Luxation

This week Niya fell a height of four stories.  She’s lucky to be alive because you can never tell what amount of damage or lack of she might have suffered purely from the elevation of the fall.  One thing is for sure - she was in a lot of pain.

Her case reminded me of another that I had worked on as a young Vet when I needed to attend to a police dog that had leapt over one of the low boundary walls that enclosed the roof of the Mediterranean Conference Centre thinking that the roof continued on the other side - only to only find nothing but void.  Amazingly he had got away with barely a scratch.

With this week’s case, Niya’s owners informed me that she was accustomed to going up on the roof of their house to do her business.  Niya is a five-year old female Siberian Husky.  She is also well-known in the neighbourhood for her bravery in walking along the roof walls with impunity.  So it came as a big shock to her when she missed her step and fell four stories.

Siberian Huskies, Samoyeds and Alaskan Malamutes are all breeds which have become popular in Malta, and all derive from far-Northern Husky type dogs which are used to pull sledges over long distances in deep snow.  Whenever I see one of these animals, particularly when they are kept in good condition and perfectly trained, I am reminded of how beautiful these dogs can be and, invariably, of the epic movie by Kevin Costner, ‘Dances with Wolves’ which depicted so evocatively that close canine relation to the husky.

Accidents apart, huskies are sometimes known to suffer from seizures and some eye defects; on a positive note these dogs have a very low incidence of hip dysplasia which tends to prevail among the larger breeds of dogs which are most at risk.  But an accident is what got Niya unawares.  She missed her step but was very lucky that on the way down, her fall was broken by washing lines that caught her between her legs.  She was in a lot of pain but still alive.

Niya’s breathing was a bit shallow and fast, and she couldn’t use her left hind leg at all.  We dealt with the most urgent item first.  Chest x-rays were taken to ensure that there was no rupture or hernia of the diaphragm.  The diaphragm is a dome of muscle which separates the chest from the abdominal contents and is also the primary muscle for respiration.  It is always something to bear in mind when any dog or cat suffers a sudden severe trauma.  Niya’s diaphragm was still intact.

Next thing was to find out what was wrong with her leg.  Upon examination it was clear that the problem lay in the pelvis.  Only an x-ray can differentiate among the possible injuries - a broken pelvis, a fracture of the femur or upper leg or, as in Niya’s case, a luxation of the femur.

The femur joins the pelvis with a ball and socket joint which is a beautiful piece of work as it allows the maximum of rotation movement.  The best way to visualise this joint is to imagine one hand in a tight fist acting as the femoral head being cupped by the other hand which would be the joint receiving it as part of the pelvis.

When subjected to a heavy blow the femoral head can literally come out of its socket and because of the tight nature of the anatomy not be able to return into its natural place.  Luxation is the complete dislocation of a joint and the coxofemoral joint, which is the joint we are talking about, and is the classical joint where this can occur.

As with most bone problems it is best to have these treated as soon as possible.  Luxation of the femoral head carries with it a certain amount of ligament damage and the longer it is left out of place the more difficult it becomes to reduce and for it to remain in place following reduction.

After a day of pain killers when respiration had improved sufficiently to be able to anaesthetise Niya, the leg was manoeuvred back into place - much to the delight of Niya’s family not to mention Niya herself.  This form of luxation does carry with it a certain amount of ligament and soft tissue damage and we are all hoping that the reduction of the luxation will be permanent…and that Niya will no longer ‘walk the walk’.

 

Dr Martin Debattista

Veterinary Surgeon

thisweekwiththevet@gmail.com

 

The eyes have it

This week I was keen to see Terror again. The feeling is not mutual, but Terror has never told me why.

 

Terror is a fawn-coloured, proud male Pug with a typical black muzzle. He is about two years old and in his prime.  I’ve seen Terror on and off for a variety of minor problems since he was a puppy. This time, one of his eyes was very badly injured; it had happened about 10 days earlier and he was due for a check-up.

Pugs have become very popular in Malta over the past few years, and it is nice to see a large number of these beautiful dogs around. Several Maltese Pugs have been shown abroad with great success.
What is interesting about Pugs is that they are a very ancient breed originating from China and their genes have been important in the development of successive breeds such as the Pekinese, the King Charles Spaniel, and even the English Bulldog. Pugs are always full of character, and it is a good thing that they come as a toy breed… but, please, don’t tell them I said so.

There are a number of eye problems that these pets can suffer from and it is very important that they are dealt with in the right way. As you can imagine, with some eye conditions time is of the essence and can make a huge difference on the outcome.

Another thing to remember is that pets’ eyes are certainly one area where treatment by their owners can be very dangerous; whenever a pet has an eye problem, one should immediately have it seen to by a veterinarian.

