At the end of December 2024, as Bacchus the greyhound went on a walk with his seven greyhound brothers and sisters, the unthinkable happened. Three other dogs viciously attacked the greyhounds, injuring nearly all of them. Ten-year-old Bacchus got the worst of it. Within a few days, his veterinarian referred him to the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine for specialized wound care.
Remarkably, this story has a happy ending. However, over the 57 days that Bacchus spent in the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, a happy ending sometimes seemed unlikely. This is the story of a determined medical team, a dedicated owner, and a lovable dog with a tremendous will to live.
Assessment and Plan
Bacchus arrived in very critical condition. He had wounds all over his body: on most of his back, the side of his chest, the top of his right hip, and his inner thigh as well as several lacerations in his back right leg. As if that wasn’t enough, Bacchus was battling aspiration pneumonia, an infection caused by inhaling something other than air into the lungs.
“His mentation (mental activity) was very dull,” recalls Rachel Dorney, a certified veterinary technician who was part of Bacchus’s care team. “He was weak and not walking. We were worried about his recovery.”
The initial plan included open wound management by the hospital’s soft tissue surgery service while the critical care service tended to the overall care of Bacchus. The wound management required Bacchus to be anesthetized while his wounds were cleaned and large bandages were placed over the ones on his leg and chest.
“After about 1 week of wound management, things progressed poorly,” says Dr. Violet Rettmer, a veterinary surgical intern. “I would say that there was a period of time I would have classified Bacchus’s prognosis as poor. This was not necessarily due to the wounds themselves but to the negative impact of the wounds on his entire body.”
Daily Treatment, Supportive Care
Initially Bacchus was put under anesthesia daily to every other day for the open wound management,
“In the end, Bacchus went through ten sedated events for wound care, one surgery to repair injuries to his urinary system and abdomen, and more bandage changes that I can count,” says Dorney.
In addition to wound management, he received oxygen therapy, fluid therapy, plasma therapy, antibiotics, pain management, urinary catheter care, and venous catheter care. Because he was having difficulty regulating his blood pressure and had episodes of a too-fast heart rate, his blood pressure and heart function were constantly monitored.
At first Bacchus could not eat on his own. A small rubber tube called an esophagostomy tube was surgically placed in his esophagus so he could be fed.
“If there was a tube to put in a dog, Bacchus probably had it at some point!” says Dr. Laura Marti, a veterinarian pursuing a residency in small animal surgery.
“He required a ton of supportive care,” she recalls. “Bony greyhounds love to develop pressure sores, so we were constantly battling this with bedding and flipping his position before he could walk independently.”
Sometimes, even though his wounds appeared to be healing well, Bacchus would have moments when he seemed dull, with reduced responsiveness. Dr. Rettmer says these likely related to the overall stressors to his system.
“The systemic changes would cause things such as low proteins, loss of skin barrier, and the need for appropriate pain management. It was hard to manage these conditions while also coordinating the extensive daily wound management,” says Dr. Rettmer.
Transitioning to Rehab
As the greyhound became more stable, his team gradually reduced the tube feedings, continued recumbency (lying down) care, management of pain, fluid therapy, and heavy monitoring.
Care eventually incorporated rehabilitation, facilitated by Kim Knap in the hospital’s rehabilitation service.
“We did a lot of passive range of motion exercises and massage,” explains Dr. Marti. “Bacchus needed slings and harnesses to walk for quite some time, but once he was a bit stronger, we transitioned to ‘Bacchie Walkies’ around the hospital to help him build strength.”
Dr. Marti recalls a surprising moment during this period.
“Bacchus relied on a harness to get up and around for quite some time. Then one morning, he just hopped up on his own and walked out of his kennel without a care in the world. Meanwhile, the [veterinary] students and I had our jaws on the ground because we had essentially been carrying around this same dog just a few days prior. It was like he had woken up that morning and decided he would walk on his own.”
By the time Bacchus left, he was down to bandage changes every few days, a physical examination (general check up) in the morning and evening, and feedings—his favorite part. He did not need any medications by the time he went home.
The Resilient Greyhound
Both Dorney and Dr. Marti agree that Bacchus showed amazing spirit as a patient.
“He was so nonchalant about the entire situation,” says Dr. Marti. “I’ve had patients so stressed out by their illness and the hospital environment that it hampers their recovery. Bacchus simply just did not care. If there was food, attention, or a full bowl of water involved, he was all in.”
“Greyhounds are fragile beings already, but his determination and will to live was more than any of us had prepared for considering how unstable he was briefly,” says Dorney.
“Also, once he was feeling more himself, Bacchus turned out to be a goofy dog who loved to lounge around with people, wasn’t afraid to play dress up, and just wanted walkies and snacks. We couldn’t have asked for a better patient.”
When Bacchus left the hospital to go home on February 21, 2025, dozens of students, veterinarians, technicians, and staff who had got to know him during his stay lined the pathway to his car to cheer him on.
Bacchus is continuing to do well at home.