WHAT GOES UNSEEN Solving Your Pet’s Hidden Mysteries Surgery is sometimes the only way to know what was going on inside a sick pet. If the surgery reveals a serious problem, the pet owner may not have much time to consider their options before they need to make a decision about their pet’s health. Today, advancements in technology allow pet owners and veterinarians to collect all the information they need about what’s going on inside a pet before making a decision. One of the most useful tools in a modern veterinarian’s toolkit is a computed tomography (CT) scanner. CT scanners use X-rays that take a 360-degree image of the spine, vertebrae, and internal organs and then a computer builds images with those slices. It gives information that survey radiographs can’t show us. A CT scan can be used to determine if a dog is suffering from a herniated disc or if there’s a disease in the spinal cord. This information drastically changes how the dog’s treatment goes. Since the technology is more advanced, some people even assume that CT scans are automatically better than an X-ray. This isn’t necessarily true. X-rays are very sensitive with the lungs and the skeletal system, but less so with soft tissues. CT scans can be used to diagnose problems in soft tissues and internal organs. One is not better than the other, as they each serve an important role in diagnosed health problems in a pet. If a cat has a broken leg, a simple X-ray is enough to address the problem. However, if a dog is suffering from seizures, a CT scan can be used to determine if they have tumors or brain lesions, or if epilepsy might be responsible. At The Animal Clinic of Kalispell, we work with Discovery Animal Imaging, a mobile CT scanner, that comes right to our office. The company recently relocated to Kalispell, which means we can schedule scans for our patients faster than ever. With the help of a board-certified radiologist, the scans are reviewed that day, and we can have results for our patients in less than 24 hours.
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Foxy, who is around 9. There are also several dogs around: Titan, a boxer,
who is around 10; Turok, a “rug” (Russell- pug mix), who’s 5 1/2; and Athena, a lab- boxer mix, who is the baby of the house at just 3 years old. Much like myself, all members of the clan are rescues. Mario was dropped off at a clinic where Dawn worked and Turok was at the shelter. Foxy was found on the side of the road by a client who initially
Mario
asked Dawn to take care of her while they were on vacation but ultimately decided they couldn’t have a cat at the time. Dawn rescued Titan from a shelter while she was looking for a dog for another one of her clients. Athena came along when Dawn’s friend bred her lab with a boxer on accident. Dawn has a soft spot for boxers. It can be pretty wild around the house, but we all get on well. We’re a clan full of rescues, so we have to watch each other’s backs — or, in my case, at least tolerate the rest of the family.
Thanks to CT scanners, veterinarians are able to help pet owners get all the information they need about their pet’s health and plan the best possible course for treatment.
Directions
1. Warm coconut oil into
liquid, then combine with pumpkin puree in a medium mixing bowl. Mix in turmeric, then add coconut flour incrementally. Mix thoroughly to create a sticky dough.
2. Roll dough into bite-size balls. 3. Combine flaxseed with bread crumbs in a small mixing bowl, and then coat truffles in mixture. 4. Refrigerate treats until firm.
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