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Often, in our canine patients, viruses are
the initiating cause. Some like parvovirus can be vaccinated
against but there are a number of others which require aggressive
supportive therapy of intravenous fluids and antibiotics.
The mainstay of treatment is to keep the patient
functioning as well as possible so that the individual can
eventually combat the infection herself.
"Magic" Sylvester was one such
patient who required several days of hospitalisation and
intravenous fluids. Providing "Magic" with this
support throughout her illness enables the nursing staff
to monitor her progress on a daily basis.
Key signs that the patient is through the
worst can be as simple as stretching their legs or shaking
themselves after a snooze. Any indication that treatment
is successful after several days of little change is always
a welcome relief to both staff and owners alike.
Unfortunately, for Magic a lack of improvement
indicated a direct look at her bowels to see whether there
was any need for more dramatic surgical intervention. In
this instance, Magic simply required a more prolonged period
of supportive therapy before we eventually began to recognise
that our patient was back to her old self not through any
mystic powers but simple patience and perseverance!
Terry
Dunne BVMS, Cert SAO, MRCVS
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