“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”

– Mr. Rogers

There are many reasons I love being a veterinarian. I often say I have the best job in the world, and I truly believe that. First of all, on a daily basis, I get to meet lots of different people. Not only do I meet them, but being “the other family doctor,” I get to know them. Secondly, we veterinarians are the helpers in society. We assist people with their plethora of pet problems and we are committed to doing right by those 4-legged furry family members. And it’s the animals that draw us all together, forming the family bonds and facilitating me to be the helper. It’s honestly the best job in the world.

I’m always inspired by the families who are drawn to rescue animals. These dedicated folks find it in their hearts to give an unwanted pet a second chance, and that is always an interesting journey. Then of course there are the pet owners that have breed-loyalty. These are the owners that through their lifetime, stick to just one breed of dog. I have a client that has owned Boston Terriers since the 1950s, when they were popularly known as “The American Gentleman.” I have Yorkie loving families, and those that are loyal to Pugs. I have Boxer lovers, Standard Poodle people, and Dachshund owners, and of course, being on the Shore we have our fair share of Beagle and Retriever people. But it was my Dalmatian loving family from a few years back that brought me one of my most memorable cases.

This Dalmatian loving family not only has a special fondness for the spotted dogs, they also find it in their hearts to rescue them. Every breed seems to have a loyal fan base providing a network for unwanted dogs. This is how “Raven” arrived at her new home in November of 2007. When I first met the Dalmatian Raven, she was so thin! She was over a year old, but at 35 pounds, you could see every bony prominence on her small frame. After a thorough examination and diagnosis of intestinal worms, we sent Raven and her new family on their way with instructions to provide TLC and to fatten her up!

Five months later, she looked no different weighing in at 36 lbs, only now she was vomiting. After a week of lab tests, x-rays and medical treatment, we had no option but to prepare for a surgical exploratory. I had really no idea what we would find once inside the kind little dog’s belly, as all of her lab work and x-rays were normal. These are the tough cases.

I took Raven to surgery on my youngest son’s ninth birthday, in May of 2008. This is how we veterinarians track time, memorable cases that are associated with big life events. I could write about the July 4th C-section or the Christmas night parvo case I had to treat while I left a loaf of bread rising. Then there was my youngest son’s third birthday, when I removed an entire welcome mat from the stomach of a Chesapeake Bay Retriever. I almost missed his party because of that one. But on this day in May it was all about Raven, and the mystery surrounding her vomiting and inability to gain weight.

I made a long incision in Raven’s abdomen, and what I found was beyond extraordinary. It seems the young dog had eaten an entire cotton rag wool mop. This mop was inside her stomach and running for about 11 inches through the front portion of her small intestine. I have no idea how she swallowed it, but I knew I had to get it out! The mop was retrieved after making not one but three incisions throughout various portions of her stomach and small intestine. My trusty assistant scrubbed in to help me with retraction. About an hour later, Raven was stitched back together just as good as new. By the next morning, she was anxious for a walk and hungry for breakfast! I’m always amazed at how quickly dogs bounce back from these sorts of things; almost as if to say “thank you for that, I feel great, see ya!”

These are the sorts of lessons we should learn from dogs: “best day ever, I feel great!” Not, “Oh woe is me; I just had major abdominal surgery!” When we saw Raven back to take her stitches out, she had already gained four pounds! One year later, she broke the scales at 60 pounds!

When I think back to this case, I can’t help but reflect on a couple things. How did Raven swallow the Raggedy Ann hair mop? Did her previous owners know this? It was a great feeling seeing that little dog, hungry and happy the morning after surgery; and the owners were delighted and beyond grateful that their new dog was given yet another chance. But what really made my day was getting home just in time to celebrate my son’s 9th birthday. On the best days, it feels good to be a helper and to solve problems, just like in the case of the mysteriously skinny Dalmatian.