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20 Aug 2021

Devon practice saves dog’s vision after stick lodges in its eye

“I was lost for words, and I think the few members of staff that were clocking in for their shifts were also. It was like something from a horror movie” – VN Gemma Ross.

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Joshua Silverwood

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Devon practice saves dog’s vision after stick lodges in its eye

A dog that was rushed into a Devon practice with a stick through its eye socket has had its vision saved by quick-thinking vets.

Catharine Tapp, surgeon and practice director of Tiverton’s Park Hill Veterinary Clinic, was called into work at 6:30am to a dog called Dennis that had got a stick stuck through his eye.

VN Gemma Ross, who assisted Ms Tapp as she prepared to carry out the delicate procedure, said: “On my arrival to Park Hill Veterinary Clinic I was asked to assist for the anaesthetic and theatre procedure that was needed to remove the foreign body.

“It was rather alarming at first for me to see this animal sat on the table, as he turned his head to greet me. I was lost for words and I think the few members of staff that were clocking in for their shifts were also. It was like something from a horror movie. Many couldn’t even look.”

Unknown

Miss Ross added: “It was obviously unknown at the time if the globe of the eye was intact as the stick took up most of the circumference of the eye socket. We were also unsure how deep the stick had penetrated.

“I clipped and cleaned the surrounding eye area, and we made our way to theatre. Catherine proceeded with caution in case of any bleeds or for whatever she was potentially going to have to face as she removed the stick.

“We both virtually held our breath as the stick kept coming from the socket. The split second it finished coming out we both saw a glimpse of the eye come from the side of the socket and back into position. We looked at each other in amazement and both said, ‘was that the eye?’. As we looked on and Catherine opened the eyelids, there, to our utter disbelief, was Dennis’s eye.“

Flushed out

Ms Tapp flushed out the eye repeatedly and examined the socket bit by bit, but found there was seemingly no serious damage done to the eye.

Dennis was later sent home with eye drops and an Elizabethan collar.

Following Dennis’ discharge, Miss Ross said: “I was elated, as were the clients, to know that such a traumatic and shocking presentation resulted in no life-altering injury. It really was a case of you had to see it to believe it.

“Me and Catherine were really pleased to sign off and see Dennis on that final check, as you can see in the picture. One of them ‘proud to work in the veterinary industry’ moments and a real feeling of achievement.”

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