Thursday, July 24, 2014

1423. Subconjunctival abscesses in the dwarf hamsters seen at Toa Payoh Vets

Case 1. 
2 weeks ago, this Roborovski came for hair loss and was treated by a vet from Toa Payoh Vets. Some hair clipped and Revolution drop was applied. Medication given.

"The vet says that the hairs would grow back after 10 days," the young man told me. "But there is more hair loss."  

Subconjunctival abscess do exist in Singapore hamsters and are quite rare. In this case, a close inspection is needed as they can be overlooked since the eyelid is so small.  



Case 2. 
2.1  2008.  Water bowl as a cause of eyelid abscess
2.2  2015.  Eyelid abscesses in another dwarf hamster












SEE BLOG:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2020/11/3438-eyelid-abscesses-in-2-hamsters.html


 

Case 3.
5 Nov 2020.






Best practice. 
The vet must be interested in digital photography.
In this case, I used a Canon EOS 80, lens EFS 18 - 55 mm. I asked an assistant to hold the 
hamster's head down on the table at the reception and focus on the eyes.

1.  Take a close up photograph of the face. Mark the abscess locations (with arrows in the image).
2.  Record post-treatment and recurrences. 
3. A video will be good.



We will wait 2 days to permit the other smaller abscess to ripen before doing the lancing and drainage.  

1422. A Persian cat cannot conceive

July 24, 2014

 A Yishun cat owner brought in this Persian cat, female, 2 years for vaccination.
"She looked pregnant but then no kittens," he had a male Persian who mated with her around every 2 weeks when she came on heat. Weight 3.3 kg and temperature 37.6C. Gums were pink.

I examined the vulval area. It was swollen and wet.
"Has the cat been licking her private area below?" I asked.
"Yes," he said. "Last month, she had been passing blood in her stools but she recovered after 2 weeks."

"How do you know mating has been successsful?" I asked. 
"After mating, she would roll and make a lot of noise. She comes on heat around every 2 weeks."

"So how to make her able to conceive?" the gentleman asked.
"She may have a uterine infection. Clip the hairs around the anal and vulval area. We put her on antibiotics for 4 days and then wait 14 days and put her on antibiotics. Check the male cat to make sure he is healthy and clean. Keep him away in another place for one month to let the female cat rest for one month."

According to the behaviour, mating has taken place as felines need to be stimulated to ovulate and that happens during mating, leading to loud noises after mating. In theory, this cat should conceive. But abdominal discomfort during palpation was present, indicating some infections in the uterus or bladder. Antibiotics would help. 




1421. A 9-year-old cat leaks urine on the floor for over 2 weeks



July 23, 2014

This gentle black and white, 9-year-old domestic shorthaired female spayed cat would leave urine on the floor for over two weeks.

"You had spayed her when she was young," the woman told me.  "I see urine on the floor where she lies down."

"How long has she been having urinary incontinence?" I asked.
"This homely cat would not go far out from the apartment door," the owner said. "She would not dare to venture far."

"Could she be stressed by the other younger cat, since both use the same litter box?" I asked.
"No way," she said. "The younger cat ignores her."

So, what's the cause of the urinary incontinence?
I palpated the bladder and the cat shook in pain.

Was there an infection, non-inflammatory cause or neoplasia of the kidneys?

BLOOD TEST.  Blood urea and creatinine were normal. Low haemoglobin and high platelets but nothing abnormal.

X-RAYS
Pleural effusions and ascites. Kidneys enlarged.




URINALYSIS
No urine available. The bladder was not full on palpation.

TREATMENT
1. Laxative via rectum - all stools passed out.
2. Frusemide inj - lots of urine passed on clumpy litter. Showed to owner when she visited on Day 2 of in-patient stay.
3. Low sodium, high protein diet like Feline K/D to be given.
4. Fortekor 5 tablets to reduce the higher blood pressure.

3 DAYS LATER
Cat not eating or drinking. Not eating the old food or K/D.
Gums pale - anaemic but no respiratory distress.  Owner does not want X-rays or blood tests. 

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

1420. An 11-year-old female cat passes blood in the urine for the 3rd time

July 23, 2014

"Is there discount for senior citizens?' the 74-year-old healthy retiree came to buy the special prescription diet C/D as advised by me. He had come 3 times for antibitoics and every time, at the completion of the course, his cat would pass blood in the urine. Also difficulty in urination, called dysuria.

