PET owners are being urged to make themselves aware of the signs of tetanus after a dog needed life-saving treatment for the deadly disease.
Three-year-old Labrador Yoshi was rushed to Garden Vets in Chippenham, Wiltshire, by owner Ruth John after he developed worrying signs, including stiff facial muscles and difficulty swallowing.
He was diagnosed with tetanus, which is a very rare but potentially life-threatening condition if left untreated, but thanks to the care and expertise shown by Garden Vets in Bristol Road, Yoshi has made a full recovery. Now Ruth and the veterinary team are encouraging other owners to make themselves aware of the signs so they can act quickly should their dog become unwell.
Vet Claire Fleming, who treated Yoshi, said cases of tetanus are rare in dogs, but it’s worth knowing about the disease as a precaution.
Claire said: “Tetanus is a serious condition where tetanus bacteria release toxins that attack the nervous system leading to muscle rigidity. The bacteria, which is found in soil everywhere, enters the body via a wound, usually of the paws and lower legs. It isn’t standard practice to vaccinate dogs and cats against tetanus because they have a lower susceptibility to the disease and, fortunately, cases are rare. However, as in Yoshi’s case, there’s always a low possibility that it can occur.
“The best way to avoid tetanus is to make sure any wounds are cleaned thoroughly and if you’re concerned get it checked and cleaned by your vet. Extra care should be taken with deep or puncture wounds because tetanus bacteria thrive in conditions where there’s less oxygen.
“Tetanus can be deadly, so if you think your dog is showing any of the signs, contact your vet immediately for advice.”
Signs of tetanus can take several days to develop after an infection has occurred and sometimes may not appear until after the wound has healed. Signs include:
- Difficulty moving the jaw, neck or face
- Pricking of the ears and difference in face expression
- Muscle tremors or cramps
- Difficulty walking and changes in gait (looks stiff)
- Laying down and not wanting to get up
It’s believed Yoshi became infected with tetanus when he damaged a claw on his front right paw when out on a walk.
Ruth took him to Garden Vets because he was finding the injury painful, and it was decided that the best course of action was to remove the damaged claw.
A few days later, Ruth brought her pet back to the practice because she’d noticed that Yoshi wasn’t himself – he had developed a startled expression, with raised ears and eyes pointing to the outside, and was coughing while eating. Claire examined Yoshi and straight away suspected tetanus.
Claire said: “Based on the signs Yoshi was showing, and the fact he’d recently suffered an open wound, we diagnosed tetanus and started treatment immediately by giving him antibiotics that are known to fight the disease and muscle relaxants. While we had removed the damaged claw when we saw him previously, unfortunately the tetanus infection had already taken hold.
“Yoshi is very lucky because his owner brought him to us as soon as she noticed something wasn’t right with her pet, so we were able to start treatment before the signs became more severe. Tetanus can progress to affect the respiratory and heart muscles and at that stage there is a very poor prognosis. Yoshi responded well to supportive treatment and improved over the next few days. He’s gone on to make a positive recovery.”
Yoshi’s owner Ruth said: “I’m really grateful to Garden Vets for picking up on the signs of tetanus so quickly and the care they gave to Yoshi was impeccable. It was really worrying to hear he had tetanus, but Claire and the team clearly explained everything to me and talked me through his treatment plan, so I understood what was happening.
“Tetanus is said to be rare in dogs, but Yoshi is proof that they can get it and I’ve also heard of another case in Wiltshire. Through sharing Yoshi’s story I’m hoping to make more dog owners aware of the disease and enable them to recognise the signs, so they can get their pet the right treatment as soon as possible as it would be awful for a pet to lose their life to this disease.”