Meet Bubba and Forest!
December 1, 2020 – These two puppies came into our care in early December. We were told they had a recent injury but the scabs on their necks were old and dry so the injuries must have been there for a while. There were no punctures, just abrasions on the skin from teeth. We later found out that the neighbour’s dog had been using these puppies as a toy. Tossing them, pushing them, and chewing on them!
The end result? A veterinary assessment determined that the muscle had been pulled away from their necks and it was aggravating the tendons. This resulted in sterile pockets which filled with fluid. The pups initially spent time at the clinic getting the pockets drained and would need to return again later for an assessment.
Dec 4 PUPdate on Bubba! Just in the nick of time. Thanks SCARS supporters, your donations came exactly when I needed it most and SCARS was able to open intakes and bring me in. I had the largest Seroma any of the SCARS team has ever seen. A Seroma is caused by a trauma (I was bit by another dog) where fluid collects under the skin. It is typically not painful and usually goes away on its own. No infection or anything, just fluid.
However, my case was different. Rather than healing, it kept getting bigger and I needed surgery to help me. Step 1 was drain the area. In total there was 2kgs of fluid in that Seroma. Step 2, surgery. My body, trying to protect itself, grew a leathery layer of tissue that walled off the seroma so it was not possible that it would go away on its own. I am so grateful to SCARS and to the amazing skill of Dr. Tannis Jackson for removing the leathery tissue and getting me back to healthy tissue so I can heal. As you can see from my pictures I have a lot of stitches just about all the way around my neck and a few drains to help me heal as well. I am cute as a button and have a feisty personality so we are all hoping for a quick recovery. I am going to hang out at the vet clinic for awhile for monitoring and some healing time after the big surgery. Keep watching for updates
Dec 13 update – Yet again, poor Bubba is at Westlock Veterinary Center for another surgery to remove some more leathery issue on the right side of his neck. Please keep him in your thoughts, as this feisty puppy has seen the vet quite a bit!
