20 Dec 2021
Critical care team performs surgery to remove 30cm stick that had become lodged in the oesophagus of a five year-old cocker spaniel.
Joshua Silverwood
Job Title
Brodie on a walk, minus his stick. Image: Vets Now.
A cocker spaniel has spent a week in intensive care at a Glasgow hospital after a foot-long branch became lodged in its oesophagus.
Five-year-old Brodie was rushed to the Glasgow Vets Now emergency hospital after leaping on a stick that was lodged vertically into the ground while out with his owner. The stick measured almost 30cm in length and 2cm wide.
Surgical specialist Ana Marques, who took over the case, said: “When Brodie arrived, he was met by our emergency and critical care team, who described him as alert, but unable to stand.
“Our intensive care team kept him in overnight, and ensured he was kept stable and pain-free in preparation for the CT scan and surgery the next morning.
“The team was concerned about the potential of haemorrhage, nerve damage and the risk of leaving small pieces of bark embedded within the tissues, which could lead to revision surgeries in future.”
The surgery was a success and Brodie recovered gradually. He started occasionally lifting his head within a few hours. He was able to stand for a few seconds and could take a small number of steps.
Brodie was fed through a tube to help with the recovery, but after a few days, he’d made good progression in terms of comfort and food tolerance. Following his treatment he was eventually discharged.