"Your cat is a feline senior citizen, but he has no 'Pioneer Generation Medical Package' as he is not a person!" I was referring to a scheme whereby senior citizens of the human type get free medical treatment if they are born before 1949 and are referred to as "Pioneers".

"It is not good giving antibiotics forever," I reminded him and that was why he took a urine sample for analysis on the 3rd request for antibiotics. "The cat needs an X-rays for the bladder and kidney stones and a urine test to see whether she has bladder or kidney stones."

To save him money on X-rays, I got the cat's urine analysed. It was alkaline, had bacteria and triple phosphate crystals.  Although his cat, now on antibiotics, did not pass blood in the urine, she had dysuria.

"There may be bigger stones," I said.
"The urine test can't tell?"
"No, it can't tell the size and number of the urinary stones." I asked him to try feline C/D for one month. "However your other cat must eat the same food. No other food or treats to be given."

If the other normal cat eats the usual dry food, this black and white cat with haematuria would eat it too and defeats the purpose of buying Feline C/D to dissolve the phosphate crystals.

"How long will I know the effects" he asked.
"Around one month if there are no big urinary bladder or kidney stones which can only be seen on X-rays."
"How much for surgery to remove the stones," he showed me the smartphone clip of his black and white cat lying down with belly upwards. A rascal who connected well with him. Picked up from the streets as a kitten 11 years ago. Now he is 74 years old.  

"Surgery is estimated at $500 for bladder stone removal," I told him. There is a need to reduce medical costs for senior citizens and I try as much as possible.    

He bought 10 cans of C/D and a 2-kg dry C/D bag. He

1409. A 12-year-old turtle has one eye closed

July 21, 2014

A young man consulted me as his 12-year-old turtle has one eye swollen closed and the left eye with eyelid swollen. The neck skin appeared puffy as well as two back sides. What is the cause?
It is hard to take blood samples from turtles. Swollen eyes is a symptom of Vit A deficiency? What is the cause?




Monday, July 21, 2014

1416. Recurring cheek tumours in a dwarf hamster

Sunday Jul 20, 2014

A young couple with a daughter and son in primary school brought an overweight 14-month-old dwarf hamster, too heavy for the exercise wheel, for surgery.

"His medical bills cost more than a person," the father said. "Three times every 2 months, the cheek tumours grow. Shall we put the hamster to sleep?"

We did not say a word. We were dead serious on euthanasia.  Our answer will be "No" but the patriarch has to decide. He who pays the piped piper calls the tune.

The pretty slim tanned little girl with long hair and black eye brows in a rectangular framed face would be 10 years old and her sibling would be 7 years old.  What will the father decide?  The use of CPF monies for the treatment?


Can this fat hamster take another anaesthesia?  So heavy. He stuffed his cheek pouches with meal worms.

"He could eat 50 worms a day," the father said.
"No wonder he puts on so much weight. 65 grams bodyweight is too much. 45 grams will be ideal," I said.   

Electro-excision of the cheek tumours by Dr Daniel. Two 4/0 dissolvable stitches close the skin wound.  The father was given the tumours inside a formalin-bottle when he came for the hamster in the afternoon. A very kind father, I was surprised as some Singaporeans would request euthanasia.

"These could be fatty tumours," I advised the father to cut out the meal worms and slim the hamster to 45 g.   



Sunday, July 20, 2014

1417. Follow up on ChihuahuaX with carnaissal tooth abscess

Sunday Jul 20, 2014

I was reviewing all cases and at 11.10 am,  phoned the owner of this Chihuahua who had a non-healing facial wound, sneezing, losing appetite and lethargy before treatment at Toa Payoh Vets on Jun 30, 2014.

He was one of the oldest chihuahuas with this abscess and survived the anaesthetic. Once the left upper premolar 4 was extracted, and also the premolar 3 next to it, the dog went home.

"How long it took the hole to close?" I asked the lady owner who answered my phone on this bright sunny Sunday.



"It is closed now, but it took a few days," she replied. "More energetic, eating, no more sneezing, just as normal as a dog!"

Dr Daniel did the dental scaling and the extraction, a routine job. He delivered a live dog at the end of anaesthesia and so the owner is most happy. I advised isoflurane + O2 gas anaesthesia only and he did that. A very old dog is best not given injectable anaesthestic no matter how small the dose. 

It will be best to have dental check up every year but many Singaporean owners don't bother to do so.

VIDEO -3 dogs had similar medical condition within a few days. One of them is shown in video below.  After that, no more cases.