With Terror, the problem was a scratch on his eyeball. Scratches on the eye are very typical of small breeds, such as Pugs and Pekinese, because they have large protruding eyes. This type of eye shape is prone to injuries when they explore dense foliage, or when they get into a scrap with other dogs or cats.

Scratches on the eyes are very painful and one of the most visible symptoms is eye-twitching. This twitch should alert the owner that something is wrong and that the pet needs to be taken to the vet.
Thankfully, there are some very effective medications for this type of problem, but the treatment needs to start as soon as possible.

Cataract is a condition whereby the eye lens loses its transparency and becomes white and opaque. Cataracts are typical of older dogs and develop very gradually. Luckily, old dogs with cataracts still manage to get around the house and familiar places extremely well, mostly due to their acute sense of smell.  In rare cases when cataracts occur in young dogs, veterinarians will look for medical causes such as diabetes.

Glaucoma is a condition that causes the whole eyeball to increase in size. This is very serious and requires specific medical treatment. The liquid in the eye, called humor, is not a stagnant liquid; it is continuously drained and replenished. Whenever this balance is altered due to impaired drainage of the humor, the pet can get glaucoma.

Conjunctivitis is an eye inflammation which causes the pet to have watery and bleary eyes. This could be caused by dust or smoke irritation.  Pets with long fur, especially poodles, can suffer constant eye irritation due to the hairs around the eye continuously entering it. When this occurs, it is wise to have the fur around the eye area trimmed, or have the fur on the head tied back.

An important infectious conjunctivitis in kittens is that caused by a bacterium called chlamydia. This is very common when there are many cats living together, especially in colonies. When not treated early, their eyes may become permanently damaged, or one or both eyes lost altogether.

Entropion is a condition most commonly seen in breeds such as Pointers and Dalmations. This occurs when the lower eyelid is overgrown from birth, and folds into the eye. The continuous presence of hair and skin in the eye causes a constant irritation and so may be considered another cause of conjunctivitis. Entropion is a condition which very often can be resolved surgically with great success.

Foreign bodies can also get lodged in the eye. I have seen a number of cases where grass seeds get lodged deep under the eyelid and are not immediately visible.  One can imagine the huge discomfort such large foreign bodies cause, as well as the need to urgently remove them. 

Although many have heard about the nictitating membrane or the third eyelid they are not sure of its purpose. The third eyelid is a fold of skin in the corner of the eye closest to the nose which is found in dogs, cats and some other mammals.  This membrane, which is also typical of birds and reptiles, is there to provide added protection and moisturising of the eye. Many cat owners have seen this, as it typically protrudes in cats when they are not feeling well.

Dog owners who have come across this membrane are mostly owners of English Bulldogs, which frequently suffer from an inflammation of the third eyelid and need to have it surgically removed.
This is by no means a full chronicle of all the things that can go wrong in the eye. One could also mention chronic inflammation of the cornea, which needs special treatment to prevent blindness, as well as problems with the inner eye such as retinal detachment, which can happen in both dogs and cats.

Understanding eye problems in dogs or cats could go a long way to help controlling or resolving them.  Terror did come in, and despite having protested to his owners over the past 10 days, I am glad to report that his eye is well on its way to a full recovery.

Dr. Martin Debattista
Veterinary Surgeon

thisweekwiththevet@gmail.com

First Aid for Road Traffic Accidents involving Animals

Last week I was sitting at my computer wondering whether I should give an overview of this past year ‘with the vet’ as is typical of this time of year, when I recieved a phone call. A very anxious familiar voice at the other end of the line asked me whether I could see her dog urgently as it had just been run over by a car.

I immediately asked for a quick overview of what had happened. The dog had run out of the house and into the middle of the road where it was hit by a car and flung across the road. The caller was unsure about the extent of injury, so within a few minutes I met Marley and his owner at the clinic.

Road traffic accidents, or RTAs, are a common occurrence with dogs and cats in Malta. Marley, who is a 15-year-old, medium-sized, black and white, mixed-breed dog, had just become one of these unfortunate RTA statistics.

The damage sustained in an RTA can be of any extent and can affect any part of the body. If your dog has been involved in an RTA, or if you are attending to a dog that has been hit by a car, you should make an effort to keep calm, with your first priority being to make both the animal and yourself safe from oncoming traffic.

Remember even the most docile animal can react violently when in pain. A strip of cloth or bandage should be placed around a dog’s muzzle to protect yourself from being bitten. If you need to move the dog to the side of the road, you should do this as gently as possible and preferrably use some kind of makeshift stretcher.

