Dr. Zac Pilossoph, Kansas City, MO (2026)

02/19/2026

Like the classic bulldog he was, Bruno took the reins over from there. He didn’t care what the odds were. His immediate post-op period was the most uneventful chapter of the entire story. Going on walks same morning, eating (*demanding food*) within 24 hours, home with his dad again less than a day after that. Remembering the prime dehiscence period of 3-5 days post-op was not a thing he seemed to care about either as he continued to push towards a full recovery, with dad’s daily updates to the nursing team supplying much-needed comfort to his nursing team.

Rarely do I ever get patient follow up opportunities in this style of veterinary work. Full time traveling emergency clinician presents its fair share of pros, cons, and tradeoffs, but continuity of care is not often feasible. However, in some weird form of fate, sure enough I was back in town at the two week mark, and fortunate to witness that once again happy wagging tail return to where it all began. A completely different dog than the one we first met, Bruno returned to that hospital on the right side of a rigged gamble. There would still be more work ahead to get him back to full form, but all in all we collectively took this one home as a win.

I decided to share this wild story for a variety of reasons, but one in particular was to shed light on what type of emotional experiences we regularly deal with on the back end of this field. Bruno’s story book ending was fortunately a happy one, but for every one like this there’s many more that do not end in similar fashion. Different pets with different diseases, different families with different dynamics sure; but for the emergency veterinary staff we have no choice but to endure and adapt to whatever the day presents with, then show up again tomorrow to do it all again. Now, this is not a sympathy plea since yes, we do sign ourselves up for this career type. Hopefully it does elucidate enough insight though to where mutual understanding and respect can be maintained during each vet clinic experience. You never know what the other side may be quietly going through, while trying to do the best they can for the creatures we all love and want to care for.

02/17/2026

Following 30 minutes of teasing away clots and adhesions, answers became clear. The blackest loop of necrotic intestines imaginable was the true secret figure. Gravitational pull of a sinking heart hit us all. Bruno’s small intestines had been trapped within a mesenteric “rent” (abnormal hole) with everything from early jejunum to cecum engulfed, and a subsequent pretzel-shaped torsion effect then cut off blood supply to all of it. Additionally, numerous sharp foreign objects were palpable in the stomach, small and large intestines.

Truthfully I was fully ready to give up there. Call the owner and say it’s too far gone and there’s just nothing we can do. I had never seen anything like this where the long-term outcome was successful even with every medical measure taken. Plus, what would be Bruno’s future even if he did wake up from the procedure? Was any of this salvageable? Would it be worth it for him- for his owner- if he has almost no working intestines left in him? These were only some of the challenges that would await on an extremely uphill path towards living a dog’s life again. But at the same time, Bruno was young, stable so far, and just a tough dog. We all breathed. I took a second look. Carefully teased away enough to finally unwind the torsion, reverse the rent, let the intestines rest a bit, and determine that there may actually be a ~3 millimeter sliver of purple, but useable ileum left. It would take hours more concentration and a heck of a lot of luck for this to work. The odds were low, but decided to go for it anyway.

Over four tense hours later and sparing the details, feet of dead intestines were isolated and removed, a quasi-jejuno-ileal resection and anastomosis was completed, a gastrotomy for additional residual foreign bodies performed, and Bruno was closed up following excessive omentalization. He eventually awoke unremarkably from his anesthesia, marking step 1 complete and successful due to the collective work of everyone with me in that surgery room. Exhausted but relieved, all of us left cautiously optimistic, knowing there was still ample unknowns ahead.

Final Part 4 to come:

02/16/2026

Our conversation was undoubtedly heavy. Having to explain to this loving dad that his seemingly stable pet was actively dying from a disease process we had no idea would even be fixable or not. What’s more, the cost to even try to save him, would be steep. All in, and if everything went amazing, easily in the 5 figures range. I watched this man have to rapidly digest devastating news no one could prepare for, and then equally realize that, he had to make the critical decision of what to do in minutes. One could only imagine the range of emotions. Either bet $10k+ on a 50/50 shot of me and my team being able to save his loved one in the middle of the night or, pursue euthanasia. Regardless of the option he chose, this could very well be the last moments he had with his best friend. An incredibly unfair proposal with minimal time to process but, was the reality. After answering all remaining questions, I left him alone to decide.

