Pixel was in a pickle!

Little Pixel went off on an adventure one day……  her feline partner in crime came home large as life and pleased with himself, but where was Pixel?

Pixel came home the next day feeling very sorry for herself, she was sore and had a large swelling and bruising on one side of her body. Her owners rushed her in to Vet Care, concerned she may have serious injuries.

X-rays confirmed our suspicions of a hernia – the muscle supporting her abdomen had been torn, so her intestines were sitting just underneath the skin! When the hair was shaved, large bite marks and bruises could be seen, so it was likely Pixel had had a nasty encounter with a dog. Pixel required urgent surgery to repair the hernia and assess for any other damage. Blood tests with our in-house lab machines showed minimal blood loss, and there was only slight liver damage, so Pixel was carefully anaesthetised.

Once the skin was opened, the true extent of damage was revealed. The tear in the muscle also involved the rib cage, allowing air into the chest and meaning Pixel was only breathing with one lung! Supportive ventilation via the anaesthetic circuit was provided and Pixel’s oxygen levels stayed near 100% for the whole surgery – amazing! The chest and abdominal tears were carefully repaired and after inspecting closely we confirmed no internal organ damage.

Incredibly Pixel recovered quickly from her anaesthetic and was back eating the night after surgery. She was discharged from our hospital two days later and was well enough to try and escape out a window when she got home. Cats are amazing in their ability to heal after surgery!