It would be a scary situation for any dog owner. Toby, a six-month-old Samoyed puppy, was floundering in the deep end of his family's in-ground pool.
"With no thought for his personal safety, Toby’s owner dove into the pool and pulled the puppy out," said Brooke Valenti of Newtown Veterinary Services, where the owner brought Toby after his ordeal. The dog was in shock and having difficulty breathing. In her Patch blog, Valenti describes what happened at NVS:
"With quick, expert medical attention, IV fluids and oxygen, Toby was stabilized. Radiographs were taken, confirming non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema, which is basically a pattern of fluid in the lungs that can result after drowning. Drowning is any event that causes the victim to experience respiratory impairment after submersion in liquid. The x-ray shows the fluid that had accumulated in his lungs
Toby stayed at our hospital for several days, where he was monitored round-the-clock by veterinarians and nurses. In addition to continuing Intravenous fluid therapy, he was given antibiotics to treat secondary bacterial pneumonia, which often results in cases of drowning. He also received oxygen supplementation in a specialized oxygen tank.
The puppy improved every day and eventually was well enough to go home. Our doctors instructed the family to bring Toby back for a re-check in three days. When new radiographs were taken after his discharge from the hospital his lungs were completely clear! His happy owners reported that he was back to his playful, sweet self. Everyone at Newtown Veterinary Specialists was very pleased with Toby’s excellent recovery."
For more, including tips on protecting dogs from drowning, visit Valenti's Patch blog.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
