One warm spring day, Nugget the staffie was contentedly pottering around the backyard, snuffling interestedly at various garden beds, as her owner Jenny got stuck into some long-overdue weeding.
Out of the corner of her eye, Jenny noticed Nugget standing still, but didn’t think much of it until Nugget suddenly vomited. As the now concerned Jenny stood up to investigate, Nugget took a few staggered steps and then collapsed.
Alarmed, Jenny quickly scooped Nugget up, placed her in the car, and raced her to their local veterinary clinic for an immediate assessment. On the way, Nugget propped herself up but still looked weak and wobbly.
At the veterinary clinic, Nugget was immediately admitted for an assessment by Dr Alex. She was found to be in a state of shock (low blood pressure), with pale gums and generalised weakness.
Based on Nugget’s symptoms and prior activities, Dr Alex felt it was most likely that she was suffering from anaphylaxis, a severe hypersensitivity (allergic) reaction from an insect bite or sting she had received in the garden. However, Dr Alex discussed with Jenny that, given the severity of Nugget’s illness, it would be best to rule out other causes of sudden weakness and pale gums too, such as heart disease or bleeding tumours within her belly.
Dr Alex recommended an assessment of Nugget’s condition with targeted rapid ultrasound checks of her belly and chest (known as aFAST and tFAST). She also recommended immediate stabilisation of Nugget’s blood pressure with medical therapy.
Fortunately, Jenny had taken out a pet insurance policy when Nugget was a pup, and so was able to confidently consent to the urgent care that Nugget required.
Nugget’s aFAST and tFAST scans showed no obvious tumours in her belly and no evidence of heart disease. They did, however, support a diagnosis of anaphylaxis, with classic gallbladder wall swelling and signs of reduced blood flow to her heart.
With the diagnosis confirmed, Alex was able to proceed with the supportive care Nugget urgently required – several rapid infusions of intravenous fluids and a slow intravenous infusion of adrenaline to support her blood pressure back to normal, healthy levels.
Nugget stayed in the veterinary hospital for 24 hours of close monitoring. She was also prescribed steroids and antihistamines to reduce any prolonged internal inflammation and gut support medications to control her allergy-related gut upset symptoms.
By the next day, Nugget was back to her normal self, cheerily throwing herself onto the veterinary clinic staff for enthusiastic cuddles, and “singing” them tuneful staffie songs when she wasn’t receiving the petting she felt entitled to. She and Jenny had a joyous reunion, and Jenny was relieved that her beloved companion was OK after such a nasty health scare, and grateful to the veterinary team for all the knowledgeable treatment and care they had provided.
With 80% coverage of her $1025 veterinary bill, Jenny was thankful that she had the financial backing of her pet insurance. As Jenny told her dog-owning friends afterwards, “you don’t really think about your pet insurance most of the time. But, in those times when you do need it, it’s a massive weight off your mind to have that support!”
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