Tetanus In Dogs
Carnivores, like dogs and cats are relatively resistant to tetanus compared to other species like horses, guinea pigs and humans. However they can occasionally be affected and it can then be a dramatic disease if not identified quickly by your veterinarian. This video describes the symptoms and outlines the treatment of that condition.
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Step 1:
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The Infection
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Tetanus is caused by a bug called clostridium tetani. The infection usually follows the introduction of the bug into a wound. What happens is that the bug produces a toxin which affects the nervous system and triggers a spastic paralysis. Symptoms do not occur straight away but usually within 10 to 20 days of the wound becoming infected. And I would like to stress that a small puncture wound that has healed over on the surface of the skin may well cause tetanus but may not be found when the symptoms develop.
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Step 2:
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The Symptoms
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Early signs include over-reaction to stimulations such as sound, movement or light. This is followed by a stiff gate which you can appreciate here. As the patient is lifted onto the table, notice how stiff the dog is. The manipulation of the limbs reveals strong muscle rigidity. The changes affecting the patient’s facial expressions are also very characteristic. The third eye lids are visible. Ears are all pricked up. The lips are drawn back and other facial muscles may go into spasm.The dog experiences difficulty opening its mouth which causes difficulty in eating.
There is increased salivation with foaming of the mouth. Both heart and respiratory rates are increased and without appropriate care, the dog will eventually die from respiratory arrest.
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Step 3:
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The Treatment
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This brings us to the last chapter of this video: the treatment. Severely affected animals require long and intensive treatment. It is ideal to administrate the initial treatment intravenously which involves placing a venous catheter in the patient.
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Step 4:
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Administering Drugs
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When this is done your vet will then administrate several drugs including tetanus anti-toxin serum to neutralize circulating toxins as soon as possible. Some antibiotics are effective against the offending bug clostridium tetani, and even some anti-convulsants and muscle relaxants.
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Step 5:
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The Wound
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On occasion, the wound may need to be treated as well: surgical debriding, removal of any rotten tissue and flushing with hydrogen peroxide may be useful.
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Step 6:
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The Recovery Stage
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While in the recovery stage, the patient should be kept in a dark quiet area with as little excitement and stimulation as possible. A very soft bed should avoid pressure sores caused by lying on a hard surface for a long period of time. In case of muscular spasms of the jaw, commonly called locked jaw, it is a good idea to liquidize the food and feed small amounts at regular intervals. The muscles used for swallowing may also have spasms, so feed slowly to avoid choking.
A full recovery is possible for both dogs and cats but it may take about three to four weeks.
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Step 7:
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Other Species
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Before finishing, I would like to repeat that tetanus is a rare condition for dogs and cats and carnivores in general who seem to be naturally protected against it. However, other animal species like horses are prone to it and they need to be vaccinated routinely to avoid this dreadful condition from developing. Well, that concludes this video podcast. Thank you for listening and remember to check out vetstoria.com for further video podcasts and feel free to leave any comments or suggestions for future topics.
