Pet owners statewide celebrate medical miracles at MSU
EAST LANSING, Mich. - As they frantically drove to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at Michigan State University, Karmen Hollis-Etter and Dwayne Etter could only hope veterinarians could save their beagle, Lily, who had impaled herself last year on a large stick while hunting rabbits in southwest Michigan.
(Media-Newswire.com) - EAST LANSING, Mich. — As they frantically drove to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at Michigan State University, Karmen Hollis-Etter and Dwayne Etter could only hope veterinarians could save their beagle, Lily, who had impaled herself last year on a large stick while hunting rabbits in southwest Michigan.
After surviving the trek and emergency surgery at MSU, Lily fully recovered and now will join about 50 other pets being honored March 20 at the College of Veterinary Medicine's "Celebration of Life" event.
The annual celebration honors pets - along with their owners and veterinarians - who faced overwhelming medical odds. Besides Lily, other recipients include animals who survived cancer, gunshot wounds and vehicle collisions.
"The event is a chance for the hospital to honor pets who are considered medical miracles," said veterinary student Bianca Buffa, who is coordinating the event this year. "The event showcases the amazing work being done by the veterinarians and staff at our hospital."
Pets, owners and veterinarians from across the state will be attending the event, featuring testimonials from several owners. It runs from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. March 20 in the college's Oncology Center, east of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital on Wilson Road west of Bogue Street.
For Karmen Hollis-Etter, the experience working with MSU veterinarian David Allman and the hospital staff resulted in nothing short of a miracle.
"We were very lucky that the stick didn't puncture any major organs, but we know that without the hard work and experience of Dr. Allman and others at MSU, Lily would not have made it," she said.
Also as part of the celebration, PurinaCare Insurance Services has created an annual financial award for an MSU veterinary student and will present the award during the event. One of the pets being honored, a dog named Katie, underwent several abdominal surgeries, totaling an $18,000 bill, of which PurinaCare Insurance Services covered 80 percent.
MSU's Veterinary Teaching Hospital is one of the region's busiest facilities. Staffed by nearly 90 veterinary faculty, residents and interns, the hospital averages more than 22,000 cases a year. For additional information, visit the Web at http://cvmstudent.cvm.msu.edu/col.
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Michigan State University has been advancing knowledge and transforming lives through innovative teaching, research and outreach for more than 150 years. MSU is known internationally as a major public university with global reach and extraordinary impact. Its 17 degree-granting colleges attract scholars worldwide who are interested in combining education with practical problem solving.
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