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Susan first visited her primary care vet after developing vomiting and diarrhoea. She initially seemed to improve, but a few days later her symptoms returned – this time with a new cough and episodes of retching. Susan’s vet performed X-rays, which showed that Susan had developed aspiration pneumonia, an infection that can occur when food or vomit accidentally enters the lungs. She was started on antibiotics and supportive treatment, but as her breathing became more difficult and she became increasingly dependent on oxygen, Susan was referred to our Emergency and Critical Care team here at The Ralph.

When Susan arrived, she was struggling to breathe comfortably, and our clinicians could hear abnormal sounds in her lungs. Radiographs confirmed areas of lung consolidation and also revealed that her stomach was filled with fluid. Susan was hospitalised in an oxygen kennel for close monitoring, and a nasogastric tube was placed to gently drain her stomach contents and allow us to provide safe nutrition.

Initially, Susan responded well to treatment and even began eating on her own again. Unfortunately, a few days later, she deteriorated overnight, and it was suspected she had re-aspirated. She was started on high-flow oxygen therapy, but as her breathing muscles became tired, our team decided to place her on a ventilator to support her lungs.

While on the ventilator, Susan developed a pneumothorax (an air leak within the chest), which required chest tubes connected to a continuous suction device to remove the trapped air. Thankfully, Susan gradually improved and was successfully weaned off the ventilator after a few days. She continued to make steady progress and was discharged home shortly after.

To better understand what had caused Susan’s initial vomiting and diarrhoea, blood tests were performed. These showed that she wasn’t absorbing some essential nutrients, including vitamin B12 (cobalamin) and folate. During her stay, Susan received vitamin B12 injections and was sent home with supplements to continue her recovery.

Susan’s carers recently got in touch with us to share these gorgeous photos of Susan recovering at home, with the kind words “Thank you so much for everything you’ve done for us.” 🖤