We waited silently in the ICU, Bruno sitting calmly at our feet, all of us unsure of what was to come. Seconds felt like hours in those moments but, eventually Bruno’s dad finally asked me to come speak again. With a shrug of the shoulders all he said was “do whatever you can to save him.” Time for the real work to begin.

Stabilization initiated, additional diagnostics submitted, surgery suite prepped, premedications given, induction administered and into surgery we went as the sun began creeping through the window panes.

To almost no surprise, what we found right off the bat entering the abdominal cavity was something no one could have predicted or prepared for. A purple-black colored organ poked itself through the hemorrhagic effusion. Instinctually I thought - splenic torsion finally the dots make sense we can fix this. However this spleen seemed way too skinny to be a torsion, just wouldn’t make sense. It then came to light that what we were actually staring at was something much, much worse.

Follow along for part 3 (with surgery photos):

02/16/2026

Our conversation was undoubtedly heavy. Having to explain to this loving dad that his seemingly stable pet was actively dying from a disease process we had no idea would even be fixable or not. What’s more, the cost to even try to save him, would be steep. All in, and if everything went amazing, easily in the 5 figure range. I watched this man have to rapidly digest devastating news no one could prepare for, and then equally realize that, he had to make the critical decision of what to do in minutes. One could only imagine the range of emotions. Either bet $10k+ on a 50/50 shot of me and my team being able to save his loved one in the middle of the night or, pursue euthanasia. Regardless of the option he chose, this could very well be the last moments he had with his best friend. An incredibly unfair proposal with minimal time to process but, was the reality. After answering all remaining questions, I left him alone to decide.

We waited silently in the ICU, Bruno sitting calmly at our feet, all of us unsure of what was to come. Seconds felt like hours in those moments but, eventually Bruno’s dad finally asked me to come speak again. With a shrug of the shoulders all he said was “do whatever you can to save him.” Time for the real work to begin.

Stabilization initiated, additional diagnostics submitted, surgery suite prepped, premedications given, induction administered and into surgery we went as the sun began creeping through the window panes.

To almost no surprise, what we found right off the bat entering the abdominal cavity was something no one could have predicted or prepared for. A purple-black colored organ poked itself through the hemorrhagic effusion. Instinctually I thought - splenic torsion finally the dots make sense we can fix this. However this spleen seemed way too skinny to be a torsion, just wouldn’t make sense. It then came to light that what we were actually staring at was something much, much worse.

Follow along for part 3 (with surgery photos):

02/16/2026

When you work as much as I admittedly tend to, the tens of thousands of cases and patients seen throughout the year tend to blend quite regularly, and the boundaries between one day and the next rarely exist. One week here, another week there, the constant variability twists and turns onto itself where eventually the only element which matters is awake vs asleep. That said, emergency medicine still never fails to deliver surprises when you least expect it. Bruno’s case for sure fits the bill for such a scenario.

A mere 2 year old Bull Terrier, Bruno came to us in the middle of the night for vomiting a couple times that day and acting off. The number of times I hear that on just a weekly basis…. Needless to say I wasn’t too worried. His exam was also boring, a little quiet and dehydrated, nothing special. Seemed like it would be a standard outpatient plan by the end. His dad did approve some general diagnostics to screen for abnormalities not notable on an exam though since Bruno sometimes liked to taste what the world had to offer, both edible and inedible menu items. Bloodwork came back first, also unremarkable, slight electrolyte changes otherwise normal. Outpatient planning was even closer. But then, the radiograph report came back (side note- every diagnostic x-ray image should be sent to a radiologist. No exceptions. Ever.) and what it said no one expected - small amounts of fluid in the abdomen with mild intestinal dilation? Didn’t make sense - Bruno was super stable, young, bloodwork unremarkable. But also - a Bulldog - tough animals. This led to performing a POCUS (abbreviated ultrasound) where sure enough, fluid could be seen, and was way more than what the radiologist noted. What’s more, the fluid was then sampled and to everyone’s disbelief, it was blood. How in the world, could this otherwise healthy dog at 2 years old, have a hemoabdomen, with no evidence of bleeding anywhere else? The dots weren’t connecting at all yet. Only one thing was clear - Bruno was dying, fast.

