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The biggest coke sniffers on the police force
by Darina Schweizer
Swallowed underpants and hip prostheses for cats: a day at the animal hospital
5/6/2024
Translation: Jessica Johnson-Ferguson
Pictures: Christian Walker
The Veterinary Hospital (Tierspital) in Zurich treats over 28,000 animals every year. During my visit, I was amazed to learn about customised prostheses, faecal transplants and the things that end up in dogs’ stomachs.
A Newfoundland dog’s sat under the reception counter, it’s tongue dripping. Behind him, there’s a husky limping through the sliding door. The meowing of a Chartreux cat sitting in a transport box fills the waiting room. It’s a full house this Tuesday morning at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital Zurich.
As I watch the animals come and go, my imagination runs wild. Will an elephant be sticking its trunk through the door next? After all, the animal hospital also treats zoo animals. It’s the first thing I ask medical director Jean-Michel Hatt when he picks me up for a tour of the hospital. He laughs and says:
«Yes, one time an elephant was brought to us from France by semi-trailer truck. But most of the time, our vets go to the zoo.»
Elephants, lions, horses, cows, pigs, dogs, cats, meerkats, degus, zebra finches: the Veterinary Hospital takes care of all kinds of patients – from five grammes to five tons. I’m here for the little ones. The largest department in the hospital is reserved for them. Around 14,000 dogs and 6,000 cats are treated at the small animal clinic every year.
«In dogs, we mainly see herniated discs in French Bulldogs and elbow dysplasia in Labradoodles. In cats, hip and kneecap problems are prevalent in British Shorthairs and Maine Coons.»
According to Sebastian Knell, sports injuries in particular have increased. These are caused by the dog sport agility, for example. «Border Collies often injure their shoulders when running slaloms,» the senior physician explains. Recovery therapy, which can be done in the clinic’s own physiotherapy department, for example, is particularly important in these cases. However,
«I often need to persuade the owners to put their pets in physio. Many owners don’t have insurance and would rather do without the aftercare. But it’s cutting costs in the wrong place.»
Pet owners often have to dig deep into their pockets for specialised treatments. As we walk past the oncology department, Sebastian Knell reveals that reconstructive surgery for cancer patients is one of the most complex procedures. «Inserting a titanium sternum in a cat is highly challenging.»
The traits of certain breeds can also further complicate treatment. It’s almost impossible to make a lively Bengal cat rest its knee after an operation. Border Collies also struggle to sit still and need to be distracted with mental challenges. «Labrador’s are easier. They’re not too bothered about moving and prefer to eat,» says Sebastian Knell and laughs.
Stomachs full of poison and barbecue skewers
An insatiable appetite is often the reason four-legged friends are admitted to the Veterinary Hospital Zurich. Even though fewer and fewer animals are dying during surgery, poisoning is the most common cause of death. According to Sebastian Knell, people often underestimate how dangerous seemingly harmless foods can be.
«Many people know that chocolate is poisonous for dogs. But this also applies to onions, grapes and medicines such as aspirin. On top of this, antifreeze is tempting to cats because it’s sweet.»
Sebastian Knell and his team have extracted all sorts of things from animal stomachs: sawdust, barbecue skewers, epilation wax, Migros collectible figurines. One time, it was an unfamiliar pair of women’s knickers that put one husband on the spot. Looks like the dog was trying to destroy evidence.
«We suspect that antibiotic treatments in young dogs can later lead to chronic intestinal disease, among other things.»
Successful research
50 dogs have joined the Growing Dog Project to date. One of them is Maltipoo Joy. Her owner Sarah Frutiger has brought in the dog for a checkup with Stefan Unterer that morning. «My dog trainer told me about it. I thought it would be good to help research,» she says.
Joy has already undergone a dietary consultation. So what are the things to look out for? Nutritionist and veterinarian Freya Moscoso, who’s present at the examination, says:
«Choosing a good food manufacturer’s important. These are mostly larger companies that also invest money in their own research. For special feeding methods such as biologically appropriate raw foods, or BARF for short, you need the rations to be calculated a professional.»
Darina Schweizer
Senior Editor
Darina.Schweizer@digitecgalaxus.chI love anything with four legs or roots - especially my shelter cats Jasper and Joy and my collection of succulents. My favourite things to do are stalking around with police dogs and cat coiffeurs on reportages or letting sensitive stories flourish in garden brockis and Japanese gardens.
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