Last Thursday, life looked great. The following morning the dogs were going to join me for a trip up Interstate 91, ending up at Tall Timbers Lodge on Back Lake in Pittsburg, New Hampshire. The plan was to spend a few days grouse and woodcock hunting with my good friend Bob Durand.
Earlier in the week, Tessie had left some red spots on the linoleum and that is not unusual for a female dog who had not been spayed. What was unusual was this would be her third head of the calendar year. This is not unheard of but, being cautious with hunting season just getting underway, an appointment was made at Adams‘ Animal Hospital to have her checked.
Dr. Kidd listened to me and then did a quick test on the blood discharge. The results showed considerable bacteria and that was an issue. He followed up with a sonogram and that confirmed his concern. Tessie had a condition known as pyometra, or pyometritis, which is a uterine infection. Pyometra is very serious because of the sudden nature of the disease and the deadly consequences if it spreads when left untreated. The acute infection can spread quickly and be fatal.
Fortunately, Dr. Kidd took the time to explain things to me, as my mind was focused on how fast we could get Tessie treated so she could hunt. My thought was to treat with antibiotics to get through hunting season and then deal with it. That option was not in Tessie’s best interest, as the possibility of serious implications were real. Of course, this was happening on the Thursday before a long weekend, so any surgery, which seemed like the logical action, both short and long-term, could not be scheduled until Tuesday. So there goes Pittsburg!
But the bigger question was not about this season, but rather, the future seasons for this young and very promising gun dog. There was an option for immediate treatment available at Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Hospital in Deerfield. We have used the facility for after-hours and emergency treatment on two occasions and the services are top-level but, being what they are, are also very expensive.
As we were thinking things through after getting home, it suddenly popped into my head that with Tessie, we now have pet insurance. This changed everything. Now we could consider immediate treatment which would both get Tessie help quickly, but also get her back in action in time for some hunting.
When considering pet insurance for Tessie after she arrived, considerable research went into what company to choose. There are a lot of companies and a lot of options for policies. My goal was to protect against the high cost of a surgery. My research led me to select Trupanion.
By choosing a fairly high deductible, the monthly cost was reasonable and 90% of most conditions would be covered. Pet insurance has a lot of options including regular care, but Tessie’s policy was to protect us from exactly what we were facing. After considering our options, a call was made to Deerfield and they had a surgical slot open Friday afternoon.
Tessie was soon at the facility and the doctor confirmed the diagnosis. The surgical option was what could be described as a spaying operation with some complications caused by the infection. After some negotiations, I agreed to the procedure and Tessie was operated on shortly thereafter. In most cases, there would be an overnight to monitor her, but my phone buzzed around 6 p.m. and the doctor said Tessie had done great and was ready to come home. That led to some actions to create a controlled space during recovery and, of course, the dreaded cone.
The portable enclosure was set up and that began a different life for Tessie, with medications and controlled behavior as the sutures heal until she can gradually resume her very active fall life. It looks like at least two weeks and my fall hunting schedule is in flux, although Laney is more than capable of handling things in the woodcock and grouse covers.
The paperwork and different cost figures were a bit bewildering to me in the aftermath and my budget-minded self began to figure out exactly how much this was all going to cost me. Let there be no doubt that for a number of reasons it would have been my preference to have Tessie’s surgery done at Adams. My confidence in the care there has been reinforced many times.
The delay of four days was a risk that was not worth taking and, with pet insurance, the cost was not an issue. Tessie is progressing famously and time will tell when she can be busting through the brush again. We did invest in a new Browning Chest Protector Vest that may or may not make a difference, but right now we are focused on two weeks down the road.
Fall trout fishing and duck season are underway and Massachusetts upland season starts tomorrow. Bow season is underway and there is plenty of great hunting activity all across New England. Enjoy!
Mike Roche is a retired teacher who has been involved in conservation and wildlife issues his entire life. He has written the Sportsman’s Corner since 1984 and has served as advisor to the Mahar Fish’N Game Club, Counselor and Director of the Massachusetts Conservation Camp, has been a Massachusetts Hunter Education Instructor for over 40 years and is a licensed New York hunting guide. He can be reached at mikeroche3@msn.com.