Tuna Sandwich. (Images courtesy of UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine)

When Tuna Sandwich was found, she was in respiratory distress and had a visible inguinal hernia and a diaphragmatic hernia, which radiographs later confirmed. This female kitten was approximately 6 weeks old and was found abandoned not far from a Subway restaurant, from which she got her name. The person who found Tuna Sandwich brought her to the FieldHaven Feline Center, a non-profit animal welfare organization in Lincoln, California, where she was examined by Jennifer Yee, DVM, CPEV, medical director of Fieldhaven.

Veterinarians suspect that Tuna Sandwich’s inguinal and diaphragmatic hernias were caused by a traumatic injury, such as a fall or being struck by a car, a news report stated.

An inguinal hernia is characterized by a protrusion of the intestines through an opening in the groin. Additionally, a diaphragmatic hernia happens when there is a hole in the diaphragm that allows the abdominal organs like the stomach, intestines, or liver, to move into the chest cavity. The latter is caused by a birth defect or trauma, according to a UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine report.

“A diaphragmatic hernia is a severe condition where organs shift into the chest, putting dangerous pressure on the lungs and heart,” said Michael Mison, DVM, DACVS, chief veterinary medical officer of UC Davis veterinary hospital in the report.

 “Timely surgical repair is essential to restore normal breathing, protect vital organs, and give Tuna Sandwich the best chance at a healthy, happy life.”

X-ray of Tuna Sandwich's several displaced organs. 

Given Tuna Sandwich’s critical condition, she was granted an emergency referral to UC Davis’ veterinary hospital’s Soft Tissue Surgery Service. There, Karen Vernau, DVM, DACVIM (Neurology), faculty advisor for the school’s Orphan Kitten Project, and member of the feline pediatric services team led the primary care of the case. Vernau also worked with Mison and Alex Aubrecht, DVM, a surgical resident.

The normal order of a feline's internal organs.

The positioning of Tuna Sandwich's organs in their herniated state.

After additional imaging, the team discovered that Tuna Sandwich’s stomach, liver/gall bladder, omentum, small intestines, and spleen were all shifted into her chest instead of being positioned behind her diaphragm in her abdomen. These displaced organs were putting pressure on her lungs, causing the respiratory distress.

One challenge that the team encountered was Tuna Sandwich’s size. Weighing at less than 1 lb, her small size put her at an increased risk for anesthesia and surgery complications. However, “waiting until she was larger wasn’t an option,” explained Aubrecht.

 Due to the severity of her condition, Tuna Sandwich underwent immediate surgery, with Mison and Aubrecht repairing the two hernias.

After the surgery, Tuna Sandwich successfully recovered. However, because of her petite frame, she was kept in an incubator overnight to prevent hypothermia.

Aubrecht attributes the success of Tuna Sandwich’s surgery to the entire team’s effort, according to UC Davis.

“Every individual involved played a vital role in Tuna Sandwich’s successful outcome, and it is a true testament to the dedication and skill of the entire team,” he said.

“Our exceptional surgery and operating room technicians worked swiftly and efficiently to prepare her and the necessary equipment. The anesthesia team managed her most significant perioperative challenges, ensuring stability, warmth, and prompt responses to anesthetic concerns,” he continued.

After one night of hospitalization at the UC Davis Veterinary Hospital, Tuna Sandwich was discharged and landed back in the care of Fieldhaven. “As this was a medical rescue, I decided to take on the fostering responsibilities once Tuna Sandwich returned to Fieldhaven,” said Yee.

Tuna Sandwich in the hospital's incubator.

The kitten needed to remain inactive for several days following surgery. Once she was given green light to resume activity, Tuna Sandwich embraced her newfound freedom, UC Davis wrote.

We are all so delighted with her remarkable recovery after such a challenging beginning,” said Aubrecht in the report.

“She’s one of those cats that has the spirit of loving life in her,” said Yee.

 “She wants to explore everything, and nothing—not even her condition and surgery—was going to stop her.”

With time, Tuna Sandwich’s stamina improved. Her gait also improved compared to before the surgery. According to Yee, the inguinal hernia had likely limited the range of motion in her hips.

A month later, Tuna sandwich is leading a healthy kitten life as Yee continues fostering her. In early to mid-December, Tuna Sandwich may be ready for adoption, shared Yee in the report.

Warren R. Emergency surgery saves abandoned kitten. University of California. November 26, 2024. Accessed December 3, 2024. 

https://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/news/emergency-surgery-saves-abandoned-kitten

FieldHaven Feline Center offers innovative solutions for cats in need. FieldHaven Feline Center. Accessed December 3, 2024. 

