Happy Tails: Heartwarming Success Stories

Attending Veterinarian: Dr. Cottingham
Attending Vet Tech: Lisa Phillips

Sklyer came to Kitty Hawk Animal Hospital with acute vomiting after eating some chocolate. We took X-Rays, ran some blood work and treated with anti-vomiting medications and antibiotics, but she did not seem to getting better. Dr. Cottingham then preformed exploratory surgery but did not find anything that explained Sklyers condition. After 30 days of hospitalization and having done all we thought to do, Sklyer went home. Sklyer returned two weeks later as she was getting much worse, to the point where it seemed putting her to sleep may be the only option to relieve her suffering. Dr. Cottingham would not give up and preformed another exploratory surgery on April 15, 2008 and found a small rubber ball lodged in her intestine. After surgery Sklyer improved steadily and returned home after only a few days to a family not ready to say goodbye.

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Attending Veterinarian: Dr. Vint
Attending Vet Tech: Pete Mendez

Tyler came to us with a sudden onset of depression and not eating. I.V. fluids were begun as well as antibiotics and steroids to try to stabilize his condition. The next day Tyler’s owner told Dr. Vint that Tyler might have gotten in to toxic substance the day before he showed systems. Dr. Vint diagnosed Tyler with Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia, meaning his immune system saw his red blood cells as a foreign substance and started to attack them. His PCV (total volume of red blood cells circulating in his bloodstream) was 15% when the normal PCV is 40-50%. The next day it decreased to 10%, so his ability to distribute oxygen throughout his body had decreased to a critical level. At this point the only way to save him would be a blood transfusion. Lisa, another of our Vet Techs went home and brought back her dog to donated blood for Tyler. Within an hour of the blood transfusion Tyler started to perk up. The next day his PCV was up to 30%. At his check up, his PCV was 37%. The blood transfusion worked and Tyler’s now on the road to recovery.

Over the years, Kitty Hawk Animal Hospital has received donations from exceptionally generous clients to help defray the cost of the veterinary care for animals in need. We have developed the “Angel Fund” with the purpose to ease the burden on clients whose pets require critical lifesaving medical care for which they are not financially prepared. Selection of those who receive assistance through the Angel Fund is determined on a case by case basis by an interdisciplinary committee to ensure integrity in the process. All donations submitted to the Angel Fund are used exclusively for critical medical care required by pet’s in need.