Otis is a ‘goofball’ with a gentle giant persona, a favourite teddy, and owners who are absolutely devoted to him. But when the two-year-old Great Dane suddenly became unwell, his owner Emma was naturally very worried.
Otis is Emma Sidey and her partner’s 66kg ‘baby.’ He’s so attached to them they’ve nicknamed him “the velcro dog.” Despite his size, Otis doesn’t know his own strength and has knocked Emma’s mum flying a couple of times!
In May 2024, Otis had a preventative surgery to prevent gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV), or bloat, a life-threatening condition for large breeds. During the operation, the vet also found and removed a toy squeaker from his stomach.
A Turn for the Worse
Otis was kept overnight for monitoring after the surgery because his abdominal wound was leaking. On Saturday, after returning home, he began vomiting and stopped eating, so Emma brought him back to the vet, who diagnosed him with the after-effects of anesthesia and prescribed anti-sickness medication.
But on Sunday morning, Otis collapsed. Emma rushed him to an emergency vet, who checked his temperature and performed an ultrasound, but everything appeared normal. They returned home, but it took five people to help Otis out of the car. He lay on the floor, giving Emma his paw for comfort—something he always does—and wouldn’t eat or drink.
A Video Call That Saved a Life
Frantic with worry, Emma booked a video call on the Agria app with vet Aimee Nudds. Aimee could tell from his rapid breathing that Otis’s heart rate was very high, suggesting a lot of pain. Seeing his whole demeanour, Aimee urged Emma to seek veterinary attention immediately. Since the local vet couldn’t come to them, Emma got six parents and neighbours to help lift Otis on a blanket into the back of her father’s van.
At the specialist vet, Otis’s temperature and heart rate were “through the roof!” After finding fluid in his abdomen, the vet operated. They warned Emma that Otis might not make it, so she and her partner gave him a big hug, told him how much they loved him, and let the surgical team get to work.
Three hours in, the vet found “a perforated gastric ulcer, one of the worst cases she’d ever seen.” His insides were being destroyed by stomach contents and acid, with necrosis of some tissue and lesions on multiple organs.
Despite the grim diagnosis, Emma and her partner weren’t ready to give up on him.
A Long Road to Recovery
Otis was transferred to another specialist center, where he underwent a further six hours of surgery. The veterinary team cut out the dead tissue and patched up the ulcer using viable intestinal tissue. Given a 50/50 chance of survival, Otis then spent a week in the ICU.
He has been slowly recovering at home since. It’s been tricky keeping him quiet as his energy returned, but seven weeks later, he’s back to exercising normally.
Emma says, “Agria has been brilliant and paid up to our policy limit of £15,000.” She’s also set up social media accounts so people can continue to see Otis thrive. You can follow him on Instagram and TikTok:
• Instagram: @oaty_biscuits_adventures
• TikTok: @great_dane_otis
As Otis continues to regain his strength and vitality, Emma and her partner are recovering from their traumatic experience too, and we wish them all the very best.
