Choti Shilpi, a gorgeous Pakistani Bully Mastiff rescued from Pune, has been living at the VOSD Sanctuary & Hospital since 2019. A bundle of energy and affection, she was in the peak of health until a deadly disease affected her in July 2022.
Symptoms noticed before diagnosis
The first symptoms she began exhibiting were loss of appetite and lethargy. She had had a splenectomy (surgical removal of the spleen) last year since tumors were detected. Before the surgery too she had a poor appetite and was inactive, so we feared it was once again an internal issue. We rushed her to the vet for an abdominal scan that confirmed she had pancreatitis this time around, so she was prescribed oral medication for a month.
Despite the ongoing treatment, Choti Shilpi didn’t show any signs of improvement – in fact, her symptoms worsened:
- The jaw was locked and she couldn’t open her mouth to bark or drink water
- Her eyes appeared sunken and she couldn’t see clearly
- Skin on the forehead and her ears had become stiff
- Hind legs were splayed and she wasn’t able to support herself
- For a dog who was extremely active, she couldn’t walk more than a few steps without tiring
- We observed a rapid decline in her weight from 35kg to 32kg within a week
Diagnosis of localised tetanus in dogs
Fearing that she might be suffering from some other condition, we got a second opinion from the vets. Along with a thorough physical examination, they conducted a few blood tests to assess her kidney and liver function. Based on the reports and her symptoms, they concluded that she had LOCALISED TETANUS possibly due to a dental infection, which is what had caused stiffening of the neck and jaw muscles. It is a rare and fatally dangerous disease quite uncommon in dogs, so we knew we had to act soon to save her.
Treatment for tetanus in dogs
The vets prescribed oral and injectable antibiotics, oral steroids, along with muscle relaxants for a week. She was to be started on a semi-solid high energy diet to help her gain weight. We prepared an in-house porridge consisting protein, glucose, puppy formula, and ghee – by the end of the week she had put on 500gm as expected. Her muscles appeared relaxed, she had regained some energy, and was able to finally let out a tiny bark!
Journey to recovery
She was taken for multiple check-ups subsequently and her course of medication was extended by another week. With each visit, we noticed her improve to the point where she grew confident enough to get in and out of the ambulance without being carried, and knocking down half the vet’s equipment with her boisterous energy!
It took three weeks, a team of doctors, various methods of diagnosis, multiple visits to the hospital, round-the-clock monitoring by the VOSD medical team, two weeks of treatment and constant prayers to help Choti Shilpi bounce back. It is a MIRACLE she survived tetanus and emerge healthier than ever.
For over a decade, VOSD has provided thousands of such medical treatments for stray and rescued dogs who otherwise didn’t stand a chance of survival.
