Piper was rushed to Animal Emergency & Specialty Hospital of Grand Rapids after her family found her standing at their back door with a severe abdominal injury. Her intestines were exposed, though how she had sustained such a serious wound remained a mystery. Her owners did exactly the right thing—gently wrapping her in a clean towel to protect the exposed tissue and heading straight to the hospital.

While en route, Piper’s family called our team, allowing us to prepare for her arrival. The moment she came through our doors, we recognized she was in critical condition. Piper was pale, collapsed, and in shock due to the displacement of her abdominal organs. Our team moved quickly, administering pain relief and starting IV fluids to stabilize her, followed by emergency anesthesia so we could begin life-saving surgery.

As soon as Piper was anesthetized, we gently turned her over and carefully began returning her organs to her abdomen through a 5-centimeter wound in her left flank. We thought she was almost out of danger, when suddenly, Piper’s heart stopped.

Our RECOVER-certified team immediately began CPR. Chest compressions and assisted breathing were initiated while her family anxiously waited for updates. They were updated that the initial surgery to reposition her organs had been successful, but that Piper was now undergoing resuscitation.

While CPR continued, Dr. Marilyn Brink proceeded with closing Piper’s abdominal wound. It was during this intense moment that Dr. Brink recognized a familiar face, Piper’s owner, Becky, was an old friend from childhood. They had gone to school together from kindergarten through high school, and it had been 25 years since they had last seen one another. Though the reunion was bittersweet, it brought a moment of connection and hope during a difficult time.

After several tense minutes of CPR, the team saw a positive rhythm return on the ECG, and Piper’s heart was beating again. While this was a huge milestone, the team knew the next hurdle was just as critical: would Piper wake up?

The hours following CPR are crucial. Lack of oxygen during cardiac arrest can sometimes result in brain injury, and Piper’s nurses stayed by her side, providing oxygen, fluids, heat support, and careful monitoring.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Piper lifted her head and looked around the room. The sense of relief was overwhelming. She recognized her caregivers and, soon after, was able to reunite with her incredibly relieved family.

Later that same night, Piper underwent a second surgery to fully assess and repair any internal damage. Several inches of her small intestine needed to be removed, but the rest of her organs were healthy. She recovered well and spent the next few days resting and healing in our hospital.

Piper was discharged from the hospital 36 hours later. After 10 days following her surgery, Piper returned to AESH to see Dr. Brink for suture removal. Her fur had not grown back yet, but her skin had healed up beautifully. We were all so excited to see Piper bouncing around like nothing had ever happened!

A Note from Our Team

Cases like Piper’s remind us why we do what we do. Veterinary emergency medicine is unpredictable and often emotional—but with a skilled team, quick action, and a bit of hope, we can give our patients a fighting chance. Piper's strength—and her family’s calm, loving care—played a huge role in her recovery.

We’re honored to be part of her journey.

Marilyn Brink, DVM

Medical Director, Animal Emergency & Specialty Hospital