Contrary to what you see on TV, the lifeless patient who suddenly sits up and starts talking to loved ones after being resuscitated is an unfortunate rarity.

The stark facts about CPR are much less cheerful, with positive outcomes in both human and animal hospitals struggling to reach double digits. Against these unfriendly statistics we arm ourselves with the protocols, equipment and knowledge which have been shown to improve outcomes.

Because we are exclusively an emergency clinic, doing CPR is our business. Our trained staff know what to do when faced with an arresting patient, and have the crash cart and the defibrillator at the ready. We plan, of course, not to need them, but enjoy the security of having systems in place if we do.

Whether your pet arrives gravely ill after an accident, or with a torn nail, we will ask you whether you want us to attempt CPR in the event that your pet suffers a cardiac arrest. We want to care for our patients according to their owner’s specific wishes. However it is important to know what those wishes are long before a crisis occurs. Making a phone call once the animal is already in cardiac arrest will waste precious time which may render resuscitation ineffective.

We hope we don’t cause offence when we discuss resuscitation, death and survival in a frank and open way. You should know that when we ask for your consent we are simply pledging to do all we can to avoid having the unthinkable happen.

I realise now that my rushed response missed the point, for it is not our hours of operation which define us. The care we offer during those hours is what truly sets us apart from other veterinary practices.

Knowing when to transfuse and having access to the appropriate blood products are crucial. At the Animal Emergency Centre we store blood products for dogs, and hold a list of blood typed and tested donors for both dogs and cats.

Cats are particularly fickle and without cross matching to select an appropriate donor, transfusion reaction is a real threat.

The first hour of administration is most dangerous, and dedicated monitoring is necessary during that time. Without skilled staff, the correct blood delivery equipment, the blood products and the experience it would be a nervous business embarking on a transfusion. As a veterinarian it feels good to have the systems in place to ensure the best possible outcome for each transfusion we do.

Providing an emergency service is not just about being available at 3am. For the Animal Emergency Centre it is about being the best we can be in order to give each of our sick patients the greatest possible chance of survival.

Most of us know that chocolate is toxic to dogs, but it can also be lethal to rabbits, rodents and cats. The amount of the toxin theobromine (found in cocoa) in the chocolate determines the severity of the symptoms. Dark chocolate is particularly toxic, especially for small sized pets.

Vomiting and diarrhoea are common at lower doses, but high blood pressure, dehydration, and a racing heart can occur, with seizures or even death resulting in extreme cases.

Food originating from grapes (grapes, raisins, sultanas) can cause kidney failure in dogs. While we believe that cooking disables the toxin, it is probably a good idea to keep your dog away from dried fruit, Christmas cake, Christmas pudding and mince pies.

Onions, garlic and leeks contain compounds which, even when they are cooked, can cause anaemia by destroying red blood cells.

Xylitol is an artificial sweetener found in many processed foods. While harmless to humans it can cause low blood sugar and liver failure in dogs.

Some ‘edible’ hazards are not intended to be eaten at all! When tinsel, ribbons or string are swallowed the intestines can bunch up tightly, or become perforated, leading to peritonitis and possibly death. It is surprising how many cats love chewing on the Christmas flower arrangement. Unfortunately lilies are highly toxic if swallowed, and the resultant kidney failure can be fatal.

Don’t let this list of dangers frighten you into locking yourself, Fido and Fluffy in a safe room for the remainder of the holidays. Prevention is better than cure, and as long as you remain aware of the potential hazards you and your pets should enjoy a lovely festive period!

My friend Lucy’s beloved cat, Flex, had been hospitalised after suffering road trauma injuries, including jaw fractures which necessitated tube feeding, ongoing pain relief and intravenous (IV) fluid therapy for a week. Lucy was horrified to learn, several days into Flex’s hospital stay, that 24 hour care was unavailable, and that Flex had been left unattended each night after the clinic closed.

When Lucy and I discussed the situation, we talked about the risks of Flex receiving twice or none of his IV fluid requirement overnight, and the difficulty of providing adequate pain relief for more than 6 to 8 hours at a time. We didn’t dwell on what might have happened if Flex had panicked and tightened his Elizabethan collar around his neck, or detached the fluid line and bled from his IV port.