Articles

A 6-week-old abandoned kitten had both an inguinal and diaphragmatic hernia

Hernia displaces kitten’s organs, emergency surgery saves her life

Weston Beamon, DVM (right), comforts goldendoodle Maple after a successful surgery to repair 2 broken femurs in her hind legs. Third-year DVM student William Greer, third year veterinary student, and Ashlee Reed, CVT, assist in stabilizing Maple post-surgery. (Photo by Tom Thompson)

When Dylan McCay and fiancé Emily Roberts saw a post online about a 10-month-old puppy who was hit by a car and then left stranded in Conway Arkansas, they needed to help. The puppy had suffered from fractures in both her hind leg femurs and they were exposed, one completely covered in mud The engaged couple quickly got in their car and drove to help the abandoned puppy, deciding on the way that they would use the money they saved for their wedding fund, and their personal savings, to help the injured dog, who they began calling Acklin because she was found on Acklin Road.

Originally worried the pain would make the puppy aggressive, McCay shortly discovered it was in fact the opposite.

“Her temperament was wonderful. I had my hazard lights on, got out and she was trying to scoot over toward me,” McCay said, in an organizational release.

“She put her head on my lap as I’m trying to call emergency hospitals. The whole time, she’s just wanted to be loved on.”

McCay loaded the goldendoodle puppy into the car and rushed her to the Greenbrier Animal Hospital in Conway where the severity of the injuries were quickly noticed by Eric Schrand, DVM, a 2022 Mississippi State University (MSU) College of Veterinary Medicine graduate. The team at the hospital was unsuccessful in getting the puppy admitted to surgeons in Little Rock, Arkansas and Memphis, Tennessee, leading them to urge the couple to bring her 330 miles to MSU.

Schrand had called Michael Jaffe, DVM, MS, CCRP, DACVS, MSU College of Veterinary Medicine chief of small animal surgery, and second year surgical resident Weston Beamon, DVM, who at first suggested amputation due to the open wounds and possibility of infection. However, the duo would go on to perform a 5-hour surgery to save both legs, and were successful after piecing the legs back together with 5 screws, 2 pins, and one bone plate in each leg.

“She was walking on both legs two days after surgery,” Jaffe said. “She’s a tough little girl. She’s getting stronger now and building that muscle back. She’s got a long way to go, but she’s going to do it.”

Maple reunited with her new owners. From left Michael Jaffe, DVM, MS, CCRP, DACVS, MSU College of Veterinary Medicine chief of small animal surgery, Dylan McCay, Maple, Emily Roberts, Greer, and Alex Chu, DVM (Image courtesy of Amelia Andersson) 

During her time at MSU, at least 30 veterinary professionals managed her care, including students, emergency room staff, radiologists, anesthesia team, physical therapists, technicians, and of course surgeons. Throughout her stay, the couple who rescued her received updates from the team at MSU for updates, making the process easier for them as well. The couple was shocked to find out that after all that the puppy they rescued went through, she will go on to live a normal healthy life. 

McCay and Roberts had to put their wedding planning on hold after funding for the puppy’s, now known as Maple, care. Their plan is to get married in 2026 and set up a GoFundMe to help offset the costs of Maple’s procedure.

“It’s been unbelievable, and we feel really blessed,” Roberts said. “We’re in a constant state of shock and very thankful. It’s beautiful to see that people care about our story and love Maple just as much as we do.”

After 3 weeks of rehabilitation, McCay and Roberts reunited with Maple to bring her to her forever home.

MSU veterinarians save puppy’s legs after Arkansas couple spends wedding funds for surgery. News release. Mississippi State University. November 25, 2024. Accessed December 3, 2024. https://www.msstate.edu/newsroom/article/2024/11/msu-veterinarians-save-puppys-legs-after-arkansas-couple-spends-wedding

A 10-month-old goldendoodle puppy was able to keep both her legs thanks to the team at MSU, and a couple who drained their wedding fund to pay for her care

Mississippi State University veterinary team saves puppy’s legs

Mark J. Acierno, DVM, MBA, DACVIM, talks about treatment for struvite stones in dogs, and the science behind these uroliths

Treating struvite stones

 delivers expert-led veterinary continuing education on your schedule. With 

, you can access top-tier sessions anytime, anywhere—whether at home, in the clinic, or on the go. Ready to earn CE credits? Watch this session and more on 

What causes struvite stones in dogs and why can managing these stones be challenging? In an interview with 

, Mark J. Acierno, DVM, MBA, DACVIM, professor and associate dean at Midwestern University, shared key aspects from his lecture “Canine Uroliths,” presented earlier this fall at the Fetch dvm360 conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey. He explained that struvite stones in dogs are almost always linked to urinary tract infections caused by urease-producing bacteria. When these stones are dissolved, bacteria trapped within the stones are released into the bladder. When treating struvite stones, Acierno explained, antibiotics should be utilized throughout the entire dissolution process and the patient’s pH levels should be regularly checked. In the interview, Acierno also shared additional management strategies.

