SAM’S CORN
WRIGLEY’S BIG WIN Wobbly Tummy, Wonderful Recovery
Paws and Pace
Greetings, humans! I hope this year is treating you all well so far. It’s hard to believe it’s already March, but here we are!
Given that March in Iowa often means nicer weather, many of you are taking your dogs outside more than you have in the past couple of months. While exercise is generally beneficial for dogs, owners should never overdo it. Much like humans, dogs can gain weight and become less active during the winter months. Therefore, taking your furry friends out for long runs and other increased activities as soon as spring begins may be too much too soon for many of them. If you want to help them stay happy and healthy this time of year, it’s best to acclimate them to more outdoor activities gradually, rather than expecting them to return to their usual sunny-day routines right away. Starting with slower, shorter-paced walks is a great idea. For example, you can start with 20-minute walks and gradually increase them to 30 minutes after a couple of weeks. From there, you can build them up to 60 minutes or a length of time that suits your dog. If you rush dogs into springtime action too quickly, you may see them limping from sore or stiff joints. They may be slow to get up or lie down due to aggravated arthritis, or they may hesitate to go up or down stairs or get up or off furniture because of the sudden increase in activity. Above all, they may just become noticeably grumpier.
Wrigley is an 8-month-old male Australian Labradoodle puppy who typically loves playing with his toys and human family. When he suddenly became lethargic
and spent most of the evening vomiting, his owners became very concerned. They noted there was a small piece of fabric from one of his favorite toys in his vomit and that he had been drooling throughout the day. When he initially came to see Dr. Conrad, he was subdued compared to a normal, happy puppy but otherwise had a normal physical
examination. After discussing his symptoms and the fabric in his vomit, radiographs (X-rays) were taken to rule out any foreign material in his gastrointestinal tract that may be causing his symptoms. On his radiographs, there were signs of cloth-like foreign material in
several areas of his intestines and concerns for potential abnormal material in his stomach. Due to his vomiting and possible stomach and intestinal obstructions on the radiographs, Wrigley was admitted to the hospital and was prepared for an exploratory surgery and removal of any foreign material.
I took over Wrigley’s care and moved forward with surgery. Three firm foreign objects were found within his lower intestines and were removed. The three objects were all pieces of a cloth fish toy connected by pieces of string. The intestines had corrugated themselves along the connections, and the string was dangerously close to causing intestinal damage. The toy pieces were successfully removed, and his stomach was found to contain only food and water, with no further foreign material present. Wrigley recovered from anesthesia and spent the remainder of the evening resting after getting pain relief and anti-nausea medications. By the following morning, he was feeling much better and was happily pulling me around the hospital yard. He also very happily enjoyed a small breakfast. We were thrilled that Wrigley was able to go home later that evening, and he was completely back to his normal self at his suture removal after two weeks of rest and a bland diet. To prevent future incidents, Wrigley’s owners now only allow him to have toys under supervision and will avoid any cloth items or toys that are easy to chew to pieces.
—Dr. Steven McGinty
Contact us! 319-743-0554
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