Category: ER + Critical Care

Coyote Attack on Luna The Cat

Posted on by CanadaWestVets Categorized Case reports, ER + Critical Care, In the Media

Luna is a 2-year old cat that was presented to Canada West Veterinary Specialists on June 26, 2020, after being attacked by a coyote.

 

She was let outside around 4 am along with two other cats in her household. When the two other cats returned, Luna was nowhere to be found. Her owner went outside to look for her and saw a coyote on top of her. He was able to chase the coyote away and then brought Luna in for emergency care.

Luna was in shock and semi-comatose when she arrived. There was evidence of a crush injury to her head with several lacerations, including to the eye, the eyelid and the neck. There was concern that she might have severe brain damage but she was also in shock. We needed to stabilize that first in order to assess the extent of her injuries.

 

Luna the cat following the incident with the coyote.

 

Once she … Continue reading

Baby It’s Cold Outside! (Antifreeze And Your Pet)

Posted on by Monica Thomas, RVT, VTS (ECC) Categorized ER + Critical Care, Pet Care

This winter has been warmer than previous years, but the deep freeze is now upon us!! Antifreeze is a necessity at this time of year, but it is important to remember to protect our pets and wildlife from exposure to this deadly toxin.

Ethylene glycol affects the nervous system and causes severe injury to the kidneys. It only takes a small amount to be fatal and the initial signs can be as subtle as looking a bit wobbly, and can be easily missed. Because people may not know their pets have licked antifreeze, they miss these early signs. Pets die every year because by the time they look really sick it is too late to save them. If you suspect your pet may have ingested antifreeze, this is one of the few situations when it is a good idea to go directly to an emergency vet hospital, as they will … Continue reading

Molly And The Bear Attack

Posted on by Laurence Braun Categorized Case reports, ER + Critical Care, Neurology

Molly and The Bear Attack

In late July on a Whistler trail, Molly and her owner were surprised when they encountered a bear making aggressive noises who then charged towards them. The bear pinned Molly down by her throat.

The owner tried to distract the bear to no avail – it disappeared in the bush carrying and shaking Molly by her neck. The owner thought Molly dead, and walked back to his truck only to find Molly there, albeit bleeding and going into shock.

Molly underwent two emergency procedures that night in Whistler and the owner had been nursing her at home for a week when we heard of their incredible tale and resolve. Molly had made some progress, but there were complications – she was reluctant to walk and carried her head to the right.

 

The big questions that loomed were whether she could make enough of a … Continue reading

Oh Barf: Vomit versus Regurgitation: What’s the difference and what’s the big deal?

Posted on by Monica Thomas, RVT, VTS (ECC) Categorized ER + Critical Care, Internal Medicine

There are many, many reasons why our pets may “bring up” something, and it’s easy to assume that what they are doing is vomiting. But what if we told you that in addition to the reasons to vomit, there are many other reasons why they might regurgitate!  Being able to differentiate between vomiting and regurgitation helps us diagnose pets and get them feeling better faster.

Vomit:
To vomit means to force out matter from the stomach through the mouth. It is an active movement in which the abdomen contracts and forces the stomach contents up and out. The material can be an array of colors depending on what was eaten or what the underlying condition is, and can contain some digested food, as the stomach has begun to process it.  The list of diseases causing vomiting includes stomach upset, foreign bodies stuck in the stomach or intestines, pancreatitis, or countless … Continue reading

Case Report: Raisins, Grapes, Kidneys and Crisco. Hardy Has A Tale To Tell.

Posted on by Laurence Braun Categorized Case reports, ER + Critical Care, Internal Medicine

Hardy is an aptly-named and lovely 7-month old Bernese Mountain dog who recently arrived at our Emergency Room after eating a large amount of raisins and two pounds of Crisco (vegetable shortening)!  That night his owner discovered more than 50 raisins in his stool along with some paper towel remnants.

Blood work was done to rule out the two concerns that could arise from the ingestion of these two separate potential trouble-makers:

  1. Raisins or grapes, which can cause kidney failure. (The mechanism by which raisins or grapes cause kidney injury is unknown).
  2. Ingestion of high amounts of fat (from the Crisco) can cause pancreatitis.

 

Hardy was treated with IV fluids, monitored and was discharged home after a couple of days. He was very lucky, but not all dogs are.  We have seen dogs succumb to pancreatitis, despite our best efforts.

Pancreatitis can strike fear in the heart of emergency/critical … Continue reading

Lily Toxicity in Cats

Posted on by Laurence Braun Categorized ER + Critical Care, Internal Medicine, Pet Care

Easter is around the corner and we’ve already had two cases of lily toxicity here at Canada West. Now is the time to review how certain species of lilies cause kidney failure in our feline friends.

It has been pointed out that every time holidays roll around I’m doom and gloom about the possible hazards. Fair enough! There’s a reason we call them the “chocolate holidays”. But while most people now know to keep chocolate away from dogs, they may not know that the lily they were given might kill their cat.

Several species of lilies are toxic to cats, including Easter lilies, Stargazer, Tiger, Japanese, Asian and day lilies. The toxic species are either from the lilium family or the Hemerocallis family (true and day lilies)

It is important to note that all parts of the lily (the flowers, pollen, leaves and stems) are toxic in even very small … Continue reading