All gears in that ICU switched to full throttle. ER instincts kicked into play for everyone in that room in preparation for what was to come. But first, the talk.

Part 2 next:

03/24/2025

West Coast Whirlwind Trip ✈️ 🐶 🏔️
-(1-6) Sedona AZ, visiting where I’m honored to be the complementary board member with great friends who primarily foster this incredible org and Xavier Duowes. Was present for a historical day where the newest edition Spirit was successfully acclimated into the pack, and of course made time to hike up into the Red Rocks searching for vortexes
-(7-15) Anchorage and Nulato AK, sled dog race volunteering with hundreds of other individuals coming together from all over the world, an event I’ve come to grow closer and closer to with three years under the belt. Bit of an emotionally driven year for most of us and for several reasons, but still great to reconnect with friends like & in the middle of absolutely nowhere, watching over and caring for some of the best doggos on this planet.
-(16-20) Medford OR, a concluding pitstop to hang out with one of the best dog moms on Earth and her pack of pups (and husband, who took off from hockey just for me). Got to meet Aura, the newest adorable edition family whose hard at work in puppy training mode, ate some unforgettable food, and climbed another quick mountain before returning back to reality
-Overall: 10/10

09/10/2024

So much appreciation on all fronts this past month after being invited again to be a part of the always enjoyable conference. It’s not a huge part of my current vet life yet to be presenting and educating just yet, but for the collection of topics that I find super interesting and what I believe can be applicable to many of my colleagues, it’s definitely something I look forward to when the opportunity arises, especially when those subjects are on the integrative medicine side.
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To all those who were able to attend my talks on medicinal cannabis/CBD, pre/probiotics, and ozone therapy, cannot thank you enough for making all the backend work and hours putting those together worth it, and I truly hope each person was able to walk away with at least one new piece of info that truly resonated with them. I am also very grateful to my distant but still awesome friend who originally invited me years ago for the first time, and is legit a breath of fresh air every time you get to run into him (briefly, as the man is just non-stop busy 24/7). The type of positive, uplifting character he has on the regular is invaluable and honestly, becoming more and more rare nowadays, so thank you for being you Adam. Additionally, O3 Vets and Jonathan Lowe sponsored my talk on ozone therapy and came along with me for the ride so much appreciation goes there as well of course. And lastly, a huge thanks to DVM 360’s team for expanding their integrative medicine sector and allowing me the opportunity to nerd out on what I like to happily call the “voodoo topics” of veterinary medicine 🧙‍♂️ 🤓.
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The future is always unwritten, never in your control, subject to variable change. Knowing this, never be afraid to take a chance on the exciting opportunities provided to you in the present moment. You miss 100% of the ones you turn down, so in the end, there’s really not much to lose, only experiences and insight to gain. So…. why not just go for it 🤷🏽‍♂️ could wind up being something unforgettable

07/20/2024

Unplugged for just a minute with the best people possible

12/19/2023

Well, it’s official: we are returning to the northwest wilderness once again as an Iditarod sleddog race volunteer. Undoubtedly this was one of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences I have been lucky enough to experience in my still (relatively) young career as a vet, and I can’t believe we are going to get to do it all over again.
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No joke, I had no idea what to expect my first time as a rookie- I literally filled out the application on a whim of an in invite from my friend , never expecting to receive an acceptance letter and find myself hundreds of miles deep in the -20 degree forests of Alaska only 5 months later. It was exhilarating yet slightly terrifying to say the least. Flying across the entire continent alone, having to learn wilderness survival skills in the three days or less, staying up crazy hours in the night to perform PE’s on the most insane canine athletes on the planet, all quite honestly working for free.
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Seems a little crazy when you put it like that, but sometimes, although it may not make total sense on paper, in life there are things you just gotta go for. You never know how much time you have here on this crazy little planet, so you might as well make the most of it. For me, I guess I’ll be spending mine freezing my butt off in the middle of nowhere- and I could t be more excited.
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10/02/2023

