by Abby Deuel
“I might go home and do the same,” said Mrs. Ryder.
Chapter 27
“How are we doing in here?” asked Mandy to Gillian, who was getting Charlie’s leg ready for an IV catheter.
“Pretty good, so far,” said Gillian. “Charlie isn’t putting up much of a fight. She must not feel good at all.”
“We’ll do the best we can to remedy that,” said Mandy, as she inserted the catheter and taped it in. The fluids started to run immediately. Mandy dialed back the control of the fluids until it was dripping the appropriate amount per second. “Let’s try the tube first.”
“I have this one ready for you. Here’s a roll of tape to go with it,” said Gillian.
Mandy opened Charlie’s mouth to place the roll of tape in the back of her throat. She gagged a little but did not try to push the tape out. It kept her mouth from closing just enough for Mandy to slip the tube down into the esophagus. Mandy fed the tube gently down until she reached resistance. She tried to coax the tube past it in case it was just the opening of the stomach. It would not budge.
“I can’t get the tube past this point. Looks like we’re going in,” said Mandy, shaking her head. “Sorry, Charlie, girl. I’ll decompress it first,” said Mandy, poking a needle into the bulge in Ryder’s abdomen. A hissing sound was produced as the gas trapped in the abdomen escaped through the needle. “That ought to help give us enough room to flip it once she’s under.”
“I have everything prepped and ready. Let’s move her over to the table,” said Gillian.
“Let’s do that and then I’ll grab the injectable anesthesia. Let’s get this show on the road,” said Mandy.
They worked together to get Charlie comfortably under anesthesia. Then they shaved and scrubbed her entire underside, giving them a wide area for the incision. Once inside the abdomen, Mandy found that the stomach had indeed flipped. It was a giant, gas-filled balloon occupying the whole front end of the belly. Mandy carefully found the direction it had flipped by following it to the esophagus. Generally they twist clockwise but Mandy always checked her anatomy before proceeding. Confident that she knew how to unfurl the problem, Mandy repositioned the stomach to its rightful place. She inspected all parts of the organ for damage. Amazingly, there were no areas of devitalization. The spleen did not even look affected. They had caught this bloat very quickly. To prevent the problem in the future, Mandy tacked a portion of the stomach around a rib in the abdomen. Mandy closed up the abdomen while Gillian started to clean the surgical instruments that Mandy had already used.
“That was textbook,” said Gillian.
“Mainly because you were so perceptive on the phone. You could easily have made them an appointment for today or tomorrow. Instead, you got enough alarm bells to think about bloat. Not only does Ryder thank you, but I do too,” said Mandy.
“Aw. Thanks. I try,” said Gillian.
Mandy threw the last suture in Charlie’s incision. She pulled her gloves off and checked Charlie’s vitals. She looked stable so far.
“Let’s keep her in here while we tackle the next surgery. The most crucial time for her is the next hour as the blood supply is all restored to full function throughout her abdomen. I don’t want her too far from us so we can respond quickly,” said Mandy. She drew up antibiotics and pushed them threw the IV catheter. Charlie was already starting to lick her lips and bob her head.
“Do you want the guinea pig next?” asked Gillian.
“Yes. We better trudge on. I’ll keep checking Charlie while you bring the pig in,” said Mandy. Ryder continued to show signs of recovery. Her vitals were staying stable.
“The table is all clean and ready so I’ll be right back,” said Gillian. Gillian returned a few minutes later with the pig and two visitors. “Look what I found,” said Gillian.
“Long time, no see,” said Rhonda. “I figured you were running yourself ragged. Word on the street is that you have been on a roller coaster the last few days with emergencies. So, I brought you some special treats to get you through. They are in the break room when you are ready,” Rhonda said. “I also came to give you a hand with whatever I can.” Rhonda bred Daschunds and was no stranger to the vet clinic. She had become close friends with Mandy in the short time since she had arrived.
“Aw, Rhonda, thanks. This is extremely thoughtful. We are all hands on deck. Will you help me with the next surgery while Gillian keeps an eye on Ryder, the sheepdog?” asked Mandy.
