A Variety of Cases on the Floor

At DoveLewis, the variety of cases we see is all over the map. But, we work together towards our mission of caring for every animals and every person who cares for them. Always. 

We listen to each other, problem-solve together, and respect each other. See how our teams have worked together with some of our latest memorable cases.

Winston

Winston got himself into some trouble when he decided that 4 lead fishing weights would be a great after-dinner treat. He needed immediate surgery to have them removed. Prior to surgery, it was discovered that Winston has Thrombocytopenia, a condition that causes low blood platelet counts that could have been caused by the lead in his system. This meant Winston needed a platelet transfusion from one of our generous blood donors, Trudy. This transfusion would not have been possible without our blood bank because platelet-rich concentrate has to be given very quickly after the donation is made. Winston's surgery successfully removed the fishing weights and after some rest and recovery in our ICU, he was wagging his tail as he reunited with his family to go home.
 

Freya

Freya was referred to DoveLewis by another animal hospital for potential tetanus.  Because tetanus is rare in dogs and cats, veterinary professionals might only see one case of it in their career. Many of our team members worked together to collaborate on a plan of action for Freya’s care to ensure that she received the essential care she deserved. 

Shiva

Shiva arrived at DoveLewis for a sudden onset of a distended abdomen, runny diarrhea, blood coming from the genital area, and straining to urinate. After her examination with our emergency critical care team, Shiva ended up in surgery for pyometra and the uterus was 2kg. Shiva weighed in at 7.4kg when she arrived. Both of our teams that worked together to provide care for Shiva were blown away by the size of her uterus when it was removed. Shiva sure felt a lot better after surgery!

Marley

While enjoying a lovely summer hike with her family, Marley was bit on the face by a rattlesnake. Her family grew concerned immediately as they watched her sweet face begin to swell up quickly. They rushed back down the tail and hurried to a local clinic to get Marley the care she needed. But when the swelling got worse, the clinic realized that Marley needed more resources than they had available and recommended bringing her to see us at DoveLewis. Marley spent two days in our ICU where she received antivenom while we continued to monitor her facial swelling. As snake bites are rare in our area, Marley’s care team worked together to support each other and answer each other’s questions while we provided life-saving care for Marley. 

Toby

For about 6 weeks Toby the tortoise had intermittent inappetence and was consuming much less food than he would normally. In the winter months he normally remains active and will at least do one daily lap around the yard. His owners became concerned when he was no longer willing to come out of his house. Our team decided the best way to get to the root cause would involve a CT scan. Our exotics team worked with our radiology team to ensure that we were prepared for a CT scan for a 78.50kg tortoise. 

Stray Kitten

We never know what may come through our doors as an emergency animal hospital. This is one of those unique cases. Dr. Katherine Earl shares the story of a kitten that was found stuck in a door in an abandoned building. 

Advancing Your Career

While DoveLewis is a single-location veterinary hospital, there are plenty of ways to advance your career and build your skills. These cases highlight just some of the patients that have come through our doors and have had our teams supporting each other as we worked to get these animals the care they needed. Do you want to become a part of this collaborative team who's here to help you pursue your passion?

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