Herts dog lover praises Davies for saving Springer Spaniel’s life
Davies Veterinary Specialists
Anaesthesia, Soft Tissue Surgery
5th June 2024
HERTS DOG LOVER PRAISES DAVIES FOR SAVING SPRINGER SPANIEL’S LIFE
A Hertfordshire dog lover admits he feared the worst when told his beloved Springer Spaniel was critically ill with an extremely serious chest infection.
Now, a relieved and grateful Paul Elliott, from Buntingford, is full of praise for the expert veterinary team who saved the life of four-year-old Belle.
He said soft tissue surgeon Krizia Compagnone and the staff at Linnaeus-owned Davies Veterinary Specialists in Higham Gobion were “amazing” and that he will be “eternally grateful”.
Paul said: “I was told Belle was extremely ill with a severe infection of the chest cavity called pyothorax and urgently needed surgery.
“I was devastated and in shock but knew she was receiving professional help and was in the right hands, so I consented to the operation.
“Krizia operated immediately, the same night that Belle was admitted, and was in theatre for five hours.
“Belle then stayed in Davies’ intensive care unit for a week after surgery. She did not improve straightaway but two days after surgery she finally began to pick up.
“Thankfully, she’s now totally recovered and is completely back to her normal, fantastic self.
“That’s why I am eternally grateful to Krizia and the entire care team at Davies for saving my Belle’s life.
“I was so impressed with her and the care staff. They are all so caring and sincere. Davies updated me daily on her progress and were so professional and considerate throughout.
“I would definitely recommend Davies. They are an amazing, very professional and caring team of lovely people.”
Krizia, who joined Davies in September 2022, says Belle was in a very poor state and her survival was hanging in the balance.
She said: “Belle’s condition was critical, and we were extremely worried about her from the moment she arrived, throughout her surgery and even during her recovery.
“A CT scan revealed a large accumulation of fluid in the pleural cavity with samples showing the fluid was septic and infected with bacteria.
“In all we drained a total of 1,000 millilitres of pleural effusion (fluid) from Belle’s chest, which is a large amount.
“During surgery we found severe thickening, inflammation, and infection of the mediastinum and pericardium (region of the heart) and adhesions between the lungs and the chest wall.
“This meant that a subtotal pericardiectomy was also required, a procedure to remove the sac that contains the heart, on top of debridement of all the tissue affected by the infection.
“The whole surgery was challenging due to the chronicity of the condition, the changes developed within the tissues, and the lungs being so heavily compromised. However, the anaesthesia team did an amazing job keeping Belle stable throughout and she successfully pulled through surgery.
“Belle is now back to her normal self, enjoying life, food and playful time with her owners.
“This case was a real team effort. I treasure the opportunity to work with the supportive, experienced and friendly team here at Davies, which allows me to provide the best possible care to each patient I have the pleasure to help!”
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Linnaeus Veterinary Limited trading as Davies Veterinary Specialists 01582 883950
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