“I’m ready when you are. What’s the next surgery?” asked Rhonda.
“Either replacing the eye into the socket or removing it,” replied Gillian, showing Rhonda the tiny guinea pig.
“My goodness, what a mess. What happened?” asked Rhonda.
“She was attacked by their dog. It seems the little guy got into the cage and potentially ate one. He is in the other room being monitored for a possible blockage. The rest of the litter seems OK, but this one suffered for the team,” said Mandy.
“Let’s get the little guy sorted out. Tell me what you need me to do,” said Rhonda.
“I am going to use gas to put her the rest of the way under anesthesia. She is already slightly groggy from her pain injection earlier,” said Mandy, handling the dopey guinea pig. She attached a mask to the anesthesia machine and fitted the entire guinea pig’s head in it. She filled the gap left around the pig’s face with some gauze to prevent any leakage. It didn’t take very long before the pig was completely under anesthesia. Mandy applied some ophthalmic ointment to both eyes to prevent them from drying out.
“Do you think you’ll be able to get the eye back in?” asked Rhonda.
“Let’s give it a try,” said Mandy. “It’s always the preference to keep it rather than to remove it. It hasn’t been out too long so we may get lucky. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always go as planned. While I am working on this, can you keep the mask snug over her nose and mouth?”
“You got it,” said Rhonda.
Mandy checked the pig’s heart rate before she proceeded. It was stable.
“How’s Charlie’s vitals going?” asked Mandy.
“She is doing very well. She is sitting up on her own. She even tried to stand up at one point,” said Gillian.
“Excellent,” said Mandy. Mandy applied lube to the eye that was protruding. She worked from one edge of the eye, trying to coax the eye back behind the lid. It seemed that the swelling had resulted in too much of an enlargement for the eye to get back into the socket.
“What do you think?” asked Rhonda.
“No chance. Especially since I don’t want her under the gas too long. I’m making the call to remove it,” said Mandy. She scrubbed the area around the eye as best she could to prepare it for surgery. The entire area was less than a quarter inch wide. This was indeed micro-surgery. She pulled over the eye surgical kit on the cart that Gillian had set up. She scrubbed her hands and put some surgical gloves on. She proceeded to incise a small distance outside the eyelid. She burrowed down behind the eye with a small pair of scissors, snipping as she went until she had removed the eye and surrounding tissues. She dripped a few drops of a numbing drug into the cavern before sewing up the gap.
“Let’s turn her off the anesthesia,” said Mandy. Rhonda turned the dial off. Since the pig had been light to begin with, she started waking up immediately. Mandy gave her an antibiotic injection before she was completely awake.
“I think we should name her. It’s weird just calling her it and she,” said Rhonda.
“I suppose you’re right. What name would you like to suggest?” asked Mandy.
“Mrs.Garrison is here with some cookies. Do you guys want to take a break for a cup of tea?” asked Gillian.
“Yep. Mrs.Garrison can help name her while she wakes up,” said Mandy. “She should get a say since she is the owner after all. I don’t want to steal your thunder, Rhonda.”
Chapter 28
“Wow. Look at all of this food that has collected,” said Mandy. “Everyone is
too nice.” The little bundle in her arms started to wiggle and make a noise. “I can’t leave her in the cage alone until I’m sure that she’s not going to fiddle with her eye. We are almost there. I’ll put her in a little container so we can watch her while we nibble. I’ll save a few veggies for when she is awake. If you can distract them, they do so much better.”
Noelle arrived to contribute more goodies to the mix. Mandy escorted her to the kitchenette, the center of all of the activity.
“Where did all of this come from, anyway?” asked Gillian.
“I brought the casserole and salads. Noelle and Mrs. Garrison brought the sweet treats. There was some food already in the fridge from yesterday. Gerry said he brought it. He was the one who suggested that I come over and help out. I was more than happy to lend a hand. He’s tied up in some paperwork at the office or he would be here too,” said Rhonda.
