Some days at the clinic are fairly routine. Some days you never forget. One day recently the receptionist called back to say that there was an emergency coming in;  something about a knife. I've learned to not get too excited about emergencies before they arrive, as many of them turn out to be less serious than originally reported.

This one was a dog, and I knew it had entered the clinic when I heard a chorus of  "oh my gosh" coming from the lobby area. This sent the technicians running up front which brought on a second wave of "oh my goshes". Clearly something was up. I was busy enough doing something, that it was not until the dog was brought to the treatment area that I saw what all the fuss was about.

Around the corner walked a very sweet looking pit bull with a very large knife protruding from the middle of the bridge of the nose; about halfway between the eyes and the wet part of the nose. About four inches of stout handle stuck nearly straight up, and the blade was almost completely buried.  At that point I uttered something similar to "oh my gosh", although not those words exactly. The dog was not bleeding and seemed to be dealing with her predicament very well. She did not resist when a catheter was placed and pain medication given. Dogs sometimes act like they know that you are there to help them. She was anesthetized so that the knife could be removed, but that turned out not to be as easy as one would think.

The story was that she was protecting her yard from an intruder who had done this to her. The tip of the blade had advanced far enough into the mouth as to make it impossible for her to move her tongue without touching it and she, therefore, had a laceration on her tongue as well. Eventually the knife was dislodged and she did very well afterward, still a sweet, gentle dog.

Just when you think you've seen it all, something stranger than fiction literally comes walking around the corner. Sometimes the heartlessness that some people can be capable of is astounding, but more astounding still is the bravery and fortitude such as this dog showed us that unforgettable day.

These pictures are pretty graphic so if you have a weak stomach please be advised.

To view the pictures of the dog please click here.

Tags: pet advice | pet safety | veterinarian | park avenue animal hospital

Thanksgiving is behind us already, and Christmas and the coming of the New Year are just around the corner! Can you believe it? The holiday season is here again – amazing how fast a year can go by!

Spending time with friends and family is a highlight this time of year and pets are becoming grouped more and more into the ‘family’ label.  Of the more than 140 million pets living in homes in America today, well over half are considered ‘family’ and are included in family functions such as photo sessions, signing greeting cards, and family gatherings.

Tags: fall | gift | park avenue animal hospital | cats | dogs | healthy pets | pet ownership | poisoning | veterinarian | companion animals | pet safety