Pit bull attack!

There! Are you all frenzied up? Ready to frantically call the local news and demand a ban on those vicious, evil dogs?

Just kidding. Kind of.

My orthopedics patient today was Lilly, a middle-aged Westie who had the misfortune to be attacked by a larger dog while out for a bedtime walk last night.

Lilly's mom fended off the attacker, sustaining some bites to her own hands and arms in the process, then rushed Lilly to her regular vet. Lilly's rDVM briefly anesthetized her, just long enough to clip and clean the deep puncture wounds on her left hind leg, diagnose a dislocated hip, and place a bandage to keep the areas as clean as possible.

Immediately following the visit to the rDVM, Lilly's mom drove the 1 hour to the VTH, arriving with Lilly at 2:30 am. Lilly stayed in CCU on IV fluids and pain meds until she was transferred to Orthopedics when we arrived for rounds at 8:30.

Long story short, radiographs and palpation showed some serious subluxation of Lilly's left hip, with deep puncture wounds all around her left thigh. After briefly discussing the possibility of attempting a (not-very-likely-to-be-successful) salvage of Lilly's hip, everyone agreed amputation was the best option for little Lilly. So amputate we did.

My frustration with this case lies in the fact that, from the time I first heard about Lilly during rounds this morning, the phrase "pit bull attack" has been repeated about a thousand and one times.

Now, don't get me wrong, if Lilly was truly attacked by a pit bull, I have no problem saying so. If she had been attacked by a lab or a golden retriever or a Husky, I'd also have no problem saying so. No, I don't think the breed of dog that attacked Lilly is medically relevant (only the fact that she was bitten by a larger dog), but if you're sure of the breed, then go ahead and say it.

However, Lilly's presenting complaint (what the receptionists put on the appointment schedule as the reason a dog is coming for a visit) was listed as "pit bull attack." If there had been knowledge that any breed other than a pit bull had attacked Lilly, I can in no way imagine her presenting complaint being listed as "lab mix attack" or "German shepherd attack" or "Chow attack." It would just be listed as "dog attack," "dog bites," or "bite wounds."

I think the vilification of pit bulls implicit in the specification of breed in Lilly's case is unnecessary and damaging. Sure, I've met a good many pits who would indeed not hesitate to attack a cute little white dog walking down the street. But I've met a far greater number of pitties who would just as soon play bow or ignore another dog.

As Lilly's primary student, I traveled around the hospital with her to various departments today and ended up explaining her history to multiple people. My explanation went like this: "At 10 o'clock last night, Lilly was out walking with her owner when she was attacked by a larger dog. She went to her rDVM (etc.)...." Invariably, someone would ask me what kind of dog attacked Lilly, as if it would make any difference in how we would treat her or what her prognosis would be. I don't care if Lilly was attacked by a Boxer, a standard poodle, a Samoyed, a Chihuahua, or a potbellied pig, and I don't understand some people's need to hear that it was a pit bull so they can nod knowingly and look at Lilly with a greater degree of pity than if she had been attacked by another "less dangerous" breed. Even if I had personally witnessed the attack myself, and had 100% confidence that the attacker was indeed a pit bull, I still don't see the relevance to including the breed in every description of Lilly's injury. And we, as veterinary medical professionals, should know better.

And.... off the soapbox. The "good" news for Lilly is that, based on how severe her injuries were at surgery (her quadriceps were completed shredded and ripped from their bony attachments, with her patella hanging in the breeze and punctures through her skin that went all the way into her hip joint), there was zero question that amputation was the right move. And based on seeing Lilly before and after surgery, she already seemed more comfortable a couple hours post-op -- less painful and able to comfortably lie down and sleep. I've no doubt she'll be up and walking well on her 3 good legs tomorrow or the next day. Fortunately her injuries were basically limited to her left hindlimb (and her left groin region), so she's got a good prognosis as long as we can avoid infection.