Swift Recovery

Given her advanced age and the serious injury she suffered, it’s not surprising that Daisy spent several days in the Hixson-Lied Small Animal Hospital ICU.

But what may be surprising to some is that it was the injury, not her age, that kept Daisy in the hospital.

“Age is not a disease,” said Dr. Pei-Han Lu, surgical resident at the Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center. “Daisy’s pre-operative bloodwork and chest radiographs were overall insignificant clinically, indicating that she was an appropriate candidate for undergoing general anesthesia and surgery.”

Daisy required surgery after suffering a traumatic open rostral mandibular fracture while herding cattle. The rostral mandible is the front portion of the lower jaws in dogs.

The owners of the 14-year-old Australian Shepherd noticed the injury when Daisy ran up to them and had blood coming from her mouth. Although the dog still wanted to herd cattle and was eating and drinking, her owners brought her to Iowa State where she was admitted in pain and with bloody drooling.

The Iowa State medical team, including Lu and veterinary dentist Dr. Brenda Mulherin, performed several procedures including extracting a canina tooth and repairing the injury surgically.

Daisy was soon back to her normal self, remaining energetic and eating the morning after her procedure.

“The overall prognosis after rostral mandibulectomy is good once the surgical site heals,” Lu said. “Most dogs adapt to it and start eating well soon after the procedure and we expect Daisy to continue to do so.”