HBOT Treats Peritonitis in a Dog: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) – Buddy’s Peritonitis

Can hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) help treat peritonitis in dogs?

My regular readers know that I am a big proponent of alternative therapies, old and new. The potential for regenerative therapy excites me.

Our dogs received regenerative treatments in the past. I cannot say enough good things about it. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is one of the treatments that are on my radar. This story is based on a case study submitted to HVM. This is not a sponsored post.

HBOT Treats Peritonitis in a Dog: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) - Buddy's Peritonitis

What is peritonitis?

Peritonitis is an inflammation of the abdominal cavity lining. It is quite a painful condition. It is not something you want your dog to get. Potential causes include:

  • injuries/wounds
  • bacterial or chemical contamination
  • pancreatitis
  • ruptured bladder or gallbladder
  • liver abscess
  • and the like

The symptoms of peritonitis include:

  • fever
  • vomiting
  • severe abdominal pain
  • changes in heart rhythm and blood pressure
  • shock

Not a light matter at all and something one will pray to avoid. Conditions like this one are the reason why you don’t want to take any of the above symptoms lightly. Vomiting and signs of pain mean a trip to a veterinarian.

Buddy’s story

Buddy is a 5-year-old mixed breed. Lately, he was having some bad luck.

He came to a veterinarian with vomiting and abdominal pain. His parents didn’t waste time. Buddy had belly problems in the past. He swallowed things he shouldn’t have. As a result, he needed surgery. The surgeon had to remove some of Buddy’s intestines and reconnect the ends. The procedure is anastomosis.

Peritonitis is one of the potential complications of this surgery.

At the hospital, x-rays revealed very unhappy intestines. The veterinarian discovered extensive adhesions from previous surgeries. Part of Buddy’s bowel was suffering from lack of oxygen supply–ischemia.

Buddy would have to undergo another surgery and lose several feet of his intestine.

Buddy’s parents could not afford yet another surgery. They also worried about further complications. They were seeking other options.

Buddy’s veterinarian put together an alternative plan

He suggested treating Buddy with IV antibiotics and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. What were the hopes that this combo would fix Buddy’s belly while avoiding surgery? Guarded at best.

But Buddy’s parents decided to try it. They were waiting with bated breath. After a series of hyperbaric oxygen treatments, Buddy made a full recovery.

I don’t know what decision I would have made if Buddy were my dog. However, the lack of funds really left his parents with just one option. It did work out for Buddy, though.

Related articles:
Veterinary Highlights: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) Goes To The Dogs

Further reading:
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Case Studies
Dog Abdominal Cavity Inflammation – Dog Peritoneal Cavity

Categories: Alternative treatments • Conditions • Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) • Peritonitis

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Jana Rade

I am a graphic designer, dog health advocate, writer, and author. Jasmine, the Rottweiler of my life, was the largest female from her litter. We thought we were getting a healthy dog. Getting a puppy from a backyard breeder was our first mistake. Countless veterinary visits without a diagnosis or useful treatment later, I realized that I had to take Jasmine's health care in my own hands. I learned the hard way that merely seeing a vet is not always enough. There is more to finding a good vet than finding the closest clinic down the street. And, sadly, there is more to advocating for your dog's health than visiting a veterinarian. It should be enough, but it often is not. With Jasmine, it took five years to get a diagnosis. Unfortunately, other problems had snowballed for that in the meantime. Jasmine's health challenges became a crash course in understanding dog health issues and how to go about getting a proper diagnosis and treatment. I had to learn, and I had to learn fast. Helping others through my challenges and experience has become my mission and Jasmine's legacy. I now try to help people how to recognize and understand signs of illness in their dogs, how to work with their veterinarian, and when to seek a second opinion. My goal is to save others the steep curve of having to learn things the hard way as I did. That is the mission behind my blog and behind my writing. That is why I wrote Symptoms to Watch for in Your Dog, which has turned out being an award-winning guide to dog owners. What I'm trying to share encompasses 20 years of experience.

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