Editor’s Note: There are times when the Hixson-Lied Small Animal Hospital Emergency and Critical Care must turn away patients because it has reached capacity with critical cases. Little Lady is one case that required a long-term stay.
Ibuprofen is a common pain relief medication for humans.
Dogs shouldn’t take them.
So when Little Lady, a three-year old female Labrador, accidentally ingested between 10 and 20 ibuprofen tablets her owners sought treatment at the Emergency and Critical Care Service at the Hixson-Lied Small Animal Hospital.
That’s because without the care Little Lady received at Iowa State, she faced serious medical issues. Ibuprofen is toxic to dogs and can cause kidney damage, GI irritation and ulceration, neurologic signs, and in some cases liver injury.
When she arrived at the Hixson-Lied Small Animal Hospital, Little Lady had been diagnosed by her primary veterinarian with renal injury.
“She had very elevated kidney values on bloodwork, and she had been urinating large amounts very frequently, which is one of the signs of kidney injury,” said Dr. Carla Pratdesaba, small animal resident.
But it what was unique about Little Lady’s condition that required a multiple day stay in the hospital.
“Most patients usually present with GI signs like vomiting, diarrhea and anorexia, but Little Lady had been drinking and urinating more than usual and that same day she didn’t finish her meal,” Pratdesaba said. “She was producing such large amounts of urine that she needed a lot of fluids to keep up with her hydration and protect the kidneys from further injury.
“She was also incontinent due to the large amount of urine she was producing. During the first days of her hospitalization, her bedding needed to be changed almost hourly.”
While at the Hixson-Lied Intensive Care Unit, Little Lady was given intravenous fluids and medication. By her second day of hospitalization her kidney values started to improve but bloodwork showed elevated liver enzymes.
Further intravenous therapy and close monitoring to adjust her fluids has helped Little Lady’s kidneys respond to treatment.
“Day by day, she showed mild improvement in her bloodwork values, and she was feeling better,” Pratdesaba said. “She might be more prone to develop chronic kidney injury in the future due to this injury, but she has responded well to therapy and is doing great.”
If you and your animal need assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center at 515.294.4900.
August 2025