Some of our Favorite Cases

Shasta’s Close Call

Shasta’s entry into North Idaho Animal Hospital was dramatic. She arrived on a stretcher with her gums as dry and white as chalk. She was having trouble breathing and was barely conscious. Her family struggled with the decision of what to do. The prognosis was grim; however, they elected to do everything possible. Shasta had an immune disease (autoimmune hemolytic anemia) which had destroyed her red blood cells. After a transfusion, fluids, and medicine to dampen her immune system, she made an amazing recovery. We are still trying to adjust her prednisone dose to minimize the bad effects without allowing a recurrence of her condition.

Sadie’s Cracked Tooth

Did you realize that by aggressively managing your pets dental health you can increase their lifespan by 20%?   This is an amazing fact. Few realize that improved dental care and the use of antibiotics is the major reason for the human lifespan increase from an average of approximately 42 years (in 1100) to our current 74+ years.   The above picture illustrates a cracked) premolar (note the longitudinal line) in a middle-aged terrier cross named Sadie. Removing this tooth also relieved pain and a serious potential for infection. When teeth are broken or tartered (even mild tarter) they provide a “port of entry” for bacteria. The bacteria (which make up 80% of the tarter) enter the bloodstream and spread throughout the body especially threatening the liver, kidneys and heart. In this way organs are compromised and lifespans are reduced.  

Our hospital utilizes a high quality dental machine and superior anesthetics to clean and check teeth. We consider dental health a top priority for your pet. We offer advanced techniques, such as root canals, and we are able to take diagnostic dental X-rays.

C.O. Tom Wahlen and the Baldy

Idaho Fish and Game officers are often called when animals are injured. Both Drs. Pierce and Mehra graduated with degrees in Wildlife Biology and Fisheries Biology and both worked for Idaho Fish and Game before medical school. The eagle pictured above was brought to North Idaho Animal Hospital after being found on the highway dragging a wing. The bird was X-rayed and the fractured bone (humerus) was repaired. After 6 weeks of rehabilitation the bird was returned to his mate who still patiently waited at the couples nest.

Louie Hates Porcupines

Louie was not about to quit just because it ‘poked’ a little. Some dogs discover porcupines and fade back after a few pokes, but not Louie. His owners claim that the porcupine was naked when he finally scampered up a tree.   Quills are barbed and hollow (air filled). Although it does help to snip the end off before pulling the quill, it is not recommended to attempt this unless there are only a few (less than 5) quills. Louie was anesthetized and after almost 1 hour, all the quills were removed. Anesthesia allows us to carefully check the back of the throat and under the tongue... Don't try this at home.

Kraut

A German shepherd cross named “Kraut” entered our hospital with labored breathing and very low oxygen levels. Several months earlier we had pulled numerous porcupine quills from his head and neck area. X-rays revealed a collapsed lung. Our suspicion was that a quill had broken-off and migrated into the chest from the neck. With very little delay we opened Kraut's chest (picture on left) and were somewhat surprised to find 3 quills embedded in the lung (picture on right shows removal of one quill). When the quills penetrated the lung tissue, it allowed air to leak out from the hole and caused collapse of the lung. After removal of the quills and suturing of the holes, Kraut made a full recovery and was back chasing - and hopefully not catching - porcupines.

Duke

Labradors are known for swimming well but Duke, a yellow lab, was also endowed with “floating” hips. The X-Ray on the left shows hip joints that are not tight. The picture on the right shows a normal hip. Note how loose Duke’s hips are compared with the normal one. This condition is called hip dyplasia and can be found in all large breed dogs. The problem is that over the years (or even within months) arthritis develops in this joint and causes decreased athletic ability and pain. Several treatments exist including a total hip replacement (pictured on the left below) or removal of the head of the femer (the surgery is called an FHO) pictured below on the right. Duke had an FHO on the left hip and then (6 weeks later) on the right hip and now runs and swims like crazy.   Since the joint is gone, there are no arthritic problems and Duke knows no difference.

Zoey Eats Anything

After 3 days of vomiting and with no interest in food, Zoey was brought into our hospital. X-rays revealed an amazingly large foreign body occupying her entire stomach... what could it be? It appeared that Zoey had eaten a basketball. The picture above shows a “potato-chip” sized piece of rubber floor mat that came from the family pick-up. The chewed-up mat was not noticed because Zoey ate the entire thing. Her stomach was packed with these pieces so that it formed a complete ball of rubber. After almost 2 hours of surgery, Zoey was emptied out and ready to run. She now rides in the back of the truck.  

