Page 6 - ACT Paws and Hooves - Autumn 2023

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Page 6 - ACT Paws and Hooves - Autumn 2023
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Life-saving dialysis





       for ten-week-old Marty







       When Marty, a Labrador puppy, developed kidney         Mike explained, “When we were told that the RVC was
       failure and liver damage he was rushed to the RVC      the only place in the country that provided dialysis for
       Small Animal Referrals Hospital. Diagnosed with        small animals and that this was Marty's only chance, we
       leptospirosis, a bacterial infection, his prognosis    knew there was only one choice to make.” The dialysis
       without dialysis was grave. Marty needed an ultrasound,  gave the team time to treat Marty’s leptospirosis with
       three rounds of dialysis and two blood transfusions.   antibiotics and healthy plasma to fight off the infection.
       This intensive ‘round-the-clock’ care gave Marty’s     Extracorporeal blood purification therapies for dogs
       organs time to recover and start working again.
                                                              and cats have been available at the RVC since 2013.
       “The speed of his decline was staggering”, owners Lizzy   These advanced therapies can treat kidney failure,
       and Mike told us. Marty was vomiting, he was lethargic,   autoimmune diseases, and poisoning. The machine at
       and he’d stopped producing urine. “We were heartbroken   the heart of this pioneering treatment is the Continual
       and felt like we had failed him. Despite only having him   Renal Replacement Therapy machine, funded by the
       for a few weeks, he was already part of our family. We   RVC Animal Care Trust. This acts as an artificial kidney,
       couldn’t bear the thought of losing him.”              allowing blood to be purified through a filter outside of
                                                              the body and excess fluid to be removed.
       Leptospirosis is a bacterium which can be found in
       water sources such as rivers, streams, or puddles. It   Marty has recovered very well, his kidney values have
       causes inflammation of the liver and kidneys resulting in   returned to normal, and he is happy and healthy. Lizzie
       decreased function and in Marty’s case, failure. Marty was   commented, “Marty’s Labrador appetite is back with a
       halfway through getting vaccinated when he caught this   vengeance and his cheeky, bright personality is shining
       uncommon but life-threatening disease.                 through more than ever. We are absolutely over the moon


                                                               Dr Stefano Cortellini, Co-Director of the Renal
                                                               Replacement Therapy Service at the RVC said:

                                                                      This can literally be
                                                               life-saving treatment, and we
                                                               are extremely lucky that we have a

                                                               very dedicated team of specialist
                                                               vets and nurses who provide their
                                                               time and expertise to offer dialysis
                                                               treatment. Without this team and

                                                               the generous support of the
                                                               RVC Animal Care Trust, none of
                                                               this would be possible. Without
                                                               dialysis, it is very likely that Marty

                                                               would have died.
        Marty


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