So, for struvite, you know, in dogs, unlike cats, struvites are almost always associated with a urinary tract infection, and almost all those urinary tract infections are produced by urease-producing bacteria, which means E coli is not the culprit.

And so, the management strategy for dealing with struvite crystals is to clear the infection. Now, if we already have stones, we can cure the infection and then try to reduce the stones using a stone-dissolving diet. In dogs, it's a really long haul. It can be months, 6 months, maybe even longer in order to dissolve those stones.

With cats, we have a little bit of a different thing. Cats, you know, you can dissolve those stones in a matter of 15 or 20 days, and they're not generally associated with infections. And so, you know, dissolving them in cats is pretty much simple, but dissolving them in dogs takes long periods of time.

Videos

Mark J. Acierno, DVM, MBA, DACVIM, talks about treatment for struvite stones in dogs, and the science behind this urolith formation

With a mission to bridge the gap in veterinary care for Indigenous communities in Australia, Bindee Davis BSc (Veterinary Bioscience), Cert IV (Veterinary Nursing) founded the Rural Vet Mob to provide culturally respectful veterinary services and educational programs designed to empower and support Indigenous communities.

Davis, a proud Ngan'gikurunggurr and KuKu Yalanji woman who lives in South Australia, had worked as a veterinary nurse in a variety of veterinary practices, but was drawn to working with remote communities on country, as a means of giving back to the communities which helped shape her.

Bindee Davis BSc (Veterinary Bioscience), Cert IV (Veterinary Nursing) (Image courtesy of The Rural Vet Mob)

“Now that The Rural Vet Mob has launched, knowing I have done this makes me very happy and content that I can live my passion and my fire is always lit so I can deliver these programs to all the communities,” explained Davis exclusively to 

“The service that we provide is much needed in remote and rural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities due to the distance of travel to get the nearest veterinary clinic or lack of veterinary services out there to provide to these areas. These communities deserve the veterinary services as much as anyone else that has animals in their lives.”

Davis is also currently studying for her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree, and is excited by the opportunities ahead once she graduates and can bolster the veterinary expertise her charity will be able to deliver.

The Rural Vet Mob has only been running a few months, and Davis and her team have already clocked up thousands of kilometers on the road.

Minindi Pipinias RVN, Certificate IV, and I completed a trip to the community of Yalata in remote South Australia at the eastern end of the Nullarbor Plain, and it was great to get there and build connections,” said Bindee.

“My goal has been for The Rural Vet Mob to be an Indigenous-led program providing veterinary services to Indigenous communities, this is really important to me so community members can feel safe, trust me, [and] not feel shame or judged when we visit them. I also want to be a role model for the younger Indigenous generation in the communities too.”

Cognizant of the One Health foundations of her work, prior to setting up The Rural Vet Mob, last year Davis had collaborated with Animal Management in Rural and Remote Indigenous Communities, a national not-for-profit organization, to undertake research into the bactericidal efficacy of a 2% glutaraldehyde solution for instrument sterilization used during the pet desexing programs in the remote Indigenous communities, and she plans to publish a paper on the topic.

Bindee and Minindi Pipinias RVN, Certificate IV, collecting dogs for surgery

According to Davis, The Rural Vet Mob aims to work with Indigenous communities through a holistic approach, recognizing the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health.

“By focusing on this comprehensive One Health framework, we strive to improve the quality of life for both people and their pets, fostering happier and healthier communities,” shared Davis.

“Working on country with community members is my passion, my jam. And I’m at my happiest when I’m out there, doing what I do best.”

VetCheck’s improving compliance with standards of care

During her career working in veterinary practice, the pharmaceutical industry and with a veterinary registration board, Amanda Chin, BVSc, noticed a recurring issue with challenges around compliance with standards of care and effective pet owner education—so she developed VetCheck, an innovative advanced digital workflow and document management platform to help veterinarians.