Max

“Max” Lutes weighs in at 88 pounds and is a solid hunk of happy dog.  For this six year-old black Labrador Retriever, every activity is enjoyed with unbridled enthusiasm.  Max is not a picky eater.  As his human companion Greg prepared for a fishing trip, Max, brimming with spring-fever and excitement, could not resist the temptation of a salmon egg appetizer.  With a sniff and a scoop it disappeared.  Greg’s eyes widened.
      The salmon egg bait was skewered with a large fish hook and two feet of line and Greg watched it disappear in a flash.  Max was already looking for other tidbits and seemed not the least bothered.
      Within an hour Greg and Max waited patiently for Dr. John Moody at Bonner Animal Hospital in Sandpoint.  When the X-ray appeared, the hook was very evident; lodged in the esophagus just over the base of the heart.  An open surgical approach would be difficult and very painful for Max who seemed thrilled to be visiting his veterinarian.  Max was always . thrilled
      Dr. Moody called North Idaho Animal Hospital, another Sandpoint veterinary facility to refer Max and hopefully avoid a long and painful surgery.   Dr. Robert Pierce assured Dr. Moody that it was well worth using their flexible scope to attempt to “release” Max from his predicament.
      Max was moved to North Idaho Animal Hospital and placed under anesthesia.  Drs. Moody and Pierce, and veterinary technician Cindy Ventrillo, worked deep in Max’s pulsating esophagus -next to his heart.  Dr. Pierce passed his fiberoptic scope beyond where the hook was lodged and retrieved the line (still firmly attached to the hook) from Max’s stomach.  Dr. Moody passed the line through the center of a stiff plastic speculum (a long tube) which was used to “push” the hook to disengage it from the tissue.  The entire contraption; tube, hook, line, and scope, was then withdrawn and Max was free.
      Within a few hours of his recovery from the anesthesia, Max was back to full power.  During his post-surgical walk outside, he eagerly searched for edible items and areas with enticing smells.
      “Compared to an open-chest surgery, Max got off easy,” Pierce smiles.  “The technology and drugs we have available are truly amazing and they allow us to practice high-quality medicine.”
      Thank you to Dr. Rich Neher (Selkirk General Surgery) for the endoscope and associated equipment.

Kess

Degenerative Joint Disease (Arthritis) is painful and debilitating. It is a common disease in humans and in the non-human animals as well. Old age is often synonymous with painful and stiff joints.  There are  many medications available for humans and other animals to relieve the pain and stiffness (primarily NSAID’s -non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) of arthritis. This is a common disease process and we use typical western medical protocols to treat it. Additionally, we have begun to use acupuncture, the ancient Chinese art, to help relieve the pain and the stiffness associated with this chronic disease. The picture below illustrates a very comfortable Doberman named Kess who is currently undergoing acupuncture treatments for arthritis.  Please visit our "Acupuncture Page" (link above) for more information. Our patients and our clients are more than willing to attest to the success of these treatments in many cases.

Cheyenne

Sometimes things just happen.  One recent evening, Cheyenne, a beautiful 6 year-old German Shepherd, was peacefully chewing on a stick.  Suddenly, she bolted up and cried in pain.  For the next several minutes she franticly twirled in the kitchen and wildly tilted her head from side to side.  Her owners were able to view the culprit lodged in the room of her mouth - the stick.  Cheyenne came immediately into North Idaho Animal Hospital where the doctors anesthetized her and removed the stick.  The pictures below tell the whole story.

Annie

Radiographs (X-rays) often tell a story better than  any words.  See if you can look at these pictures and decide what your diagnosis is BEFORE reading the story below:

Annie is a six year-old cat whose owner called early one recent Sunday morning.  The cat was noticed chewing on something with exaggerated motions, but before the object was identified - it was gone.  After a frantic inventory of all of the possible missing items, it was concluded that Annie ate a sewing needle with thread.  It is more common for this type of problem to occur in kittens, however as these radiographs clearly show, it can happen to anyone.  Within an hour this needle and thread were surgically recovered from Annie's stomach and she returned home the next day to her relieved family.

Kodiak

The radiographs (X-Rays) above were taken when Kodiak, a young malamute, was brought into our hospital.  The dog was in critical condition, unable to breath, and dying fast.  These films show multiple projectiles in the dogs chest.  These wounds were consistent with pellets from a shotgun and demanded immediate action.  Two chest tubes were placed in Kodiak's thorax to drain away the blood and air which were leaking from the wounds.  Luckily, no major arteries or the heart were hit and with intensive medical treatment he was saved.  Kodiak went home with his owners two days after the attack -much sooner than the average human with this type of injury. 

  Kodiak is happy to be alive and well. 

