Bubba – Hemet, CA
ESRA Special Needs Springer
ESRA #2010-0027CA
Age: 4 years
Gender: Male
Color: Liver and white
Bubba has come under ESRA's care and into the ESRA Special Needs program with a very bad left ear which requires surgery. An inner ear infection and multiple hematomas have been present and gone untended for probably well over a year. The vet says that Bubba is in pain but, other than his frequent head-shaking, he doesn't show it. He allows his left ear to be touched gently and is handling well getting an antibiotic as well as a cortisone salve which is helping to dry up the ear and give him some relief.
His chronic ear condition could have been controlled early on, but by now the hematomas have grown to the point of almost closing his ear canal. The thickness of the left ear flap is three to four times that of the right ear. This will not go away, but the thickness itself should not be either a medical or cosmetic issue if the infections and hematomas are cleaned up. Despite the condition of his ear, Bubba seems to have adequate hearing.
The surgery Bubba requires will cut away the scar tissue and reconstruct his ear canal. This will relieve the pressure and pain Bubba is feeling and will help to prevent further ear infections. While under anesthesia for the surgery on his ear, Bubba will also be neutered, implanted with a microchip and dreaming of his favorite toy — his white tiger — and the Forever Home in his future.
We'll report on the progress of his recovery after the surgery.
NEWS UPDATE ON A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SUBJECT FROM BUBBA'S FOSTER HOME! January 15, 2010
Bubba has coughed up a golf ball!
Putting him on antibiotics to help his ear heal has alerted his system that something was wrong. Kim, at our kennel, noticed a golf ball in his run yesterday. I saw it too and assumed it was something he had found in the yard but he didn't keep his dinner or his water down last night. Again this morning his food came right back up so Kim rushed him to a nearby vet to get an X-ray. The X-ray revealed a second golf ball in his stomach! The golf ball he coughed up was a solid ball with most of the white dimpled covering gone. The stomach acids had been working on it. It's estimated that the balls have been in his stomach for a few months.
Right now he is at the kennel on an IV and will be administered a drug to induce vomiting. He is not allowed to eat or drink until he coughs up the other ball. The danger of eating food is that it may force the ball into the intestine which could be fatal. Surgery may be required to remove the ball from the stomach.
We'll keep you posted on this situation as well! Please send Bubba good thoughts!
OUTCOME OF THE GOLF BALL SAGA AND UPDATE ON BUBBA'S STATUS January 18, 2010
Today Dr. Vani operated on Bubba.
- She removed the golf ball from his stomach. A X-ray was needed to reconfirm the ball's location. Stitches will be removed in 10 days.
- A blood panel was done on him and he is heartworm negative.
- He is microchipped.
- He has been neutered.
- His ears were flushed and no fox tails were found. He does have ear infections which is why his hematomas are inflamed.
He has been given some bland food to eat for the next three days, then he can go back on his regular diet — except for golf balls! He is a little groggy, leans a lot, but will be back to his normal self tomorrow. He was pleased to see his toy tiger, but didn't have the energy to hold it in his mouth.
UPDATE January 27, 2010 Because the golf ball in Bubba's stomach was life threatening, he underwent surgery to remove it. He was neutered at the same time. Because Bubba's hematomas had never been tended to, the fluid had worked its way into the blood vessels, clotted, and turned into cartilage or scar tissue. This is why the ear is so thick.At this point, the ears are under observation while he recovers from his stomach and neuter surgeries. The vet has now determined that a third surgery may not be necessary if topical treatments are successful.
The hematomas are inflamed because of the internal ear infection. The vet feels that once the ear infection has cleared up, everything should be back to normal. The hematoma scar tissue will remain, but functionally the ear will be fine. Surgery would be indicated if the hematoma fluid would mix with the area around the ear canal, formed by cartilage, and turn that cartilage into bone. That has not happened yet. The ear canal is still soft and pliable. If the cartilage did harden, the ear canal would need to be surgically reformed and scar tissue would be scraped away.
Could Bubba get another hematoma in the future? Yes, but it will not be a problem if it is properly attended to. His foster mom reports that Bubba is doing well and that he is playing with her other dogs as well as playing with his favorite toy tiger. His stitches will be removed soon.
For more information on Bubba, please contact Cindy Pierson at lpie229620@earthlink.net.
CLICK HERE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPONSOR BUBBA
| BUBBA’S GENEROUS SPONSORS TO DATE: | |
|---|---|
 Steve Spiegl |
|
| Bill and Gay Sterling |
|
| Anonymous |
|
| Kathy Engberg |
|
| Sarndra Swney |
In memory of Kuri |
| George and Shelley Dearmin |
|
| Charles Cote |
In memory of my buddy Walter and with thanks to Linda Lintz |
| Pete and Barbara Brunelli |
In memory of Winston |
| Wayne and Mary Gilbert |
In memory of Pesto and Jessica |
| Alisa Runyan |
In memory of our loving baby boy Scooter |
| Pomela Flanigan |
From Murphy William Flanigan who was given a second chance |
| Pamela George |
Im memory of my sweet boy Bogey |
| Montana, Yvonne and Doug Hawley |
|
| Renee and Don Holmes |
In memory of Dexter Holmes — ESRA was there for him, too! |
| Jutta Fischenich |
In memory of Yuko, Zoe and Jasper |
| Pamela Heredia |
|
| Ardee and Terrence Jagt |
|
| Vicki Wingo |
|
| Judy and Ed Adkison |
In memory of Brinkley |
| Nancy Thale |
|
| Mike and Janet Ballew |
|
|
|