FORT EUSTIS, Va. (June 4, 2009) -- The death of Marley in John Grogan's novel and the movie based on the novel "Marley & Me" was a sad ending to a lovable and mischievous Labrador Retriever. The same fate could have recently come to a gentle-spirited Belgium Tervuren by the name of Paco if it hadn't been for the swift thinking and expert skills of his handler and Army veterinarians.
April 8 started off like any other normal working day. Paco and his handler, Navy Petty Officer Third Class Lisette Latorre, were conducting vehicle inspections at Gate 1 of Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek where the team is assigned to the NABLC Kennel Military Working Dog Unit.
Around 8:30 a.m., Latorre said she noticed Paco acting strangely. He didn't want to lie down on command, he was acting sluggish and, then, he tried to vomit but couldn't.
Latorre said she thought Paco might have just caught a virus, but when she was bringing him back to the kennels, his stomach began to swell. She knew then that Paco was suffering from Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus or bloat.
Bloat is a condition mainly found in larger breeds of dogs with deep chests, such as Labrador Retrievers like Marley and Belgium Tervurens like Paco. The stomach expands with air, gas, food and/or water and then turns. Once the stomach is twisted, it cuts off the esophagus and the lower intestines, preventing relief by vomiting. When this happens, blood flow is slowed, toxins build up in the body, the stomach could rupture; a combination recipe for death if not treated and treated quickly.
According to Maj. Carrie Benton, chief, Mid-Atlantic District Veterinary Command, Norfolk Branch, bloat can start and cause death within a matter of hours and is a common cause of death in MWDs. She said if hadn't been for Latorre quickly recognizing the signs of the condition, Paco might not be alive today.
"(MWD) Handlers are trained in what to do in cases of bloat," said Benton.
Even though the cause of the condition is not quite known, according to Benton, it is thought that bloat can be brought on by stress, aggressive exercise, and eating or drinking large amounts too quickly. Tell-tale signs of bloat include lethargy, retching with no results, discomfort in lying down and expansion of the stomach.
When Latorre put all the signs Paco was exhibiting together and realized it was bloat, she immediately started toward Norfolk Naval Station where Benton and her staff are located. On the way, Latorre had another handler at the NABLC kennels call the clinic to notify the veterinarians of Paco's situation and impending arrival.
Latorre said when she reached the clinic, Benton and her staff were prepared and waiting. They had the operating room and table ready with IVs, gauze and other medical equipment that would be needed to save Paco's life.
In Benton's two years as the chief of the Norfolk Branch clinic, Paco was her fourth case of bloat in MWDs. Drawing from her previous experience with similar cases, she immediately began treating Paco by inserting a trocar, a hollow cylinder with a sharp point, in his left side to release air and gas from the stomach. After putting Paco under anesthesia, the veterinarians operated on Paco by opening his abdomen to turn the stomach to its correct anatomical position. A gastropexy, surgically attaching the stomach to the abdominal wall, was then performed to prevent future twisting of the stomach.
Latorre was present throughout the operation, even helping Benton and her team with the procedure by holding Paco and giving the necessary surgical equipment to the veterinarians. And, when Paco was kept at the clinic that night for observation, Latorre stayed with him.
"I didn't want to leave his (Paco's) side," Latorre said.
The next day, Paco was taken back to the NABLC kennels where he spent the next two weeks resting and recovery from the surgery. For the first week, the three handlers at the kennels rotated nights so Paco wouldn't be left alone.
Once he was strong enough, Latorre brought him slowly back to full duty by building his endurance up with increasing exercise time a little each day. Paco returned to duty April 20, and, according to Latorre, is doing great. She said she is grateful for Benton and her staff's professionalism and expert skills that saved her partner's life.
Paco, a three-time veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, will turn 10 years old this month. With his older age come health issues, such as hip dysplasia, which removed him from detection activities to strictly patrol duties. Paco will retire soon from his days as a MWD, and when he does, Latorre said she will be right there to adopt him into her home as a member of the family.
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