Hank
Canine Pet of the Month - February 2025
Hank is a 9-year-old, Australian Blue Heeler mix, that first came to our hospital in early December for lethargy and peeing blood. When Hank arrived, he appeared to be in very rough shape with pale to white gum color and weakness when attempting to stand and move around. Due to these observations, bloodwork was recommended to further investigate. Hank’s bloodwork revealed that he was anemic (low red blood cells) and had very low platelets (thrombocytopenia). Hank’s white blood cells were also increased, which indicated significant inflammation and/or infection occurring in his body. These changes on bloodwork were very alarming and showed that Hank was indeed very sick.
Anemia and thrombocytopenia can happen for several reasons including infection/tick- borne disease, blood loss, autoimmune disease, cancer, and many others. Determining the cause is very important and is done with the use of further diagnostic tools that your veterinarian may recommend including microscopic evaluation of your pet’s blood, x-rays, ultrasound, tickborne disease testing, etc. Once the cause is identified, the correct medications can be used to help treat your pet and give them the best chance for recovery. Anemia and thrombocytopenia are extremely dangerous and potentially life-threatening conditions if left untreated. Rapid and early recognition is always in your pet’s best interest. Hank was started on high-dose steroids and an antibiotic called doxycycline to help increase his red blood cells and platelet numbers. After almost 2 months of therapy and multiple bloodwork rechecks, Hank’s anemia and thrombocytopenia had resolved, and he was bouncing around the exam room with all the energy in the world. Even though Hank’s possibility of recovery seemed bleak in the beginning, his dedicated owners made sure to give him the best chance to overcome this! We are very happy to call Hank our doggie Pet of the Month!
Birdie
Feline Pet of the Month - February 2025
This month, our feline Pet of the Month is Birdie. Birdie is a 22-month-old Maine Coon cat who came to the Animal Hospital of Statesville for issues with eating and not grooming. After examination, Birdie was diagnosed with severe stomatitis. Birdie had severe ulcerative lesions in her mouth, her gums and under her tongue.
Birdie’s issues were believed to be the result of an overreaction of her immune system to the bacteria and plaque on her teeth and gums. This is called Stomatitis. Antibiotics and pain medications were tried to help with her stomatitis but were unsuccessful. In severe cases of stomatitis that do not respond to medication, the next step is what is called a full-mouth extraction or the surgical extraction of some or all of her teeth. In Birdie's case, all of her teeth were affected, so all of her teeth were extracted. Although this may sound drastic or extreme, this is commonly the only way to provide relief from the severe mouth pain associated with stomatitis. Cats typically do very well after extractions and go on to live long lives without oral pain. They typically eat and drink normally after their mouth has healed, although sometimes they require softened or moist foods.
After a few weeks post-surgery, Birdie is now feeling much better, is eating better and has started grooming herself again. Stomatitis in cats is a serious condition that requires proper diagnosis and treatment to avoid severe consequences on a cat's health and quality of life.
If you suspect your cat may be suffering from mouth-related issues, please call us at the Animal Hospital of Statesville to schedule an examination. Click HERE to read more about Stomatitis!