Warning: Graphic Images
Rosie
Meet the beautiful Rosie Willow, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who was referred to our Specialist soft tissue surgeon Georgia Jenkins here at ChesterGates. Rosie was very unwell on arrival to us – she was suffering from an extensive infection and associated skin and tissue necrosis (death), which developed after one of her anal sacs/glands had burst internally. The damage to the tissue had spread from her perineal region (to the left side of her bottom), down the back and underneath her left thigh, and forward over her hip to the outer thigh.
The infection was overwhelming Rosie’s body and she was at risk of a very serious condition called sepsis. Georgia prescribed intravenous antibiotics to treat the infection, as well as strong pain relief. In addition to this, Rosie needed to undergo surgery urgently to remove the infected tissue. She was carefully assessed by our Specialist anaesthesia team, who ensured Rosie was stable enough for anaesthesia and designed a bespoke anaesthetic plan to keep her as safe and comfortable as possible.
Once safely under general anaesthetic, Rosie was monitored closely by our experienced theatre nursing team in conjunction with our Specialist anaesthetists. Georgia removed all of the dead skin and infected tissue and applied a special bandage (called a ‘tie-over’ dressing) to protect the exposed tissue (See photos in the video from day 1 before and after surgery.) After recovering from her anaesthetic and procedure, Rosie was hospitalised in our recovery ward under the care of our wonderful nursing team, who continued the close monitoring and administered the vital antibiotics and ongoing pain relief she needed, as well as providing lots of TLC.
Rosie initially needed daily dressing changes to keep her tissue healthy, and so she stayed in the hospital with us for a few days, but before long she was able to be discharged for outpatient appointments. During these, she was sedated by our anaesthesia team so that Georgia could assess and clean her exposed tissue and re-apply a fresh tie-over dressing. Rosie’s owners sourced special suits for her to protect her dressings and keep the wounds clean while they healed – Doesn’t she look good in pink?! The video below documents Rosie’s healing process (warning: graphic images):
Georgia was able to manage Rosie’s wound with ‘second intention’ wound healing – this is where an optimal wound environment is created and maintained, which allows the body to heal itself. The tie-over dressing stitches allowed Georgia to gently pull the surrounding skin in gradually over time – this sped up the process as it encouraged Rosie’s wound to contract and get progressively smaller.
As Rosie’s healing progressed, her wound became much more comfortable, so that eventually sedation wasn’t required to clean and re-dress it. Our team worked hard to make sure Rosie trusted us and felt happy with us caring for her wound by using lots of treats and encouragement during the process.
Ten weeks after her first visit to us, Rosie’s wound is fully healed. Her story is proof of the incredible ability of the body to heal itself when it is supported correctly, and is also testament to the dedication of her amazing owners! The whole ChesterGates team fell in love with Rosie Willow and we are so proud of her progression. Well done Rosie!
