery was a little longer this time but she has bounced back and is doing well.  Meesha is now on a 1month, 3month and 6month recheck interval including urinalysis, urine culture and sensitivity along with radiographs.

This is Orbit, a 10yr old, domestic shorthair adopted from Animal Control by Buddy and Lisa Jones.  Dr. Grosser first saw Orbit as a new pet in January of 2010.  Orbits physical exam was unremarkable other than dry skin.  Orbit received his Rabies vaccine and had a negative stool sample at that time.  Six months later Orbit was brought into Post Pet Hospital for not eating or drinking.  After a thorough history and exam, bloodwork and urinalysis were sent to the lab and radiographs were taken.

Radiographs revealed a slightly enlarged liver, a lumpy left kidney, and a possible mass in the vicinity of the stomach.

We placed an intravenous catheter in Orbit and started fluids to rehydrate him while we waited on lab results.  Orbit was also placed on a heat source because his temperature was subnormal.  Orbits bloodwork and urine showed that he had liver disease.  We were able to get his temperature up to a low normal and he started eating a small amount of food for us.  We discharged Orbit to the care of his owners after 48 hours of hospitalization.  They began force feeding him and giving him water through a syringe at home.  At Orbits one week recheck Dr. Grosser was able to palpate a multilobulated mass in the abdomen and became concerned about lymphoma.  Orbit was prescribed Prednisone at this time to slow the advancement of and counteract the effects of the tumor(s).  Orbit continues to do well at home.  He is eating on his own and maintaining his weight at 9lbs.  We chose Orbit as our June Pet of the Month because of his remarkable response to treatment and his easy going personality. 

                       Miya Massey


    
   
   
      Miya Massey is a 5 1/2yr old Pug that we lovingly refer to as a poscket Pug because of her small size. Miya only weighs 9lbs. Miya has been coming to Post Pet Hospital since she was a puppy. At her annual exam in June of 2009 Dr. McReynolds noted a growth on her left front leg just below the elbow. At that time the growth was 4cm x 4cm and after a fine needle aspirate, pulling cells out of the growth, a hygroma was suspected. We recommended a padded area to rest to reduce trauma and impact. We did not recommend surgical removal at that time. Miya returned to Post Pet Hospital in March of 2010 because the growth on her elbow had grown in size, and was now the size of a golfball. We aspirated the fluid from the growth and gave the owner an estimate for removal. In May of 2010 Miya returned for us to aspirate the fluid again. At this visit we were unable to drain the growth completely and stongly recommended surgery. Within 2 1/2 wks Miya came in for removal of the growth that was now the size of a kiwi. Dr. Grossers concern at this time was closing the incision after removal and tension on the suture line due to the size of the growth and the area (the elbow) being a joint that is in constant motion. The mass ended up being 7.5cm x 7.5cm and was sent to the lab for histopathology after removal. We placed a pressure bandage in Miyas leg to keep any dead space from filling up with fluid and Miya was discharged that evening. She did remarkably well and her incision looked great at her 2 week suture removal.
       The histopath report revealed a mast cell tumor which is malignant (cancerous). Miyas tumor was a grade 1-2 out of 10 and her prognosis is fair. Surgical removal can be curative but these types of tumors frequently recur and have the potential to metastasize (pass into or invade) to the lymph nodes, therefore we will be periodically evaluating Miya for any growth recurrence. Miya continues to do well and recently became a big sister to two Birman kittens!

                                Raefer Ruebush

     
       This is Raefer Ruebush, a 15yr old MN Domestic Longhair Cat. Raefer's owner brought him to Post Pet Hospital in October 2009 for his annual exam. Per is his owner Raefer was scratching at his ears and losing weight. Raefer tested negative for ear mites and labwork was normal. Raefer did have mild periodontal disease and was sent home on an antibiotic, Clindamycin, to treat that. Dr. Grosser recommended a dental cleaning and or dental x-rays, and was ruling out anorexia due to periodontal disease. Upon followup via phone call Raefer was doing well and we recommended reweighing him in 2 weeks.
      Raefer returned to Post Pet Hospital in February 2010, he had lost 2 more pounds, was vomiting and not eating well. Raefer was lethargic and dehydrated. We stared IV fluids and repeated bloodwork. We also took abdominal x-rays and gave Dexamethasone and Vitamin B complex. Raefer's bloodwork indicated acute renal failure. After hospitalization and IV fluids, Raefer was sent hom on K/D diet for the kidneys and Prednisone. 
      We rechecked Raefers kidney values in a month and they were within the normal range. Raefer was doing well, no vomiting and had gained almost 4 pounds. We started tapering off the Prednisonoe and continued with the K/D diet and plan to follow up with Raefer in June. Raefer's response to treatment was so remarkable that we chose him for our Pet of the Month! 

