With the 2010 Westminster Kennel Club dog show fast approaching, I look forward to which breed will take this year’s Best In Show. Last year “Stump,” a 10 year old Sussex Spaniel, took top honor.
Stump was fortunate to be able to “set paw” in the show ring, as he suffered a near fatal multi-body system, multi-organism, bacterial infection (sepsis) in January, 2006. Stump’s unusual affliction led to a 13 day hospitalization period for treatment at Texas A&M University’s Small Animal Hospital. The infection ultimately caused failure of his cardiovascular (heart and blood vessels) and respiratory (lungs, trachea) systems, along with Disseminated Intravascular Coagulopathy (DIC, a severe, blood clotting disorder.
With multi-system organ involvement and the difficulty of achieving a clear diagnosis on which to then direct treatment, Stump is lucky very to have survived his illness. In the veterinary community, DIC is a colloquialism with the unpleasant translation “Death is Coming.” Many dogs do not survive DIC, despite significant medical intervention. The medical resident in charge of Stump’s care, Dr. Katherine Snyder, stated “he was very sick. We treated him with antibiotic therapy, heart medications, oxygen, and some anticoagulant medications. He really pulled through like a champion.”
Stump’s concerned caretakers readily noted his clinical signs of illness and were proactive in pursuing a veterinary evaluation. Stump was then referred to the specialty veterinarians at the Texas A&M Univeristy College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. Dr. Snyder states “fever, lethargy, poor appetite, a heart murmur, difficulty breathing, or coughing can all be signs that something is not right with the dog. Owners should take their dogs to the veterinarian as quickly as possible after noticing these symptoms so that appropriate treatment measures can be started in a timely fashion.”
Although your canine may not be a contender for Best in Show, please appreciate the lessons learned from Stump’s courageous story. If your pet is acting abnormally, please contact your veterinarian to schedule a consultation. The beneficial consequence of your immediate action could save your pet’s life.
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