Banfield Success Story: Derby

Meet Derby, an 18-month old miniature schnauzer who wasn’t acting like his normal self and seemed lethargic.

Derby's family brought him to the vet to be examined, and they noticed on the x-ray that there was something in his belly; they initially thought he may have a bowel obstruction. The vet kept Derby at the clinic overnight and pumped fluids through him to see if whatever was in his belly would pass without needing surgery. Luckily, Derby didn't need to have surgery. He was just a little backed up and the fluids were just what he needed to help get his system working again.

Just like humans, dogs can get constipated, which can make them uncomfortable or even cause some pain. According to some vets, constipation can be caused by a lack of fiber in your dog’s diet, or even a lack of drinking water. And, if you feed your pup any people food “treats” this may also cause some issue with their digestive track. You can generally tell if your pet is constipated if they have not done No. 2 for at least two days. Dogtime has a great article that talks about some ways to help a pup with constipation; however, always be sure to check with a veterinarian before attempting any of these suggestions. And, while constipation may be a common issue for dogs, it shouldn’t be ignored. If your dog has been constipated, and is acting lethargic, isn’t really wanting to eat their food, or is vomiting, they should be seen by a vet immediately.

Fur Kids Foundation was recently awarded a $3,500 grant from the Banfield Foundation® to be used to help the Gillette, Wyoming charity with their emergency veterinary assistance program. This funding helped the Foundation grant money to help Derby’s family with his vet trip. ​If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help families with animals, please consider making a tax-deductible donation. The money helps families during a time when they may not be able to afford adequate veterinary care. Check out more Success Stories.