When Bill and Norine Lau realized their dog was seriously ill, they decided to go to any lengths to have him treated — a journey that took them all the way from St. John, Ind., to the University.
Sam, the Lau’s 2-year-old, 170-pound St. Bernard, was treated at the University’s School of Veterinary Medicine for acute renal failure almost four weeks ago. His owners picked him up Nov. 8 after a miraculous recovery.
More than four weeks ago, the Laus noticed their usually energetic puppy was behaving strangely and refused to eat.
“He didn’t want food or water,” Norine said. “He just wanted to be held and comforted.”
After his unusual behavior continued for two days, Norine said she knew something was wrong.
“We brought him to an animal hospital in University Park, Ill., not far from our home,” Norine said.
The animal hospital took multiple blood and urine tests, and the next afternoon, Norine received a phone call from the hospital saying Sam’s liver was not functioning correctly, Norine said.
After the animal hospital couldn’t cure Sam’s illness, he was sent to Purdue University’s School of Veterinary Medicine in Indiana. Veterinarians at Purdue noted Sam was unable to urinate and his kidneys were not functioning as they should, Norine said.
The veterinarians concluded Sam needed chemo-dialysis, which is only available in four centers in the country, one of those being LSU’s Vet School, said Mark Acierno, associate professor of companion animal medicine.
Dialysis is expensive and requires a great deal of work, Acierno said.
Bill and Norine drove all night for 15 hours until they reached the SVM around 8 a.m.
“Sam was so sick,” Norine said. “We knew we had to drive to LSU.”
Even though the Vet School was not expecting Sam, the veterinary students were enthusiastic to care for him, Norine said.
“They were all so amazing,” Norine said. “It was only because they were so good to Sam that I was able to leave and return home.”
According to Ginger Guttner, spokeswoman for the Vet School, the veterinary team who cared for Sam included Acierno; Jocelyn Garber and Jennifer Ayoub, small animal medicine residents; Frank Triveri, fourth-year veterinary student from Ross University; and Abby Braus, fourth-year LSU veterinary student.
“We received phone calls from LSU at least twice a day with updates about Sam,” Norine said. “They even e-mailed us pictures of him.”
Tests taken during Sam’s stay at the Vet School were inconclusive, but he responded well to the treatment he received. An infectious agent attacked Sam’s kidney, and leptospirosis, a rare bacterial infection, was the likely cause, Acierno said.
Sam recovered at the Vet School for three weeks, and on Monday the Laus were able to return to Baton Rouge to pick him up, Acierno said.
“Sam will recover and have a normal life,” Garber said.
Norine said she is thankful for all the hard work the Vet School provided to save Sam. Her family and even Sam’s brother, Teddy, are ecstatic to have him back home.
 
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Contact Kate Mabry at [email protected]