Feature Case: Brock the Pit Bull – Memphis Area Pets

Posted 06.10.15 by Emily Lindsey

Name: Brock

Species: Canine

Age: 10 years

Weight: 87 pounds

People who know me describe me as… Super sweet and loving!

On May 12th of this year, Brock’s owner brought him into The Pet Hospitals to see Dr. Karen Gant for his yearly check up, vaccinations, and blood work.

Everything seemed rather normal, but Brock’s dad was worried by the increasing size of his abdomen. Brock’s belly was too tight for Dr. Gant to examine. This led Brock’s dad and Dr. Gant to decide to some x-ray’s of his abdomen should be taken in the near future.

Once the blood work was returned, a mild anemia and an elevated protein level were revealed. Dr. Gant recommended they go ahead and take x-rays immediately to be sure there wasn’t any type of abdominal mass present. 

Brock’s radiographs did show a mass that was displacing his intestines and colon. An ultrasound followed, revealing the mass to be on his spleen.

Surgery was scheduled for the next day, just 8 days after the routine wellness visit.

Brock’s spleen was surgically removed and a 9 pound tumor was found within.

His recovery after surgery has been thankfully uneventful, and after testing, it turns out the mass is benign! Everyone is thrilled about that.

This family is thankful for such a happy ending to an unfortunate story. They just were not ready to let their hero go.

Hero? What makes this guy a hero?

He is a hero, alright! You see, Brock urgently awoke his parents and saved his human sister’s life when she was a baby!

This was their turn to save his.

Never underestimate the power of a good ‘wellness’ check up! If signs and symptoms are found early, there is a greater chance that your pets life can be saved!

Here’s to many more years of snuggles and shenanigans for Brock and his little siblings.