Brittany Turnbill hurried her 8-year-old Shih Tzu, Sugar – whom she fondly considers as her “daughter” – to the doctor after she developed an ear infection. However, after an obvious miscalculation, what had started off as a routine visit became a life emergency.
Sugar was inadvertently given euthanasia medication instead of therapy for an ear infection, which was mistakenly administered to her.
The veterinarian notified Turnbill of the bad news and suggested him to transport Sugar to an ambulance service in Columbus, Ohio, right away. “We harmed her accidently, and she has the right to d.i.e,” she was told.
Turnbill was astounded and quickly went with her beloved family dog to MedVet, a full-service hospital animal hospital available 24 hours a day. Sugar was taken from her arms as soon as they came and sent to the critical care unit, where she was fitted with a tracheal tube and hooked up to a respirator to keep her alive.
Turnbill was told there was nothing else for him to do but wait. The fatal toxin that was coursing through her veins couldn’t be stopped. The best they could do was keep Sugar watered and intubated for the first 24 hours while waiting to see if she would survive or not.
Turnbill was told by a doctor at MedVet that it would take another 3 days for Sugar’s little body to metabolize the drug before they could establish the extent of the damage. Aside from that, there was still a chance she wouldn’t make it at all.
Her pulse rate began to climb later that day when the family returned to visit with the unconscious dog, showing that she was actually responding good to their comments. Sugar had made the choice to fight on his own will! The young pup had acquired enough energy to be taken off the ventilator by the night of the next day. She was wiggling more and reacting to the noises of her visitors, regardless of the fact that she had not yet recovered.
Sugar was able to awaken from her coma barely three days after her terrifying trip began! She was able to go outside for a restroom break when her breathing tube was removed, and then eat a whole pot of food! Sugar was still not out of the woods, despite Turnbill and her thrilled family’s relief at being able to touch their beautiful pup for the first time in days. She needed to be examined further to discover whether she had suffered any permanent brain damage.
On the subject, an EEG was performed. Except for the possibility of some short-term memory loss, nothing new was revealed. Sugar appeared to be in good hands! She got an ulcer in one of her eyes as a result of the condition, but she was saved and sent to a secure area in time.
Sugar was released from MedVet with medication for her injured eye and an ear infection she had contracted while there. Regardless of the fact that she should wear an unpleasant electronic collar over her neck until her next checkup visit next week, she is still alive and well. Her exhausted, perplexed, and grateful family is helping her in relaxing and recovering at home with them.
Despite the seriousness of the mistake that came dangerously close to claiming Sugar’s life, Turnbill’s reaction to the tragedy on social media has been mostly positive. Sugar does not mention the vet who mistakenly harmed her as a cause of bitterness. They’re overflowing with gratitude for the doctors and nurses at MedVet, the countless emails of support, and her dog’s brief but lovely life.
