Had an unusual case last night. I went over to hold a neonate puppy that the vet had placed on oxygen. She muttered something about heat bag and auxiliary which l translated as one was coming.
When the beanie arrived l popped the semi comatose pup onto it. After a few minutes he started to make l feel a lot more alive movements (his legs moved). It was obvious he was very poorly but with his slight improvement he stood a chance of being a "goer". He had been hand fed since birth as he had been very weak and his chest did not sound good.
The vet came back and l updated her on the slight improvement in movement.. ie not totally flat but moving legs. While she was standing there l decided to take the pups temperature and see what it was as he had been on the heat beanie for a few minutes. I was chatting and realised l couldn't insert the thermometer, my heart sunk.
The vet saw my face and looked down, the same expression forming. She pulled out a catheter and had a gentle prod around but it was obvious there was no anus. It was covered by a membrane if it was there at all. It explained the collapsed puppy. Food in for 3 days nothing out but urine.
She went to speak to the owner who asked for a quote to repair it. One of the certificate holder vets was just on the phone so we waited for him to decide. He had a look and made a few comments but given the age and state of the puppy the decision was there was no chance.
While the owners signed the paperwork in the consult room, l anaesthetised him deeply so that he would not feel the needle when he was injected.
All puppies and kittens we deliver by caesarian or born naturally at the surgery are checked for cleft pallets and to see that they have an anus. This was a home birth and obviously the owners did not realise. In all my time nursing l have not seen a puppy or kitten without an anus. Cleft pallets are fairly common though.
About Me
- Vetnurse
- I am a Rhodesian by birth was born & brought up in Bulawayo. We came to UK when l was 16. My other half l lived 5 years in Tenerife. While there l ran the kennels for K9 animal rescue. I was head keeper at Tenerife Sur Zoo for a time. l believe in Angels & have seen mine several times. I can't cook and hate the cold & wet on Mud Island. I call a spade a spade or a shovel or a thing to dig a hole. I am a locum veterinary nurse & have 11 years emergency night nursing under my belt, now l only work days. Brian passed in a skydiving accident in 2010 that killed him & his friend, I know he is with me he helps, guides me & gives me strength to go on when l falter, which is quite often. I met Andy and we married last year. He is just as amazing as Brian but totally different except they were/are both great cooks. I am now polyandrous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Any animal should always be treated by a vet. The comments in this blog are my own observations, Animal details changed situations are real.
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3 comments:
I have never seen one either - but i always teach about it!!!
We've had two piglets with blind anuses in the past five years. I spotted the first one within seconds of it being farrowed and put it down.
The second was less obvious as the rectum was closed off about 10mm inside. I realised what the problem was after 36 hours of so, when the piglet was bloating and nothing was coming out. A careful probe with my little finger revealed the problem and that piglet, too, was put down.
Two different sow lines, two different boar lines, so not likely to be a hereditary defect. Just one of those things.
Yup l understand it is quite common in farm stock especially sheep and it would seem piglets.
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