“It’s all so delicious. What a lovely thing to do. We aren’t the only people working in this town, though. We don’t deserve such royal treatment,” said Mandy.
“Milk it. You won’t get this kind of spoiling forever. We are all still taking turns looking out for you since your brush with death,” said Rhonda.
They all nibbled at the array of yummy food. Mandy and Gillian kept checking the patients recovering from surgery in between bites of food until they had eaten enough to keep working the rest of the day.
“What do you think for a name for the guinea pig?” asked Rhonda. “Have you thought about one?”
“Not really. We weren’t planning on this litter nor were we planning on keeping any of them. Of course, now that we have a special one, we may reconsider that. Do you have any suggestions?” asked Noelle.
“How about Maude. It means strong, in war. She needs a name that reflects how she managed to make it through a confrontation with a dog and then a surgery to have her eye removed, all before she was weaned. That takes some serious strength,” said Rhonda.
“I like that,” said Mrs. Garrison. “I may have to use it as a middle name. My kids will no doubt choose something from the latest Disney movie.”
“I’ll go check one third of our emergency patients for the day, Mr. Prancer,” said Mandy. In the cage, Mandy found a completely different dog than the one who had come in earlier in the morning. He was looking decidedly nauseous, drool sloshing out from both sides of his mouth. In the cage corner was a pile of fresh vomit. Mandy pulled him out to feel his abdomen. There was now a more obvious lump palpable in the cranial area of the abdomen.
“Whaddya think, Doc?” asked Gillian.
“Let’s take another x-ray to compare. It feels like we have a blockage,” said Mandy.
They moved Prancer into the x-ray and used the same factors that they had used before. While the x-ray developed, Mandy tried to mop up some of the waterfall of drool. It was a futile effort. Gillian popped back in with the new x-rays; she placed them on the viewer next to the old ones.
“That doesn’t look so good to me. We have obvious gas, distension before the lump of stuff, and no movement since the last x-ray of the object in question. I wouldn’t be so inclined to act if it had moved even a little bit. Better have the surgery ready for round three,” said Mandy.
“I’m on it,” said Gillian.
Mandy returned to the kitchenette area to find that the lunch spread had been cleaned up as if nothing had ever happened. Rhonda, with a sponge in one hand, was wiping the counters cleaner than they had been in recent history. Mrs. Garrison was organizing the refrigerator, checking for outdated items, and cleaning each shelf.
“I sure appreciate what you guys are doing. That is extremely thoughtful. I’m afraid I have some bad news for Prancer,” said Mandy.
“Surgery?” asked Mrs. Garrison.
“Indeed. The prognosis is fabulous since the blockage has not been there long. We will be in and out before you know it,” said Mandy. “Although it’s nice to have the best cleaning team this side of the Mississippi, you girls don’t need to stick around. Gillian and I can handle this one. The others are recovering nicely and our next appointment is not due for a few hours, giving us plenty of time,” said Mandy.
“You know how to find us if you need us,” said Rhonda, microwaving the sponge to disinfect it after she had cleaned the entire kitchenette with it.
“Thanks again for your help, ladies,” said Mandy. “I’ll be in touch as soon as he is in recovery, Mrs. Garrison.”
The ladies made an exit while Mandy and Gillian got to work on what they hoped was their last surgical case of the day. They started with a pre-injection of pain medicine and sedation, followed with the placement of an IV catheter for fluid administration. Prancer did not put up much of a fight. They had him under anesthesia, clipped, scrubbed, and opened up in less than ten minutes. They were on a roll from their morning. Mandy knew exactly where to find the blockage which she exteriorized with ease. Gillian helped hold the loop of small intestine while Mandy incised over the blockage, removed the pre-chewed baby guinea pig, and sutured the intestine closed. They checked for leaks and closed up his abdomen.
Prancer remained stable through the surgery, waking up quickly after they turned the anesthesia off. He was not accustomed to being so groggy; he put up a slight fight until he realized that his body was not going to win the battle over the effects of the drugs. It was a sight to see; a slow moving sloth-like Schipperke. While Mandy checked on the other patients, Gillian stayed with Prancer through his recovery process.
