 December
2009
Stitch
Stitch is a 5 year old Jack Russell Terrier cross who was brought
into the practice with back pain and was unable to stand up on her
back legs. Clinical and neurological examinations immediately
recognised this as a spinal cord problem of the thoraco-lumbar region.
She was admitted to the hospital and given pain relief and starved
overnight in preparation for a general anaesthetic and x-rays the
following day.
The next day Stitch was given her anaesthetic and
x-rays were taken of her spine because the Vet suspected that Stitch
may have a slipped disc. We needed to take a contrast x-ray to diagnose
this problem which means we had to inject a special dye into Stitch's
spinal cord which shows up on the x-ray , telling us if and where
there is a slipped disc. (This procedure is called a myelogram.)
The myelogram proved that stitch did indeed have a slipped
disc and needed decompressive surgery.
This operation is an extremely complicated procedure
which in some practices would have needed to be referred to a specialist
surgeon but as our head vet Haydn Sharratt has a Certificate in Small
Animal Surgery, we were able to do the surgery immediately. The surgery
entailed removing the slipped disc which was pressing on the
spinal cord. This type of surgery can have many complications
but in this case the surgery was a complete success.
Stitch recovered well from her anaesthetic but required a lot of
pain killing injections post operatively. Two days later Stitch was
walking well with good strength in her back legs. She was allowed
to go home with instructions of strict rest.
A month after her surgery, Stitch is doing very
well - walking around and back to her happy self.
We are very pleased with the outcome of Stitch's
operation this is why we have decided to make her our December Pet
of the Month.
Click
here to see November's Pet of the Month - Charlie the Staffordshire
Bull Terrier.
Click
here to see October's Pet of the Month - Basil the brave dog.
Click
here to see September's Pet of the Month - Chelsea the domestic
short-haired cat.
Click
here to see August's Pet of the Month - Lucas the domestic short-haired
cat.
Click
here to see July's Pet of the Month - Rabby the English Lop-Eared
rabbit.
Click
here to see June's Pet of the Month - Thomas the West Highland White
Terrier.
Click here to see May's Pet of the Month - Harvey
the Boxer puppy.
Click
here to see April's Pet of the Month - Mitzi the Yorkshire Terrier.
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