| Doggie docs go high-tech | ||
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Written by: Ashley Medley, Author Published: Monday, 11 February 2008 |
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Doggie docs go high-techAbove: A bassett hound recovering from spinal surgery received treatment from technician Jackie Honghern.Courtesy photo One day, Allie, a 13-year-old miniature schnauzer, couldn’t use the right side of her body. “She couldn’t walk. She couldn’t even stand up,” said her owner, Carol Lutz. “We thought she had a stroke or a seizure.” Lutz took the dog to Louisville Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Services, where tests determined Allie didn’t have a stroke or seizure, but had Cushings Disease, a condition caused by a tumor that causes joints to break down. Lutz credits LVSES, which specializes in critical and emergency care, with giving her and her family the information they needed to take to their regular veterinarian, who is currently treating Allie for her condition. Pets are part of the family, and these days, treatment for pets is getting more and more advanced. They can receive ultrasounds and echocardiograms, laproscopic surgery – and even physical therapy. Opthamology Dr. Erica Tolar is a full-time veterinary opthamologist with LVSES. She is able to provide more than 15 kinds of examinations and surgical procedures, including ultrasound examinations, corneal grafting, laser therapy for glaucoma, corneal laceration repair and removal and prosthetic replacement of damaged eyes. “The specialty of just the eye is very unique,” said Dr. Tom Day, co-founder and head veterinarian at LVSES. “Every piece of equipment (Dr. Tolar) needs is available. She has the capability to examine the whole eye, and treat with surgery and medications that are literally the most current.” Surgical and scoping procedures Much like advances in human surgery, advances in veterinary medicine have made some diagnostic and surgical procedures less invasive. Day is able to perform laproscopies, video endoscopies, bronchoscopies, rhinoscopies, cytoscopies and colonoscopies. “We can put the scope in and look at every single organ, take biopsies and remove organs,” Day said. These minimally invasive procedures are safer and lessen the trauma of surgery, enabling the animal to recover quickly. “They recover like they never had surgery,” Day said. Ultrasounds and echocardiograms When it comes to internal organs, especially the heart, ultrasounds and echocardiograms are two of the best tools veterinarians have to diagnose and treat various ailments. “Echocardiograms are ultrasounds of the heart,” Day said. “When we have a dog or cat in heart failure, we can see what kind it is and treat them properly.” Treating animals with congestive heart failure require’s a respirator. LVSES is one of the only pet hospitals in the area with a respirator, which also can be used for animals that have nearly drowned, have spinal cord injuries or that have been choking. Canine rehab Canine rehabilitation is fairly new, but it is becoming very popular across the country, Day said. Dr. Lisa Keehner, a board certified canine rehabilitation therapist, works with dogs that need therapy for a variety of reasons, such as spinal cord and brain injuries, paralysis, muscular degeneration and post-operative orthopedics. In one case, a chihuahua that fractured its skull and suffered brain damage when a bar stool fell on it needed to be taught how to walk again, and Keehner and canine rehabilitation practitioners worked with it to get it back on its paws. Keehner treats dogs through various means, including hydro and land treadmills, therapeutic ultrasounds and laser treatments and massage therapy. Dogs with arthritis also see receive rehab, Day said. Cancer One of the most devastating diseases that can strike humans or animals is cancer. Fortunately, animals with cancer can be treated much in the same way as humans, but with one big advantage. “The chances of side effects (from chemotherapy) for animals is only 10 to 20 percent,” Day said. The goal in treating animals with cancer is remission. “Rarely can we cure cancer in animals,” Day said. “But we can restore them to a normal quality of life.” Cost The cost of getting such high-tech veterinary care doesn’t come cheap. An amputation costs around $1,000; something such as gallbladder surgery costs $2,000 to $3,000. Despite the expense, there are ways to get your pet this specialized care without breaking the bank. Many offices, including LVSES, offer Care Credit, a no interest credit card-type service that is available online to pet owners and allows them to pay for their pet’s treatment and pay it off in installments. Future of pet care Veterinary medicine is always evolving. This month, Day will attend the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society’s certification course in veterinary acupuncture. As for Allie, she is being cared for by Dr. Steve Koehler at the Middletown Animal Clinic. Lutz said despite a couple of setbacks, her medications seem to be working for now. “Cushings Disease has a tendency to make (dogs) want to drink large amounts of water, and we have to limit her to no more than 16 to 18 ounces a day,” she said. “But she’s pretty healthy right now.” |
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