                                   Suzi Steiner

                  

    Each year we anxiously await the arrival of Spring. Spring time also

means Easter baskets full of chocolate bunnies, chocolate eggs and a

wide variety of other assorted chocolates. The fat and sugar in chocolate

can create an unpleasant but temporary upset stomach. The actual toxic

component of chocolate is theobromine. Bakers chocolate contains the

highest level of theobromine followed by dark chocolate and milk chocolate. Chocolate flavored
cakes and cookies will contain the lowest level of

theobromine.
          If your dog has just ingested chocolate it is possible to induce

vomiting; otherwise hospitalization and support are needed until the

chocolate has worked its way out of the system. It takes nearly 4 days for

the effects of chocolate to work its way out of a dog's system.  Theobromine

causes.

                              
                           *Vomiting

                        *Diarrhea

                        *Hyperactivity

                        *Tremors

                        *Seizures

                        *Racing heart rhythm/abnormal rhythms

                        *Death in severe cases

   This is "Suzi" Steiner, she is a 4 1/2 yr old female/spayed Cocker

Spaniel.  On February 23rd "Suzi" ate 6 - 7 ounces of dark chocolate

with the foil wrappers.  She was presented to Post Pet Hospital the

next morning.  Suzi's symptoms were as follows: agitation, rapid

breathing, tremors and a racing heart rhythm.  We placed Suzi on

intravenous fluids and gave Diazepam, a muscle relaxant and anti-

convulsant.  We also administered activated charcoal by mouth to

bind to the chocolate and prevent absorption.  By the next morning

the original symptoms had subsided.  Suzi vomited chocolate and foil

wrappers several times over the next day or two but by day three she

was eating with appetite and back to her normal self!

Number of OUNCES of CHOCOLATE a Pet Would Need to Ingest for TOXICITY   Weight of Pet in Pounds 5 10 15 20 25 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100                             Milk Chocolate (ounces) 2 4 6 8.2 10.2 12.3 16.4 20.5 24.5 28.6 32.7 36.8 41 Dark Chocolate (ounces) 0.7 1.4 2.1 2.8 3.5 4.2 5.5 6.9 8.3 9.7 11 12.5 13.8 Baking Chocolate (ounces) 0.23 0.5 0.7 0.9 1.2 1.4 1.9 2.3 2.8 3.2 3.7 4.1 4.6

                             Lucky Kirsch


   Lucky Kirsch is a 9yr old female/spayed Jack Russell Terrier that was presented on November 16th for Dr. Grosser to check her toe. Lucky had been bitten by another dog in the foot. The owner had wrapped the bite wound but Lucky removed the wrap and was licking her foot. The toe was nearly bitten off resulting in a fracture of the 2nd bone on the outside toe of the left front foot. The toe was attached only by skin and tendons. 
  



Lucky had surgery the next day and Dr. Grosser repaired the toe. Lucky was sent home with her foot bandaged and instructions to have the bandage removed in 48hrs and the foot rechecked. She was sent home on Metacam for pain and inflammation and Simplicef as her antibiotic. Upon the 48hr recheck the toe was healing well and we rebandaged the foot. Lucky did not tolerate her e-collar well and would chew off the bandage and lick her surgical sight. We changed her antibiotic to Baytril and stressed that Lucky keep her e-collar on at all times. The toe continues to heal and she does have use of it again. but has devoloped a secondary moist dermatitis from licking.

  Bella Richardson




This is Bella Richardson, she is a 6 month old Pit Bull that we first saw in August after being attacked by another dog. She had an ear laceratio that required general anesthesia to repair. Her ear was sutured back together and healed nicely. One month after Bella's initial visit she was presented to Post Pet Hospital with vomiting, diarrhea and anorexia. She tested positive for Parvovirus, a common virus in unvaccinated or immumocomprimised puppies. Parvo causes vomiting, bloody diarrhea, anorexia, dehydration and weight loss and sometimes death.