How fortunate we are in Auckland, to have 24 hour care available. The Animal Emergency Centre (AEC) and the Veterinary Specialist Group (VSG), work together to provide the only facility in Auckland which can boast true 24 hour care, with at least one vet and one nurse on-site at all times.

Overnight care is not restricted to AEC and VSG patients, and many local (and some not so local!) practices use this service, sending pets to Animal Emergency Centre following major surgery, or for intensive monitoring of medical cases such as complicated diabetes. Any patient requiring ongoing pain relief or IV fluids would benefit from such care. The patient returns to their fresh, well-rested veterinarian in the morning, allowing seamless continuity of care.

Lucy can keep her pretty sea-side town. I’d rather brave the isthmus traffic and keep the 24/7 care!

He has been chomping, as beagles love to do, on whatever is lying around. Chomp. Chomp. Chomp, gulp, ulp, arghh! And suddenly it is no longer a fantastic day, as Squidge has just swallowed a piece of bait, with a fishhook and half a metre of line attached. He’s been caught – hook, line and sinker!

Squidge came to the Animal Emergency Centre via his usual veterinarian, where an x-ray had shown the fishhook stuck half way along his oesophagus. The medicine specialist from the Veterinary Specialist Group was called in, but was unable to visualise the hook using an endoscope, and it was over to the on-call specialist surgeon to investigate further.

All was revealed when the surgeon opened Squidge’s chest to find the fishhook had pierced his oesophagus and was lying perilously close to one of the major blood vessels near the heart. A few millimetres closer and Squidge would have bled to death.

Squidge sure knows how to get as many people as possible working together on a public holiday weekend! Once the delicate surgical procedure was over with, and after a few days in intensive care, Squidge was feeling well enough to go home.

This summer, whether or not you’re keen on fishing, keep an eye out for discarded tackle if you walk your dog near the sea. If your dog does swallow a fish hook, seek immediate veterinary attention, and DON’T PULL on the line as this might cause serious internal injury.

Catherine asked me to share the tale of her dog, Rosie, and warn other pet owners how dangerous slug and snail bait can be. Rosie is a big dog, but after consuming just half a box of metaldehyde she rapidly developed life-threatening seizures and was left fighting for her life at the ANIMAL EMERGENCY CENTRE hospital.

Catherine, unaware of the potentially deadly effects of slug pellets, had left a box of metaldehyde on the outdoor table. Early one morning Rosie helped herself. The toxin acts very quickly, so when Rosie was found hiding away two hours later, she was already drooling, panting, trembling and unable to walk. Catherine came immediately to the ANIMAL EMERGENCY CENTRE, and shortly after they arrived Rosie began to have seizures.

There is no antidote for metaldehyde poisoning, and many animals die despite intensive treatment. After decontaminating the patient by inducing vomiting, flushing the stomach, or performing an enema, we support them until the toxic effect wears off. Rosie remained under anaesthetic in an ‘induced coma’ for nearly 24 hours before the seizures stopped, and in the end she thankfully made a full recovery.

If you must use metaldehyde, use only tiny sprinkles in fenced areas, away from pets, and store all pesticide boxes in locked cupboards, away from children and pets.

As soon as Ollie arrived at the Animal Emergency Centre the duty vet and nurses knew he required immediate attention. His stomach was twisted and filling with gas, pressing on vital organs and causing much discomfort. They also knew that without urgent life-saving surgery Ollie would almost certainly die. Straight away Ollie was stabilised, given pain relief, and prepped for surgery.

Andrea reports that within a few days of his return home, Ollie was fighting fit. In fact it was difficult convincing him to stay calm enough to recuperate! Almost a year on, you wouldn’t know there had ever been a problem, and with the preventative surgery performed at the time of the emergency procedure, he won’t suffer this awful condition in the future. This was a great outcome for Ollie, but Andrea shudders to think what might have happened if she had waited until morning to have him examined. She was surprised how swiftly Ollie deteriorated.

GDV, or Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus (twisted stomach/bloat) occurs mainly in large breed, often older, deep chested dogs. GDV is a life threatening emergency, so if you suspect your dog is bloating seek veterinary attention IMMEDIATELY. Speak to your regular veterinarian about prophylactic
surgery if you suspect you own an at risk breed.