CHARLESTON, SC......Hank is a 2-year-old Bassett Hound brought to a Charleston hospital by his owners. They said Hank had been throwing up for a couple of days and thought he might have eaten something from the garbage. It was suspected that Hank had an obstruction and needed surgery, or he would die.
We received a late-night call from the Hospital wanting to know if we would take Hank into our care. The owners could not afford surgery, and they would put Hank down. I knew one of the ER Vets at the Hospital and agreed to take on this sweet Bassett Hound that would not survive the night without immediate medical care.
Hank was transferred to CVRC by the Vet that had contacted me. He was immediately taken back to ICU so they could stabilize him. Hank was dehydrated and very lethargic when he arrived. More x-rays were done, and he was put on IV fluids. The ER staff hoped the extra fluids would help him pass the foreign body that caused his problems.
Hank felt awful when he arrived and had not improved the following morning. He did pass a bloody, rubber foreign object around 3:00 AM but was still very uncomfortable. Everyone had hoped the foreign body he passed was the reason for his discomfort. Sadly, hank was not getting better.
After a lengthy discussion with his Surgeon, we decided Hank needed exploratory surgery to determine what damage had been done by the foreign body. Dr. Steve Garnett was not sure what to expect but knew this was the right thing to do for Hank. Waiting would not be good for this precious young dog if he had a perforation. He needed surgery to determine the extent of his injuries.
The minute Dr. Garnett opened Hank up, he knew surgery was the right decision. A large section of Hank's intestine/colon was necrotic and still had a foreign body. He also had intussusception, which causes the intestines to twist and turn into one another. Nothing was going through that section of his bowel.
When Dr. Garnett got out of surgery and sent me the pictures, I was shocked Hank was even alive. The section he removed was massive for a dog his size. Hank was knocked out from the surgery but would soon feel better once he recovered. He was alive and had the rest of his Life to put this nightmare behind him.
Our sweet boy began to feel better on the third day in the hospital. Once his fentanyl patch was removed, he got his appetite back. His tail began to wag, and he even began to bark. That was a sure sign he was ready to come to our Rehab facility. Hank had to be on a special diet for the next four weeks to ensure his GI system healed. So far, he has done well, and we have not seen any problems with his procedure.
Hank loves everyone and gets along well with other dogs. Bassett Hounds are amazing dogs. They have the best personality. Their bodies are long and low to the ground, with magnificent big feet and huge ears. When hank starts baying or howling, we all start smiling.
We now have to pay for this beautiful boy's Emergency Surgery. Please, DONATE toward this sweet pup's Medical bills so we can help more pups in danger of being euthanized.
If you think Hank would be a great fit for your Family, please contact us and fill out our Adoption Application online.
Be prepared to fall in love with this big, goofy boy.