We hospitalized Bella placing her in intravenous fluids, and administered antibiotics, antacids and antiemetics (anti vomiting) by injection. Bella only vomited once in hospital but had multiple episodes of bloddy diarrhea. She was hospitalized for the weekend and by Monday her vomiting and diarrhea had resolved. We discontinued her intravenous fluids and started her on oral medication and Probiotics, and she was discharged Monday evening. By Wednesday Bella was eating well at home and giving her owner a hard time when trying to medicate her. Bella has been through a lot for her age and still remains a happy Patient

                

Goldie is a 10yr old male/neutered FIV postive domestic shorthair.  He was first diagnosed with cystitis (inflammation of the bladder) on June 2nd, 2009 and ended up having a cystotomy (cutting into the bladder) to have urinary stones removed on July 22nd, 2009.  After several rounds of antibiotics the owner opted to have radiographs taken of Goldie's bladder, which gave us our diagnosis of bladder stones and led to the cystotomy.  Dr. Grosser removed one large stone made of 3 stones clumped together, a smaller "clump" of stones and one smaller stone.  Goldie was urinating in his litterbox 24 hours post-operatively and bright and alert.  Stone analysis results diagnosed calcium oxalate crystals and Goldie was placed on a prescription diet to maintain his urinary health.  Goldie continues to do well at home and eats his new diet happily.

Jake Phillabaum is an 11yr old male/neutered Pug.  Jake is full of personality but on June 15th he was presented to Post Pet Hospital with lethargy, anorexia and a ruptured anal sac.  After a full physical exam, Dr. Grosser also noted periodontal disease.  Dr. Grosser then recommended we keep Jake for the day to treat the ruptured anal sac and perform a dental prophylaxis.  We ran preoperative bloodwork and placed an IV catheter prior to anesthesia.  Jake had a dental cleaning and 12 teeth were extracted.  We also flushed Jake's ruptured anal sac and infused it with medication.  Jake stayed in the hospital for a week after his procedure so we could care for him while his owner was in the hospital. Jake recovered nicely and began eating quite well.
Our staff got a big kick out of Jake, he's very entertaining and a pleasure to have around and work with.
Since Jake's stay with us he has returned for his annual vaccines, heartworm check and stool check.  Mr. Phillabaum's wife is still in the hospital but he hopes that she will be moving to a nursing home soon so her and Jake can be reunited.  Jake is missing her terribly but now is in tip top shape to be able to visit her as soon as he's able to.

Murphy Keith



Murphy is a 1 1/2 yr old male neutered beagle mix. He first presented in February as a new patient to Post Pet Hospital. Murphy had a midshaft fracture to his left femur, that Dr. Grosser repaired. He recovered quickly and was using the leg by the time he returned for his suture removal. By April Murphy was using the leg so well that he bent the pins Dr. Grosser had used to repair the fracture. We confirmed this with radiographs but recommended leaving the pins in for 3-4 more weeks for optimum healing. On May 8th Murphy came back for his pin removal; at that point he was non-weight bearing on the leg and a seroma had formed over the pins. Dr. Grosser removed they pins and by the next morning Murphy was bearing weight on the leg again and bouncing around like his normal , happy self. It is always a pleasure to see Murphy and his owner, Lonnie.

                                            Day of Surgery

                                        Bent pins

 
Sid Corbin


Sid is a 3yr old MN Pug that has been coming to Post Pet Hospital since he was a puppy.  Sid was seen by Noah's Emergency Clinic on 4-24-09 for vomiting, with a history of ingesting foreign bodies.  Initial radiographs were done at that time with no significant foreign body noted.  Sid was treated for the symptoms of vomiting and sent home with instructions to recheck with Dr. Grosser if vomiting persisted.  Dr. Grosser saw Sid later that morning, Sid was lethargic and anorexic but was not vomiting.  Radiographs showed some gas in the stomach with decreased gas in the intestines (not radiographic sign of an obstructed bowel), Sid was sent home on Famotidine and a bland diet.  A call back was done the next day and Sid seemed to be feeling better but still had not eaten yet.  By Monday 4-27-09, Sid had been vomiting all weekend, what looked like mulch per Sid's owner.  We took another radiograph before prepping Sid for an enterotomy.  Dr. Grosser found three toothpick sized sticks perforating the duodenum and had to resect that portion of the bowel.  Sid stayed overnight at Post Pet Hospital receiving intravenous fluids and antibiotics along with pain medication.  The next morning Sid walked outside but did not perk up until a visit from his owner.  We kept Sid for the remainder of the day and then discharged him on the evening of 4-28-09 in the capable hands of his owners.  Sid's owners are Brent and Claire Corbin and they are no strangers to post-operative care for foreign body surgeries.  Sid had a previous foreign body in April of 2008 and Sid's housemate, Sienna a 2 1/2 yr old Doberman Pinscher has also had two foreign body surgeries!  Sid continues to do well at home and is recovering nicely from his surgery, we look forward to his suture removal visit and many more years of caring for Sid and Sienna Corbin.


