Case studies
Taz's toiletting troubles
Taz was 10 years of age when he presented to Northwest Surgeons in 2011 with difficulty in urinating (dysuria). As a younger cat, 8 years previously, Taz had experienced a blockage of his urethra, the tube going from the bladder to the outside. The blockage had been due to crystal / stone formations (uroliths). In this case study, Lisa White our soft tissue surgery nurse describes the surgical management of urethral obstruction.
Alfie - An unusual cause of cough
Alfie is a 20 month old working English Springer Spaniel. One Tuesday, he had been working a wheat field that had recently been harvested. Later that day he developed a cough.
A tale of two puppies with a heart murmur
Delta, an American cocker spaniel puppy, and Macey, a Labradoodle puppy, were referred to Northwest Surgeons in the same week because a heart murmur had been identified by each of their veterinary surgeons at their initial vaccinations even though they were showing no signs of heart disease and, being typical bouncy puppies, they seemed completely normal to their proud new owners.
Sparks - Acupuncture puts the spark back into Sparks
Sparks is an old boy but he still wants to enjoy life to the full. For several years he has suffered with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) which is a major cause of sickness and diarrhoea in dogs. It is caused by the body’s own immune system attacking the bowel.
Zara - gets the point of Magnetic Resonance Imaging!
Zara the Weimaraner, was nearly 11yrs old, when she presented to Northwest Surgeon's with a six month history of progressive lameness with a stiffness in the hind limbs. This was particularly associated with pain around her right hip joint.
Sally – urinary incontinence treated with collagen injections
Sally, a much loved family pet, developed the condition of urinary incontinence at 4 years of age in 2006. The incontinent episodes would occur mainly at night after Sally had been lying down but could also occur intermittently during the day time.
Daisy – Life threatening injuries and a difficult wound complicated by infection
Daisy was only a one and half year old cat when she was hit by a car. She received emergency treatments from her local veterinary surgery and was then referred immediately to Northwest Surgeons.
Barry - Cranial Cruciate Ligament Rupture
Barry was presented to us with a severe limp in one of his hind legs. He was a very active dog and even took part in an energetic pastime called flyball. Flyball races involve two teams of dogs who race side-by-side over a 51 foot long course.
Reggie - From Three Legs To Four
At only 14 weeks of age Reggie developed a noticeable problem with his left front leg. Initially he was limping on the leg, but it soon became obvious that the limb wasn't growing normally and that Reggie's forearm was becoming very short and bowed compared to the normal side. It was at this stage that Reggie's own veterinary surgeon referred him to Northwest Surgeons.
Holly – No Longer a Pain in the Neck!
Holly was an eight year old Cocker Spaniel who was referred to us for further investigations to help manage the chronic neck pain she had been experiencing for two years. Although there had been some relief from anti-inflammatory drugs (combined with cage rest) this hadn’t fully resolved the problem and her owners felt that her naturally playful nature had diminished.
Riley – the Curious Case of a Vomiting Labrador
At four years of age, Riley developed intermittent vomiting and diarrhoea which got progressively worse over a six month period. As a typical Labrador, he would often scavenge waste bins, but his owners struggled to find food that suited him and he continued to be poorly with weight falling off him.
Megan – Breathing Easy
As a typically boisterous Great Dane, Megan enjoyed good health in her first year of life. Soon after this she quickly developed severe breathing difficulties which left her unable to exercise normally and fighting for breath even when she was resting.
Fudge – New Hips and a New Lease of Life
Fudge is a golden Labrador who first began to limp on her right back leg when she was six and a half years old. Her regular vet had advised her owners to manage the hip problem with anti-inflammatory medication.