For sure, it’s a little sad to see my “COVID lockdown project” come to an end with two swings of a scissor. But, it feels infinitely better to know that someone, somewhere, is going to be able to feel a little more confident each day as they continue on their own path of life with the amazing help of .for.kids . We should all be so grateful of organizations like this, helping to spread shimmers of positivity to those who need it most.
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You never know what the future holds for you. You never know what challenges are coming. Sure, you can make plans or projections; set goals and checkpoints. Those are usually healthy and constructive. But realistically, we can really only live and impact in the present, with the future subject to variable change at any moment. For me personally, it feels good to do good living in the present. Because I never know what the heck is in store for me ahead, good or bad. I am grateful for the big and the little things I have. And try to do what I can to be a good person to others (human and non-human!) until my time comes to further explore the universe.
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But with all that said, mark my words: the flowing Fabio locks will live again, some day….
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07/24/2023

Progress should always be the ultimate goal. Progress towards whatever you are personally driven to achieve and accomplish. Towards goals that you believe mean something to you. Towards the things that make you happy, and away from the things that don’t.
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Importantly, progress doesn’t create start and finish lines. That’s why I like the word. Life is rarely about crossing a single finish line and then everything is over. This life is about progression from the very beginning of personal awareness. And dedicating yourself to personal progress means that you never forget you’re here for a reason, and that reason has purpose. What that purpose is in all of its ways, is what will eventually unfold. Dedicating yourself to progress allows you the freedom to grow into person you want to be, at the pace that makes sense for you.
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Life is always going to be full of challenges. Everyone has their own story to prove it. But when you trust in the process of progress, adversity switches from a deterrent to an inspiration. To push through even faster and put it behind you, so that you can get back to the things that make you happy and were meant just for you. Progress, is the key to never giving up on yourself, no matter the circumstances
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03/01/2023

Recent times have been unprecedentedly tough, to say the least. Some reasons are publicly known of, others I have not even shared with anyone but my closest of supporters. In honesty, I still cannot completely explain or comprehend the reasons or purpose behind the events I (and many others) have been forced to endure. They have been numerous and perpetual. And, sifting through the subsequent emotions, trying to determine which are appropriate and which are not, has been equally taxing. Hope…..at times feels like it’s the only force left fueling the need to persevere.
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Nonetheless, I’ve come to the realization that sometimes we are not supposed to know the reasons or purpose behind everything we face. Sometimes, things just manifest that we have to come to terms with; to find peace with, however difficult that may be. And in due time, maybe a lesson becomes clear. Who knows. I surely don’t at least. All I hope for, is that choosing to be the best person I can be to myself and to others, will lead to a shift towards a more enjoyable life energy.
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In the spirit of silver linings, I was fortunate to have experienced a positively impactful event at the right time this past week. I was invited to Sedona Wolf Sanctuary by its cofounders Cynthia and Xavier, both of which I am happy to call friends. There I personally discovered and can now advocate for the power of wolf medicine and spiritual influence, resulting in personalized clarity and peace. The fortitude to persevere for the right reasons was significantly enhanced. The desire to live and love again in the present and future became stronger. And some answers to difficult questions finally became clear. If ever in Sedona, AZ, I’d highly recommend making a trip, as the experience was incredible.
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Dr. Zac Pilossoph

02/19/2026

02/17/2026

02/16/2026

02/16/2026

02/16/2026

03/24/2025

09/10/2024

07/20/2024

12/19/2023

10/02/2023

07/24/2023

03/01/2023

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