Sid after surgery

  Sid and Sienna

 
Last object removed from Sid

Lilly Turner



   Miss Lilly is a happy and vibrant 10 month old female Shepherd mix. She
presented to Post Pet Hospital for her first visit this past February to have a limp checked. Lilly had been limping on her left front leg for about 1 month and had a wound on the top of her left front paw.

   Dr. McReynolds diagnosed Lilly with brachial plexus avulsion, a tearing away of the nerves in the brachial plexus. This is usually a result of some type of trauma like being hit by a car.  The brachial plexus is a combination of multiple forelimb nerves. The severity of symptoms is dependent on which nerves are damaged. In Lilly's case the nerves that supply the triceps muscle were affected causing her to limp on that left front leg and her paw to knuckle over. 

   Treatment for this type of injury is daily physical therapy, to prevent tendon and muscle contraction. Regrowth of injured nerves is slow and may take months. A sock, boot or bandage is recommended to protect the paw and prevent abrasions, which Lilly already had. 

   In worse case scenarios amputation is considered if there is self mutilation or no improvement in motor abitilies.

   Lilly's wound in her paw bacame a source of infection and after bandaging at home the skin began to necrose causing an open wound that was beyond repair and an amputation was recommended.

   One month after Lilly's initial visit an amputation was performed by Dr. Grosser. For Lilly he decided to remove the whole front limb- shoulder blade, upper arm as well as lower leg. If the shoulder blade or part of the upper arm bone (the humerus) were left on Lilly her continueing muscle atrophy (loss of muscle tissue) would cause those bones to protrude and possibly come through the skin. By removing the bones we plan to leave her with a smoother contour to her chest and less weight to carry on her right leg. This technique allows the surgeon to remove the leg without having to cut through the bone thus decreasing operating time and post op pain.

   The operation involves - cutting the muscles that attach the shoulder blade to the body wall. The nerves to the leg are cut and the blood vessels are tied off. The muscles that attached the scapula are sutured back to the muscle that attached to the opposite side of the bone. The skin is then sutured closed and we put on a chest wrap for the first few days. 


  Lilly was up and about within a few hours of surgery. She was feeling much better with the removal of the necrotic (infected) tissue. She walked out on day 2 wagging her tail.

 
WE WON AND RAISED $928.50 FOR

THE ELDON & ADDYSON TRUST

FUND!!!



 It was a great contest! Post Pet Hospital and Fort Ben Staff Raised $664.50 and poor Dr. Grosser only raised $264.00. So he had to shave his head smooth and boy was it fun to watch!

      Susie started off the festivities by shaving his head with the clippers.
 
                 (Does everyone like the trash bag?)
  

   

   Lora wanted to have some fun too so she got to finish clipping and got to use the razor on his head to make it really smooth!!

  
 
                            (All for you Eldon and Addyson!)

   

   

  
                           (Dr. Evil look alike)
  

We appreciate everyone's contributions 

to the Eldon & Addyson trust fund!  

THANK YOU!

        
Please Check out Eldon's Website.

  Upcoming Events

Lifting Spirits for Eldon

Where: Chateau Thomas Winery When: Saturday March 21, 2009 6:30 - 9:30 PM Music By: Red Moon Join us for an evening of wine tasting and music at Chatueau Thomas Winery. Admission is $40 and includes appetizers and  wine! All procedes will benefit the Eldon Groves & Addyson Trust Fund

                          Oreo Dean

                   


    This is Oreo Dean, our 16 1/2 yr old male neutered cat. Oreo was surrendered to Post Pet Hospital in April of 2005. He came to us with hyperthyroidism, a disease of older cats that is a benign tumor of the thyroid gland causing the thyroid to secrete excessive amounts of thyroid hormone. Thyroid hormones stimulates the body's metabolism. The disease causes accelerated heart rate, ravenous appetite but weight loss and ultimately they can develop heart disease and kidney failure. 

   The thyroid tumor can be eradicated with radioactive iodine. The tumor can also be removed with delicate surgery. The surgeon must be careful to preserve the parathyroid gland as it is essential to maintain calcium levels in the body.

