Tuesday, February 19, 2013

1298. The "lau hong" Scottish Terrier

Since adoption in Nov 2011, this Scottish Terrier of 2 years 4 months, male dog had been farting almost daily. I reviewed his case records as he had been to see us for 7 times. The first time was Nov 2011 when he had vomited. In April 2012 he vomited and in Feb 2013 I was the vet attending to his vomiting again.  This dog was described as a "habitual scavenger" by my associate. He would eat any food, eat the wooden stair case, lick any floor, drink his own urine and ate his own stools when he was young.

"I call him the 'lau hong' dog", the gentleman owner laughed when I spoke to him by phone on Feb 18, 2013, two days after treatment for vomiting 3 times and telling him that the dog's intestines were full of gas. A state of flatulence which had existed for over 2 weeks, he had said on Feb 16, 2013.  

"Does he pass smelly gas?" I asked.
"I don't know as I don't smell it specifically."
"The smell of the gas will let us know what sort of bacteria and damage to the intestines occur," I explained.
"Sometimes, it is smelly. He keeps farting daily."

To the owner, this behaviour is normal. It is actually not normal. He consented to a blood test as he did not want one earlier nor an X-ray. Economics play a big role in heartlander practice.

Blood test revealed a lower than normal white cell count 5.2 (normal 6-17). Elevated PCV at 0.64 would give rise o an increase in RBC 9.4 (5.5-8.5) and haemoglobin 22 (12-18). The liver enzymes SGPT/ALT 119 (<59 0.19="" 10.7="" 472="" acid="" and="" br="" creatinine="" high="" normal.="" sgot="" so="" urea="" uric="" was="" were="">
What do the blood test tell me?
 
One blood test may not be reliable. It seems there is liver disorder and reduced white cell count. Was there a virus? The dog did not have his yearly vaccination.

What caused so much gas production in the intestines?




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