What is wrong with puppy Scarlet?

" I want to run, I want to go chase my ball-ball, but I can't"(Sniffles)

"I got an ouchie," ( More sniffles)

Scarlet, the labrador puppy ( who could be Koy-Koy's girlfriend) tearfully complained to the Animal Doctor when she was brought by her mom and dad to Greenwoods Pet Clinic. A month before that, Scarlet's toe was caught in the slats of her cage which caused her to go limping. Scarlet was not seen by a veterinarian until she lost control of her two hind legs and her muscles shrunk. Poor Scarlet could not do anything but lie on her tummy. She also started having fewer and fewer bowel movements until she had none at all and her tummy became so distended.

The Animal Doctor ordered an abdominal x-ray but he did not see any foreign object that might have caused a blockage and prevented the passage of stool. He also performed a lavage on the colon but no stool came out. Next, he ordered for Scarlet's CBC (complete blood count) and platelet count and check for the pup's liver and kidney function too, but results came back normal.


We waited and waited for Scarlet to make a bowel movement. Even the Animal Doctor was seeing a pile of golden poop in his dreams at night. He decided he will worry about the puppy's paralysis later because he was far more concerned that Scarlet may die from the toxins her body is unable t0 excrete.

The week ended without Scarlet making a bowel movement; the Animal Doctor needed to open Scarlet's tummy. The additional bad news, however, was that Scarlet's parents could not spend for her operation and they opted to just bring her home.

The Animal Doctor felt so sorry for Scarlet. When her parents were about to sign the waiver (to the discharge of patient against the veterinarian's recommendation) the Animal Doctor decided to perform the surgery even if Scarlet's parents did not pay him. The Secretary thought he had gone crazy and boy, was she totally pleased about it.

So last night, after nearly two weeks without any bowel movement and against Sweepy's advice ( because it was on a full moon) Scarlet underwent exploratory laparotomy.

Scarlet still feeling woozy after surgery

Like the xray suggested, the Animal Doctor did not find any foreign object or tumor inside Scarlet's tummy. He did, however, find Scarlet's colon filled with feces and took a plateful out!

Having done with surgery, the Animal Doctor is convinced that Scarlet's lack of bowel movement is due to a loss of neuro-muscular reflex in her colon that could be associated with the paralysis of her hind legs.

This morning, Scarlet defecated on her own, but it remains to be seen if this apparent improvement will continue in the days to come and we will no longer have to worry about Scarlet dying from toxemia.

But we have not solved the mystery of Scarlet's paralysis. It will take more confirmatory test before the Animal Doctor could determine its cause and make a prognosis.

In the meantine, the Secretary is wracking her brains how to make a home made wheely.

Secretary's Note: Scarlet's surgery (estimated at PhP 8,000)was made possible through our Indigent Animal Patient's Fund to which my dear friend Noreen and husband Lito have made a substantial donation this year. Thank you so much Nors and Tolitz, from the bottom of my heart!