   Management of the disease requires a daily to twice daily medication called Methimazole or Tapazole. The medication has side effects such as vomiting and anorexia with the most common side effect being depression. Management requires a minimum of an annual exam and bloodwork to monitor the level of the replacement thyroid hormones in the bloodstream.

   In Oreo's case, management with medication had been started by the previous owner and we continued that course with success for the first few years. Oreo did suffer from the side effects of the medication but we managed to keep his thyroid hormone level in the normal range until January when it sky rocketed to 10.1 with the normal range being 0.8 - 4.0.

   After a staff consensus was reached Oreo was scheduled for a thyroidectomy performed by Dr. Grosser. Surgery was a success and Oreo has gained not only 8 oz since the surgery but a new lease on life as well. He has become much more affectionate and outgoing. To know Oreo is to love him, he has obviously won the hearts of our staff and many of our clients!

   Sadly, Oreo was euthanized in June, 2009.  We are comforted with  knowing he had a happy 4yrs with us at Post Pet Hospital and the best veterinary care possible.



                    
                           Oreo's incision after suture removal

  

Who wants to see Dr. Grosser with a  shiny bald head?       
(started Jan. 30th ending March 1st)

Hank Byerly

Hank

 Let us introduce you to 'Hank' Byerly, a 10yr old male/neutered Cocker Spanel. Hank is well known among the staff members of Post Pet Hospital for his frequent visits addressing his 'itchy' skin and his 'piddle' behavior when we lift him onto the exam table. Hank is a happy, well behaved boy that was brought in on January 15th for something other than his itchy skin. He was lethargic, not eating and seemed weak, definatly not himself. Initial bloodwork revealed a low hematocrit, red blood cells and hemoglobin. Hank started on treatment for hemolytic anemia. That night Hank went home, ate A/D, drank and seemed to improve. The next day Hank returned to PPH, his hematocrit had dropped even lower and he was unable to walk despite treatment that was started - it was time for a transfusion.

'Lyle' was more than willing to donate to the cause and was 'Hank's' donor dog. Lyle belongs to one of our staff members, they were both happy to help.

Lyle

 After Hank's transfusion he was trying to jump out of his cage so he was sent home with his family and they were instructed to return the next day for a recheck. By January 20th Hank had gotten much worse and Dr. Grosser recommended a Splenectomy (removal of the spleen). A cross match was performed to find a donor that was compatible to 'Hank', three dogs were ruled out before finding a match to Hank, this time it was Dr. Grosser's dog 'Aristotle'.

Aristotle

  During surgery Hank received his transfusion, the spleen was removed (it was three times the normal size), all lymph nodes were normal and there were no tumors or metastatic tumors. Postoperatlively Hank recovered very well and his hematocrit went up into the normal range. Histopathology results ruled out any form of neoplasia (cancer) and confirmed some type of autoimmune hemolytic anemia.

Thus far Hank continues to do well and is enjoying all the extra special attention from family and friends.

Shelby Lynn Abner

    Shelby is a 1yr old female/spayed Golden Retriever that presented to Post Pet Hospital on December 13th for vomiting.Shelby had been vomiting for one week. Normally Shelby is very active and into everything. Abdominal radiographs showed material in the stomach and gas distended loops of bowel.

  
          (the black is gas in the loops of the bowel)

        On Monday December 15th Shelby returned not doing well and pre-operative radiographs comfirmed the "material" had not left the stomach and there was increased gaseous distension of the small intestine indicating a blockage. Shelby had an emergency enterotomy revealing 9 perforations of the intestinal tract and an additional incision into the stomach necessary to remove the remnants of plastic, cloth, hair and various other unknown material not able to be extracted through the intestine.

after surgery

        Post-operatively Shelby continued to vomit and the Doctors were concerned about her developing septicemia and/or peritonitis. Shelby was on several medications and improved with each day. At Shelby's suture removal she was back to her normal self.

Gizmo Cargal

Gizmo was a stray kitten that was dropped off at our clinic and adopted into a loving home by one of our clients. He's been nominated for pet of the month based on cuteness and personality. When he was brought back in for vaccines and a neuter he was the perfect patient and even provided entertainment for the staff!

