Tom’s Triumph: From Critical Wounds to Life at Home

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At L&L Animal Urgent Care, we rarely get to follow our patients through their full recovery. As an urgent care hospital, we’re typically part of the beginning of a pet’s healing journey, not the end. After stabilizing or addressing the immediate concern, we usually refer patients back to their regular veterinarian or a specialist for continued care and long-term follow-up. Because of that, we don’t often get to see how our patients do after they leave us, so when we do, it’s incredibly meaningful. That’s why Tom’s story is so special to us, and we’re honored to share it.  

Tom was a dedicated shop cat, spending his days roaming freely and keeping the mice away. One day he was found injured in the mechanic’s garage, likely the victim of a coyote attack. His injuries were extensive, extending from his chin to his shoulder, with large portions of deep tissue damage from his neck. Despite the severity of his wounds, Tom only trusted one person, now lovingly known as his dad, who was able to bring him home and begin the search for help.  

Through a veterinary Facebook group, Tom’s primary veterinarian connected his family with us at L&L. Although we’re not dedicated, surgical specialists, we offered to take on his care, knowing that immediate treatment was essential to the healing process. With our doctors’ background in wound management and experience in both emergency and general surgery, they felt encouraged that they could help start Tom on the path to recovery.  

Tom presented to us with a massive open wound, measuring approximately 14cm x 12cm, along with a flap of dead tissue and signs of Horner’s syndrome: a neurologic condition caused by trauma to the nerves in the neck.  

Tom underwent surgery to remove the dead tissue and close the wound. Unfortunately, due to the high-motion location and tension across the incision, the central portion of the sutures dehisced (pulled apart and reopened), which is not uncommon with wounds of this severity. With skin grafting not an option, his healing relied entirely on meticulous wound care, consistent treatment, and unwavering dedication from his family.

Over the next three months, Tom required bandage changes every 24–48 hours, along with a rotating combination of medical honey, topical antibiotics, antiseptics, and oral medications. His mom became an expert in custom headwrap bandaging, so much so that her wraps rivaled our own!

Six months later, Tom came back for a happy visit, and we were overjoyed to see him thriving. His wounds have fully healed, and while he still has a slight head tilt and unequal pupils from Horner’s syndrome, he’s pain-free and living a comfortable life in his forever home.  

Tom’s case was a special one for us. Seeing Tom months later, healed, comfortable, and well cared for, was a meaningful reminder of the impact timely intervention and dedicated follow-up can have. We are so grateful to his family for allowing us to be a part of his care and for everything they did to help him heal.