Further Adventures of Spot the Dog -- Spot Dodges a Bullet

Spot the Dog came home from the Beer-Sheva Animal Hospital yesterday. He had vomited almost continuously on Shavuot, eventually having dry heaves.  His vet, Dr. Marganit Yaffah, diagnosed an enlarged and partially blocked gall bladder that had to come out if Spot was to survive more than a few weeks. Spot's gall bladder was removed on Monday by a colleague and friend of Dr. Marganit, an Israeli veterinary surgeon who specializes in abdominal surgery. Dr. Marganit didn't tell us that there was a 40% mortality risk from the surgery, which was probably just as well. But that risk mostly applies if there has been leakage into the abdominal cavity or if peritonitis has developed. Fortunately, we caught Spot's condition early, so he had none of these complications.

Spot the Dog recuperates at home from gall bladder surgery. (Click photos for full-size images)

We were surprised at how perky he was at the hospital, and at home he shows almost no ill effects from the surgery and is back to eating and drinking without any problems. The recuperative powers of animals are quite impressive. It looks like Spot the Dog dodged a bullet.

Beer-Sheva Animal Hospital

Coming out of the hospital we encountered a sheep that had lost its way, with no Abu BoPeep in sight. The hospital is situated all alone on a hill near Tel Sheva, the real original site of the biblical Beer-Sheva, surrounded by acres and acres of fields empty of everything except wild flowers. Tel Sheva itself is just visible from the hospital in the distance.

The Beer-Sheva Animal Hospital at the top of a hill surrounded by fields and wadis.

In the early spring the fields are full of beautiful wild flowers with large blooms, but latter in the season those wild flowers give way to weedy wild flowers which still have their own rugged beauty.

Early spring wild flowers surround the animal hospital

Late Spring weedy flowers surround the animal hospital, seen in the distance at the top of the hill.

The hospital was originally built in 1973, according to a man I talked to at the CafeNeto this week. At one time research on veterinary health was conducted there, but I do not know if that continues today. Although some of the buildings are starting to show their age, especially the outdoor pens that are no longer used, the building is well maintained. The staff is extremely pleasant and helpful, and almost all of them speak English, some fluently, including Dr. Marganit herself. If you need anything more than routine veterinary care in the south of Israel, this is the place to go.

Beer-Sheva Veterinary Hospital on Google Earth