Cali Ketcham

     This is Cali Ketcham. Cali is a 5yr old Female spayed Border Collie. Cali presented to Post Pet Hospital on a busy Saturday with an open wound on her chest. Luckily the wound was not complicated and Cali is an excellent patient so we were able to clip and flush the wound without sedation and used staples to close it.                
      Cali showed no signs of illness or pain. She did not have a fever at presentation. Upon further physical examination we did find two other punctures or possible bite wounds. Cali has a house mate that she plays very rough with and most likely at some point he got the upper "paw".

     Cali was placed on antibiotics and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories and is healing nicely

Ozzie Jondahl

Meet Ozzie Jondahl. Ozzie is a 10yr old male neutered domestic shorthair cat. Ozzie was first presented to Post Pet Hospital back in July 2008 for not eating and vomiting. Ozzie was diagnosed with Stage 4 periodontal disease. We ran bloodwork before scheduling a dental cleaning and found Ozzie to be diabetic. Ozzie had his teeth cleaned a few days later and had 6 extractions. Ozzie was sent home on Clindamycin (an antibiotic) and DM food to manage his diabetes. Ozzie came back into the hospital on September 16th 2008 for not eating, vomiting and producing only small amounts of urine.  Ozzie had lost 5 lbs since July and was mildly icteric (jaundice).

We started Ozzie on IV fluids and antibiotics (an injection that last 2 wks), gave him medications for his vomiting and submitted more bloodwork. His bloodwork revealed increased liver values (that were in July normal) and his blood glucose was now normal. Ozzie responded to treatment very well and started eating A/D. Ozzie was sent home on medication for nausea and vomiting, and pet tinic, a dietary supplement.

Upon a two week re-evaluation of Ozzie and his bloodwork, we were happy to see that Ozzie had continued to progress and has gained almost 2 lbs, his blood glucose was still normal and his liver values were down almost into the normal range.

 Ozzie was euthanized May 13th, 2009 after another battle with elevated liver enzymes and diabetes. 

 

X-Ray after Surgery

Heartworms and heartworm disease in dogs and cats

Heartworm transmission

Heartworms are about six inches long. They live mostly in the heart and the large blood vessel that bring oxygen-rich blood from the lungs to the heart. Adult male and female worms living in the heart produce thousands of microscopic baby worms (microfilaria) which circulate throughout the body.  These baby heartworms do not grow to adulthood in the dog where they were born.   Before baby heartworms can develop further, they must live in a mosquito.  

A mosquito comes along and bites the infected dog, sucking up baby heartworms. This probably isn't too good for the mosquito, but this is what the worms have been waiting for. During the next month, the heartworm babies develop into heartworm teenagers. 

Now, the mosquito bites another dog, infecting the new dog with teenage heartworms,  ready to develop into adulthood.  After six or seven more months the life cycle is complete:  new adult male and female heartworms are producing thousands of baby heartworms.

Canine Heartworm Disease

Signs of Heartworm infection in dogs include

There are several different drugs used for heartworm prevention, all of them highly effective and easy to use.  You have your choice between a monthly good-tasting pill ( Heartgard, Interceptor or Sentinel), or a monthly application of medicine to the skin (Advantage Multi and Revolution).   In Indianapolis , we have mosquitoes year 'round, and Our recommendation is once a month, year 'round, permanently

Canine Heartworm Testing

No medication is perfect, and none of us have perfect memories.  Dogs should be tested yearly. 

Although heartworms can be fatal, and treatment for the disease involves risk, the condition is nearly always curable. Treatment requires careful medical care and complete rest at home afterwards. 

Feline Heartworm Disease

Because cats are not a natural host for the parasite, heartworm disease in cats is a very different problem.  Cats are much less likely to get heartworms than dogs are.  When they do, symptoms are unpredictable and seemingly illogical. 

Heartworm Symptoms In Cats

Usually there are no symptoms.  When noted,  symptoms resemble those of other more common problems.

• vomiting
• wheezing, choking
• fainting spells
• hindquarter paralysis
• sudden unexplained death

Feline Heartworm Prevention

We recommend AdvantageMulti for heartworm and flea preventions in cats.

In order to maintain your  cat’s health, we recommend the following annual preventative healthcare:

• Comprehensive Physical Exam to detect signs of disease,  illness, or aging concerns
• Intestinal parasite (worm) testing
• Feline Heartworm preventative
• Vaccinations:
• Feline Distemper to protect against feline respiratory diseases (Rhinotracheitis and Calicivirus) and Panleukopenia (Distemper)
• Feline Leukemia
• Rabies vaccine
• Chlamydia