"Animal ER Live" Features Local Pets and the Veterinarians Who Saved Them

PORTLAND, Ore. – Nearly 20 local animals and the veterinary professionals who saved them have been featured on Nat Geo WILD’s fast-paced show, “Animal ER Live.” In the first five episodes of this real time look at emergency veterinary medicine, viewers have witnessed animal patients of all species receiving critical medical care at DoveLewis Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Hospital.

Some of the intense and heartwarming Portland-area animal patients have included:
 

Bailey and her puppies

After struggling through a difficult labor for more than 12 hours, canine patient Bailey visited DoveLewis for an emergency C-section. Though all five of her puppies required 30-plus minutes of concentrated resuscitation, they all survived and eagerly greeted their mother when she awoke from surgery.

Fat Fat the ferret

Fat Fat made an immediate trip to the ER when his owner found blood in his urine. Though a urinalysis was hard to obtain from this little guy, eventually tests showed his urine contained struvite crystals but no infection. The crystals are most commonly seen in ferrets who have high plant content in their diet, so in addition to providing the patient with medication, doctors suggested that changing the formulation of his food could solve the problem in the long run.

Lola the cat

Lola’s owner only stepped away from her dinner plate for a minute, but that was enough time for the feline to ingest toxic amounts of garlic. DoveLewis doctors administered activated charcoal to induce vomiting and placed Lola on fluids and medication to flush out her system.

Arrow the bearded dragon

Arrow presented to the ER after showing signs of possible seizure episodes. An X-ray showed rib fractures and trauma to the right side of the chest, as well as decreased bone density concerning for possible metabolic bone disease. His owners reported that Arrow fell from a branch a few weeks ago, and most likely sustained the injuries due to the fall.

Birdie the dog

When snacking on a large bone treat, a tiny rat terrier got the hollow snack stuck around her jaw. It took several DoveLewis staff to help dislodge the treat from Birdie’s jaw, as it was firmly stuck on her back teeth. But once the dog was freed from the bone, she was happy to be reunited with her owner.
 

“As a Portland nonprofit, there’s nothing more important to us than caring for animals and the people who love them,” said Ron Morgan, DoveLewis president and chief executive officer. “Our team is always here and the hospital is always open, and now animal lovers in our community can see firsthand the world-class medicine that we practice every day.”

Viewers have one more opportunity to capture the drama and meet more local pets on “Animal ER Live.” The final episode airs on Saturday, April 20, from 6 to 8 p.m.