“I’d noticed that gaps in standards of care and patient education often led to misunderstandings, reduced patient outcomes, and client dissatisfaction. I realized a digital tool could bridge this gap by helping clinics better implement care standards and provide clear, expert-backed education to pet owners—which would benefit veterinary teams, improve client compliance, and support the broader veterinary community,” explained Chin to 

“VetCheck is a complementary add-on to Practice Management Systems (PMS) like Avimark, Pulse, RxWorks, or EzyVet, enhancing rather than replacing them. While a PMS efficiently manages client and patient records, VetCheck is purpose-built to equip veterinary teams with tools for implementing specific standards of care—such as surgical protocols, comprehensive skin diagnostics, and routine monitoring like blood pressure tracking. This integration fills in workflow gaps, enabling practices to deliver consistent, high-quality patient care beyond standard PMS functionalities.”

The VetCheck platform features a user-friendly interface that streamlines operations and improves client communication, along with integrated digital anesthesia and dental charting, and secure e-signature forms.

“The platform was developed with feedback from veterinary professionals to address the need for greater efficiency and quality of care. VetCheck transforms paperwork into digital documents that autofill with patient details and write back to the patient history in real time. It can be accessed on any desktop or tablet device, giving teams the accessibility and flexibility they need,” said Chin.

Amanda Chin, BVSc (Image courtesy of VetCheck)

“It standardizes care protocols, provides professional client education, and automates workflows, enabling veterinarians to focus more on patient care while keeping their practice organized and efficient.”

Chin explained that a common scenario in VetCheck that can help clinic workflows is when a pet arrives to the practice for surgery. VetCheck automates consent forms so that they are signed before the client arrives and tailors in-patient charts with standards of care templates.

“VetCheck is designed to fit naturally into a busy veterinary clinic's workflow, helping staff provide a higher standard of care with greater efficiency, and other examples of its benefits might be during a skin workup or other complex case, it supports structured checklists, step-by-step guides, and documentation that auto-updates the patient history,” shared Chin.

“Time-poor veterinary teams conveniently access these tools straight from the PMS with a copy writing back to the patient history in realtime. VetCheck empowers practices by supporting the entire clinical process—from admission to discharge and between visits. Its intuitive interface ensures teams can get up and running quickly, without the lengthy training typical of veterinary software.”

VetCheck also features an extensive library of more than 2000 educational resources which are branded for the veterinary clinic, including tools that can automate client communication and education.

“These programs can be triggered once, delivering branded, timed messages on specific care journeys—such as puppy or kitten wellness, weight management, or chronic care for conditions like osteoarthritis. By sending ongoing updates directly to pet owners, these programs ensure consistent client education, improve compliance, and support better patient outcomes, reinforcing the clinic’s expertise and commitment to high standards of pet care,” said Chin.

“We’re also working on platform updates including deeper integration with practice management systems, advanced client engagement tools, and real-time smart summaries that automatically compile health questionnaires, treatment, and dental charts into patient records,” she concluded.

Updates on the charity enhancing the welfare of pets in remote Indigenous communities; and learn about how VetCheck is enhancing compliance with standards of care for veterinary clinics

Veterinary scene down under: Meet the Rural Vet Mob, plus the new platform improving standards of care 

The Mars Wodonga Solar Thermal Plant, a pet food manufacturing facility in Wodonga, Australia, will be the first major steam-powered manufacturing facility in the country to implement a 100% renewable energy solution for electricity and process steam within the next 2 years, the company announced in a public statement.

 The initiative, which was inspired by Mars’ “net zero emissions by 2050” commitment, will require a $39.9 million investment.

The company’s transition to net zero emissions will include the installation of an 18-megawatt parabolic trough concentrated solar thermal (CST) plant that will be able to store thermal energy for up to 10 hours to cook pet food. With a $17.2 million grant from the Australian Government through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), the project will be the country's first commercial deployment of parabolic trough CST technology, according to a news release.

“We are incredibly proud to announce that Mars will be the first manufacturing facility of its kind in Australia to deploy a 100% renewable energy solution within 2 years,” Craig Sargeant, general manager of Mars Petcare Australia and New Zealand, said the release.

 “Decarbonizing site-based process heat, coupled with Mars Australia’s 100% renewable electricity use, is a significant achievement that not only reflects our ongoing commitment to sustainability but also positions our Wodonga facility as a leader in green process heat manufacturing on a national scale.”

Powering veterinary medicine with renewable electricity

“Investing in renewable energy technologies like CST is critical to decarbonizing industrial processes, particularly in sectors that heavily rely on gas for steam-based manufacturing,” said Sargeant.