You then need to check whether the dog is breathing. If you canot detect any breathing, try administering artificial respiration: carefully extend the neck and clear the dog’s mouth and nostrils of any dirt.

Then gently cup your hands around the mouth to prevent any egress of air, fill your lungs with good air and blow steadily through the dog’s nostrils about 20 times per minute, or once every three seconds, until your dog can once again breath unassisted.

It is important to check if there is any evidence of blood loss. Every effort should be made to curtail blood loss. This can be achieved by applying a tightly bound bandage or cloth. Having administered emergency first aid, the next thing you should do is contact your vet, whose number should always be stored on your mobile phone.

Your vet will give you immediate advice on what best to do and whether they can attend to the dog, or whether you should contact the 24-hour emergency vet service.  An important thing to look out for is whether your dog pees after the accident. This is significant since, if the bladder is full when the accident occurs, the urinary bladder can sometimes rupture and if this goes unnoticed, it may give rise to internal intoxication. Your dog peeing is a sign that a rupture has not occurred. Inform the attending vet of everything that you note immediately after the accident occurs.

Well, Marley was lucky; his breathing was good and there were no signs of blood loss. He did have a very sore shoulder, but X-rays showed no sign of fracture. Appropriate immediate medication was given, including painkillers. I will be seeing Marley for a follow-up visit.

Important emergency numbers are:

5250 2000 (call costs €5) is the Malta Veterinary Association’s 24-hour service. This would provide you with the possibility of takng your pet at any time of day or night to have it seen and treated by the roster vet on duty.

7940 4030 is a veterinary emergency helpline intended to give an immediate professional advise on how best to deal with emergency situations.

Adopt a dog - get unconditional love

Last week, in the lead up toChristmas week, I was invited to visit the Island Sanctuary canine shelter. Although by no means the first time that I had  visited an animal shelter, the experience never fails to fill me with both sadness and hope.

The Sanctuary is located inside Tas-Silġ Fort, nestled between Birżebbuġa and Marsaxlokk. It was built by the British Forces as a line of defence for Fort Delimara and, until about 60 years ago was used by the 100th Signals Unit of the Royal Airforce.  In what was almost a sign of things to come, one of the RAF’s canine mascots, Scrubber, whelped 14 puppies there, and they were happily homed around the Island.

 

Gringu - one of the residents of Island Sanctuary

The Island Sanctuary really lives up to its name. Any abandoned dog lucky enough to find its way there is truly blessed. As you approach the dog pens, you are welcomed by pen after pen of beautiful canine faces – some excited, some content, some hopeful and, yes, others fearful or angry.

 

These dogs come from many walks of life. Most have been cruelly abandoned by the family they loved so much. Others were born without a home and captured for their own safety. One of these dogs is Porto, so named because he was captured on the airport roundabout where he sheltered with his partner Mimma.

 

Porto and Mimma were both strays and so afraid of people it was impossible to capture them. Until, that is, Mimma got hit by a car and was left for dead. Distraught, Porto wouldn’t leave her side and that’s how the sanctuary volunteers managed to capture both dogs. Mimma is now a lot better and still lives with Porto. This is one of the happier stories.

 

Sadly, the refuge is also home to dogs that cannot be homed. They were raised to be aggressive fighters and then dumped by their owners when they no longer brought in the money.  Still bearing the scars of their many battles, these dogs are too dangerous to entrust to new owners.

 

They have grown up to hate both other dogs and humans and need to be penned alone. The volunteers risk life and limb by entering their pen to clean, feed and care for them. While I was there I saw an experienced female volunteer weighing less than one of these 50-kilo dogs tending to it with all the love and patience you would give a puppy.

 

Some dogs are traumatised from abuse or neglect. Principessa is so afraid of people that when let out she invariably runs and hides under the bushes. Only one particular volunteer can manage to coax her out. These dogs remain anti-social and unhomable due to their terror of people.

 

For dogs that have mental scars, the Sanctuary is a haven for the rest of their life, since it never puts down a dog unless it is suffering and is absolutely necessary and only when advised to do so by a vet.

For these dogs as well as old dogs that die there, a crematorium is available and their ashes are buried within the walls where they lived. The crematorium service is available to the public for any type of pet. You can take your pet’s ashes home and it is a beautiful way of keeping your loved one close after they have passed on. A donation is needed to help cover the cost of cremation.

 

For many of the abused dogs, the physical and psychological healing begins once they are safely within the Sanctuary. With the volunteers’ help these dogs can be safely homed and the love of a new family can help them recover from trauma.

 

During their time at the sanctuary the dogs live in large and spacious pens which are hosed down every day and kept very clean. Their bedding is changed and laundered every day.  They enjoy a healthy and balanced diet of meat, carbs and veg and, best of all, they get to run around the fort’s grassy mounds every day.  All dogs are neutered, receive medical care and are evaluated for possible integration back into society.