Elk

This elk needed blood samples for the state of Montana to allow his movement to a new home.  Domestic elk are very difficult to handle.  In order to move these creatures anywhere it is necessary to check their blood for diseases which might infect other "wild" elk, or humans.  The first picture shows the elk comfortably snuggled into a padded squeeze chute for the blood sampling and for the other vaccinations he needed.  The towel is used to blind them thus making it safer for the handlers and for the elk, who relaxes when unable to see threats.  The animal was successfully worked and then, before the towel was pulled off, released.   The second picture shows the bull elk, somewhat puzzled, after release.  He is keenly aware of his surroundings and everything that is going on but, much to his dismay, he is suddenly and completely blind.  Surprisingly, it did not bother him very much and within a few moments the towel fell off.  For a moment we thought he had become a Muslim.

Bambi

Wild animals are often difficult for biologists and for veterinary medical doctors to assist.  Many are taken by people who think that the mother is lost or killed and the babies are abandoned.  This may occasionally occur, but more often the mother is nearby, waiting for the humans to depart.  The message is to be wary of plucking wild animals (birds especially) from their environment and rushing them to the nearest veterinary hospital or fish and game office.  It is often better to leave them alone and return several hours later to see if they are still in need of help.  This fawn was brought to Idaho Fish and Game biologist and Conservation Officer Brian Johnson and is being examined by Dr. Robert Pierce of North Idaho Animal Hospital, who has also worked for Idaho Fish and Game.  The fawn's mother was killed on the highway -so this one did need help.  The fawn checked out well and was turned over to a rehabilitation facility and later released.  Sometimes Bambi makes it.

Gator

Gator has many reasons to smile.  One August day he was heard making his usual "squirrel" noises; barking and yipping.  Suddenly there was a yelp and a scream.  As Gator's family ran towards the noise a cougars head rose above the tall grass with "you know who" in the mountain lion's mouth.  Family members turned tail to grab weapons and when they returned to the spot there lay Gator, in poor shape but alive.   Supportive care and an exploratory neck surgery has led to Gator's rapid recovery.  The picture shows Gator with penrose drains placed in each of the deep puncture wounds from the big cats teeth.   The drains are left in for 4 days to allow drainage and prevent infection.  How many small dogs survive cougar attacks?

Gretchen

They look just like their mother:  This is not really a posed picture, Gretchen, pictured above, was pregnant when her owners began purchasing "taco bell" dolls.  Not all deliveries with small breed dogs go as planned and one night Gretchen went into labor without success.  An emergency "C-Section" was necessary and Mom was saved, however, the lone puppy was still-borne.  Not to ignore her maternal instincts, Gretchen began seriously mothering her doll babies.  She now moves them from spot to spot (one by one), growls if you come too near, and arranges them around her to sleep.  A slightly larger litter than this breed normally produces.  The good news?  None will be sent to new homes.

Misfit

The before and after pictures of Misfit tell the story better than the written word.  This little dog took great joy in taunting his house-mate (large dog) with his favorite new toy, a tasty soup bone.  Back and forth Misfit trotted, flipping the bone in his mouth and making the crunchy "tooth on bone" noises that made the other dog stare with lust.  Sometime during the parade the bone flipped just so, and snapped around Misfit's jaw.  Locked securely behind the lower canine teeth, the bone refused to budge.  Misfit enjoyed this added security for only a short while before realizing his mouth was no longer solely his.  And then began the panic of Misfit.  Luckily, a short anesthesia and a piece of gigli wire (metal wire used to cut bone during orthopedic surgeries) later, Misfit was enjoying free tongue movement once again.

1) What kind of animal is this?

 Jitters

Jitters appeared at NIAH one day with blood in her urine.  This is not a good sign for anyone, especially a four year old Hedgehog.  Antibiotics were started with the fear that a cancerous mass might be causing the problem.  Ten days later, however, Jitter's family was ecstatic; the blood was gone.  When the problem returned after the antibiotic therapy ended, an exploratory surgery was planned.  Jitters had a large polyp in her uterus which was causing the blood.  Removal of the uterus and ovaries cured the problem and allowed Jitters to return to her loving household.   Most Hedgehogs roll into a sticky ball when handled.  Jitters, however, remains unrolled and allows scratching of her soft underbelly, a perfect, though prickly patient.

Answer to Quiz Questions:

1) The radiograph (x-ray) shows a cat, (the pelvis on a cat is very square when compared to a dog) laying on his back, with his head to the left.  The abdominal cavity is seen as is the vertebrae (backbone), the pelvis, and the legs.  The "L" means left and marks  the left leg.

2)  The cat has a broken left femur (thigh bone).  An operation was performed, pins were inserted and the leg was fixed.  The patient is doing wonderfully.