 “CST offers a powerful solution by capturing and storing solar energy in the form of high temperature heat, for use at any time, making it an ideal fit for our steam-based manufacturing needs.”

The project also expands on Mars' use of Electric Thermal Energy Storage (eTES) technology. This technology enables the facility to use low-cost, grid-connected renewable electricity during off-peak hours to generate and store heat. This stored heat can then be used to produce steam at any time of the 24-hour day. The eTES system, developed with support from the Australian government agency Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), offers a cost-effective and renewable alternative to gas, according to the company.

Additionally, Mars has a partnership with the Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG) to purchase Renewable Gas Guarantee of Origin certificates at Hydrogen Park Murray Valley. The agreement to purchase hydrogen from AGIG will further support the company’s transition to renewable energy, as this clean energy source generates only water when consumed in a fuel cell.

 “This arrangement will displace over 10% of Mars Australia’s total gas consumption,” including Mars Petcare Wodonga, wrote the company in its statement.

Combined with Mars Australia’s current 100% renewable electricity agreement, the use of CST and eTES systems, along with the AGIG hydrogen purchase, will help the Wodonga facility employ a 100% renewable energy solution by 2026. This solution will be part of the company’s global commitment to 100% renewable energy for site-based operations by 2040.

“Earlier this year, Mars globally announced that since 2015, GHG emissions in the company’s value chain have been reduced by 16% or 5.7 million metric tons. This project further contributes to Mars Net Zero Roadmap target to reduce emissions globally by 50% by the end of 2030, which we're on track to achieve," said Sargeant in the release.

The Wodonga facility, which manufactures the Pedigree and Whiskas pet food, has been in use for more than 50 years.

 “We are part of the fabric of the local community, supporting jobs and investment in regional Victoria. Wodonga is at the heart of that journey, and today’s announcement is a major step forward in supporting both regional investment and Australia’s clean energy future,” Sargeant continued.

According to the company, Mars is collaborating with other local businesses and government organizations as part of a larger initiative to create a renewable energy hub in northeast Victoria for future generations.

Mars Wodonga to be Australia’s first large-scale steam-based manufacturing site to deploy a 100% renewable energy solution by 2026 with new solar thermal plant. News release. Mars, Incorporated. October 29, 2024. Accessed December 2, 2024. 

https://www.mars.com/news-and-stories/press-releases-statements/mars-wodonga-australia-solar-thermal-plant#:~:text=Wodonga%20(October%2029%2C%202024),manufacturing%20site%20in%20Australia%20to

Hydrogen fuel basics. U.S. Department of Energy. Accessed December 2, 2024. 

https://www.energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/hydrogen-fuel-basics

Mars Petcare’s Wodonga site will implement a fully renewable energy system for both electricity and steam production by 2026

Pet food manufacturing facility will become Australia’s first 100% renewable steam plant

Happy Monday dvm360 readers! For those of you in the United States, we hope that you had a great weekend celebrating Thanksgiving with your friends, family, and fur babies! At the end of this week, the dvm360 team, our amazing faculty, and veterinary professionals from across the country will head to Long Beach, California for our final Fetch conference of 2024. It is still not too late to come join the fun, so learn more and register 

Besides our upcoming conference coverage, here is what you can find this week on dvm360.com:

The Securities and Exchange Commission announced that it has settled with Elanco Animal Health for $15 million after the company allegedly mislead its investors from the first quarter of 2019 to the first quarter of 2020.

In an exclusive interview with dvm360 at the 2024 Fetch Coastal conference, Adesola Odunayo, DVM, MS, DACVECC, explained the difference between traumatic and nontraumatic causes of hemoabdomen.

Mississippi State University recently shared how its veterinarians saved the leg of a 10-month-old goldendoodle puppy who was hit by a car and left stranded on the side of the road in Conway, Arkansas, and how one couple gave up their wedding fund to help the injured puppy.

On this week’s episode of The Vet Blast Podcast presented by dvm360, 

, one of dvm360’s 2024 Veterinary Heroes, joins our host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, to discuss red flags and allergy mimickers in veterinary dermatology.

Mars, Incorporated’s Wodgonga pet food manufacturing facility, which produces PEDIGREE and WHISKAS, will become Australia’s first large-scale steam-based manufacturing site in Australia. The facility will deploy 100% renewable energy solution for both electricity and process steam in the next 2 years.

Here is a sneak peek of this week’s headlines 