 

There are several young dogs that are perfectly suited to join your family. One advantage of adopting a dog from the sanctuary is that the volunteers advise you about each dog’s character to help you can find the perfect pet.  George and Bandit are two beautiful fox terriers who’ve been at the Sanctuary for a couple of months. They would be ideal for owners who love to walk and exercise. There is also Maltija and Puffy, two pointer-type dogs and rather more sedate. These dogs have a lot of love to give.

 

By adopting a dog you not only benefit from your new pet’s love but you also help free up space for the Sanctuary to take in other dogs that desperately need help.  Those who adopt such dogs remark that the love they get from a previously abandoned, neglected or abused dog surpasses the love they get from other dogs. Of course, all this would be impossible without the dedication of the 15 women and 3 men who volunteer their time, tending to over 120 dogs every day – preparing meals, cleaning pens, as well as grooming and exercising the dogs.

 

Every year the Sanctuary needs over €8,000 to pay its water and electricity bills. The meat, bread and vegetables for the meals cost €17,000 annually. Blankets, warm covers, towels and dog coats are always needed, as well as dog beds, leads, collars, dog toys and plastic basins.  There’s always lots to do and never enough hands to help, so any time that you are able give would be welcome, even if it’s just to walk a dog.

 

If you can’t adopt a dog, you can sponsor one. If you’d like to help, please call 2165 9895 or e-mail info@islandsanctuary.com.mt. You can also see some of the dogs available for adoption at http://islandsanctuary.com.mt .

 

Dr. Martin Debattista

Veterinary Surgeon

 

thisweekwiththvet@gmail.com

 

Bottoms Up!

Last week I was given a real treat, but if you’re wishing that you were given it too, I suggest you don’t. It’s all about a subject that I have been avoiding but which I knew I’d have to broach as it is such a common problem with dogs.

What started off last week’s topic was Basil. That is, Basil as in Basil Fawlty, and not Basil as in Basil Brush, as I initially thought. You see, the owner is a fan of the popular sitcom. So, Basil is a three-year-old white, black and tan Jack Russell.

 

Jack Russells are very small energetic terrier dogs, originally bred in England for fox-hunting. One of the most interesting aspects of the Jack Russells is that they have regularly featured in both popular and fine art.

The most well-known and iconic paintings of a Jack Russell is His Master’s Voice (1898) by Francis Barraud, which became the famous HMV record company logo, picturing a white and black Jack Russell listening attentively to a phonograph.

This time, Basil needed his anal glands emptied. Anal glands, also known as anal sacs, are two glands found on either side of the anus of some mammals, mostly in carnivores. The glands are paired, located underneath the skin on the outer side of the anal sfincture at 4 o’clock and 8 o’clock respectively.

They are also known as scent glands, as their function is to enable the animals to mark territory and identify one another. The secretion of anal glands is typically very foul smelling, and the most notorious is that emitted by the anal sacs of the skunk.

Under normal circumstances, anal glands do from time to time, void on their own accord without giving any cause of concern, apart from the odour they emit. However, in some circumstances when this fails to happen, the glands swell up and cause discomfort.

The usual symptom that could indicate that your dog has swollen anal glands is that it drags its backside along the ground, sometimes licking or biting its behind or sitting uncomfortably. If left unchecked, anal glands can develop a deep and painful infection.

It is mainly the smaller breeds like Jack Russells that suffer most with anal gland problems, but the firmer the stools the less likely your dog will suffer from such problems. Though less common, I have seen a number of cats with the same problem. However, in their case it is overweight cats that are mostly at risk.

When you see the first signs of anal gland problems, it is important that you pay a visit to your vet with your dog to have them emptied or expressed. While you are there, you can discuss with your veterinarian whether there any changes to your pet’s diet could reduce the problem. Dogs that suffer this problem are likely to relapse after three or four months. Surgical removal of the anal glands can also be considered in extreme cases.

By now you may have realised that expressing anal glands is not likely to rank high on a vet’s wish list, since this is one of those tasks which the better executed, the worse the sensation and the fouler the odour... so why the treat?

Well, two weeks ago, Poppy, a Staffordshire bull terrier that lives in the same household with Basil, was at the clinic undergoing a difficult upper canine tooth extraction. Upon hearing that Poppy was now perfectly fine and that the procedure had been succesful, I remarked: “Well, that is really good to hear as it was such a delicate intervention that, compared to Poppy, attending to Basil is a real treat.” I realised only afterwards what I had said.

Dr. Martin Debattista
Veterinary Surgeon

thisweekwiththevet@gmail.com