09/14/2026
It has been a busy September here. We have seen everything from the usual Quills and abscesses to a sudden rush of pediatric emergencies. So far this is the run down of the things we are seeing:
1) ๐๐๐Trauma patients: Hit by car, run over in the drive way, side by sides for dogs and then harder accidents such as cats under a recliner etc. Trauma can look like a lot of different things and the wounds on the outside may not be the concerning issue. Ruptured bladder, lung bruising, liver bruising, and bleeding in the abdomen can go unnoticed without a veterinary visit. Urinary bladder injuries and bruising of organs can worsen over 1 to 2 days. Dogs that like to chase cars should go outside on leashes only or a fenced in area. At camp grounds where there may be higher traffic, they should be secured to avoid accidents. Older dogs may not hear the car or be able to get out of the way fast enough so do not assume an animal will get out of your way.
2) ๐น๐น๐น๐นQuills: This seems to be a Maine pet owner's right of passage. If you are visiting our beautiful state, know that the porcupines are out and about and keeping your pet on a leash unless they have a strong recall is very important. Do not trim quills, they don't deflate, this is a myth. They are barbed and will continue to move in the direction that they stabbing your pet, until removed. Chest and abdomen quills are serious and need attention. We've had to refer pets for quills in the lung, liver, touching the heart... you get the idea. Porcupines in Maine do not shoot their quills so your pet will have to touch them! We've had several dogs try to eat dead porcupines so please be aware!
3) ๐๐๐คข๐คข๐คข๐คข๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉvomiting/diarrhea, especially bloody diarrhea. We see an equal number of cat and dog GI upset but dogs tend to present more commonly for bloody diarrhea. Although there is something called Acute Hemorrhage Diarrhea Syndrome in dogs... we are also seeing A LOT OF PARVO cases!!! If you have a puppy who is not fully vaccinated, stay away from high dog traffic areas and only socialize with fully vaccinated adult pets. There are things outside of the GI tract that can lead to vomiting and diarrhea such as liver disease, kidney disease, and tick born disease. Blood work and xrays can help us figure out what is happening.
4) ๐ถ๐ถ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฃPediatric Emergencies: This was a new thing for us. At one point, more than half of our patients in critical care were neonates! We have seen several week old kittens and puppies with aspiration pneumonia, low blood sugar, toxin ingestion, and trauma. Kittens like to hide and sleep inside recliners or laundry baskets. It might sound crazy but check before you run a machine or close up a recliner! Cats like to go into the laundry basket and end up in the washing machine or sleep in the drier. If you are taking human prescription medications, even 1 tablet can be highly toxic for a kitten or puppy. Blood pressure medications, cardiac medications etc can be especially challenging. Inhalers, once punctured by sharp tiny teeth, will gie a big puff of medication direclty into your pet's mouth.