“Everyone seems to be doing great. I would say we should keep them all for the night and then see if they can eat before sending them home tomorrow. Since all of the cases had been caught early enough, the consequences of sepsis and major shock had not set in so we have extremely lucky patients. I have to give it to you on Charlie. You were on it. I will call the owners to give them the good news,” said Mandy. “Shall I put the kettle on for you?”
“Definitely. I may be rubbing off on you. You look like you could use a cup of tea, too,” said Gillian.
“Perhaps. I need to keep myself going strong today. I have to meet with Gerry after work to see if we can get a little headway on this case,” said Mandy. “What did he call about anyway?”
“He said he’d catch up after a while. He’s having quite the day, too,” said Gillian.
“Excuses, excuses,” said Mandy, smiling.
Chapter 29
Gillian had all of the patients tucked into cozy cages for the remainder of their recovery. Mandy had updated all of the owners as to their pet’s statuses. Cups of tea interspersed with Noelle’s cookies recharged the duo enough to finish off the afternoon appointments.
“Are you sure you need to stay up late tonight? You put yourself through a lot the last few days. Are you holding up?” asked Gillian.
“I’m fine. I’m back to my normal self. I will run home and do chores and come back later to check on these guys,” said Mandy.
“Why don’t we share that responsibility? You can do a check at say 10 pm and I’ll do one at 2am. As long as they look good, I will wait till morning to check them again. Otherwise, I’ll let you know and we can coordinate from there,” said Gillian.
“Thanks. That works out perfectly. Take some of this food home to share with Hamish. I’m sure he is eating you out of house and home as he grows, what, a foot a week?” asked Mandy.
“Just about. He is destined to be one tall guy. I can barely keep clothes on him. They either fit at the waist or at the feet, but not both” said Gillian.
“I bet. Have a good night and I’ll see you tomorrow,” said Mandy. Gillian had her hands full of leftovers so Mandy opened the door for her. Once Gillian and the food were gone, Mandy let Lyle and Anna out of her office. “It’s been a long day, eh girls? Let’s go home and play for a while.” The dogs concurred as they bounded out the door to the Jeep. The air is crisper than it had been the day before. Mandy knew she better get a handle on the weather so she tuned the radio in the Jeep to the we
ather station for the ride home. Sure enough, the first real snow of the year was due to land in less than two days. Mandy had her work cut out for her.
Instead of panicking on what the future held, Mandy concentrated on getting her chores done for the evening. She fed the dogs before turning them out to run and play. She checked her sheep which were looking content. She would move them to a paddock adjacent to the barn before the snow came so she would have somewhere to put them if need be. The chickens were all accounted for; the smaller hen house was keeping away the varmint that had killed some of them.
“Dang-it, I meant to look at that hair sample today. I’ll get on it girls. The cameras I ordered should be here soon, providing this snow doesn’t get too heavy and mail stops. We’ll hook ‘em up as soon as they come so we can watch for your attacker. I always said there’s no point having animals if you can’t keep them safe and happy and I’m not going to break it now,” said Mandy. She tucked them in their coop for the night, checking the fence for any new holes. It was clear. Maybe the attacker had moved on. Or maybe he was waiting and would strike again before the snow fell. Either way, Mandy knew she had to get her game on.
Mandy was toodling down the hill to the house, with a basket of fresh eggs in one hand and a piece of straw in the other. She was twirling the straw, thinking about how simple life could be if you let it. She had a lot to be thankful for between her new house, her clinic, her friends, her health, and her animals. She could have focused on the fact that her RV burnt to the ground and someone tried to kill her. Instead, she had taken the opportunity to make some changes in her life. She didn’t want to be a drifter the rest of her life. She was learning how to be content with her surroundings. Gerry pulled up as Mandy was lost in her thoughts. He had a giant box in his arms that must have been heavy as he was struggling to close the car door behind him. Mandy rushed to help him, throwing down the straw.
