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WWW.ASIAHOMES.COM The breeder's treatment for ringworm is salt. Suddenly she put her finger on her upper most button of her blouse and said, "I have the rings here too." 3 circular rings of around 2 cm in diameter, like those seen in the picture on the dog in the picture (left) flashed out from the pale skin of the lower neck. Her husband had presented this puppy to his wife and had no time to object to the display of her upper chest. It was still within the bounds of decency. I did not want to be practising human medicine and diverted her to her hands. His wife's arms were dotted with at least 8 of the rings. Her general practitioner had prescribed 2 types of pills and a cream. "The doctor said I could have got the skin problems from my dog," she said. "I have changed the shampoos as I think that the shampoo was causing me skin allergies." The poodle was licking its right wrist as there was a squarish patch of dead skin covered by scales. A very itchy area. There were at least 5 spots of ringworm-like lesions on its lower neck, tip of the right ear, right shoulder and chest. The skin lesions were unlike those reddish ones seen in the owner. "I have this poodle for 3 weeks and the skin problems are much better than before," the owner said. "Some hairs have grown, but it is too long." "What did the breeder give you?" I asked as I examined the black poodle with the softest coat. Some breeders provide after-sales veterinary services to save some money for the new dog owner. If they ask the owner to consult the vet, the owner may not buy the puppy as that means it has veterinary problems. The owner said, "One big white tablet which I have to break into 4 pieces and which causes the poodle to pass a lot of water. One bottle of brown medicine with your faded surgery label and unclear wordings stuck on it. One bottle of lotion to apply. I said, "Definitely, I have not given the breeder to dispense medicine on my behalf and I have not seen this poodle, except for the vaccination." So, what was the cause of the skin problems in this 4-month-old poodle? It was ringworm. However, the drugs given by the breeder had partially solved the problem. There were no new ringworm areas like those seen in the owner. New ringworm lesions would be like those with a red ring seen in the picture of the dog. What shall I do? "Clip the poodle to reduce the contamination of ringworm fungal spores in your house," I advised. "There may be other new active lesions which we can't see under the lush coat." The owner was not agreeable as she continued to stroke the puppy. It has that type of fine coat that was a pleasure to touch. The alternative treatment was to wash the puppy with the anti-ringworm shampoo and give medication for the next twenty days diligently. The owner was happy with this. Some dog breeders in Singapore believe that salt would kill the ringworm. Salt is cheap compared to veterinary consultation and treatment. Some breeders have learned from experimentation that salt applied directly on the skin lesions for long periods of time, the ringworm lesions will disappear. But how long will this take? Ringworm is one of the commonest problems affecting breeder's puppies and it takes time to cure it. By the time it is cured, the puppy is no more cute and marketable at a premium price. After the sale, the new owner may find it best to consult the veterinary surgeon regarding skin problems rather than the breeder or pet shop owner. |
Monday, February 9, 2015
1188. The dog breeders' treatment for ringworm is salt
Article written by Dr Sing Kong Yuen in March 8, 2004.
Sunday, February 8, 2015
1187. No free lunch - wrong assumption
Feb 8, 2015
"She will stay at home from tomorrow," the husband was unhappy that his wife received no pay for being present at the office. I had arranged for the Myanmar employment agent to come to my office to let the husband speak out in his Myanmar language as there may be miscommunications and a 3rd party is best. This meeting was held yesterday at nearly 11.30 am after a busy morning of consultations.
The wife had stayed in Singapore for one month. She got a Dependent's Pass from the Ministry of Manpower. But the approval to work will be given only after 3 months in Singapore. A Letter of Consent needs to be applied by an employer. So, she could not be employed. Neither do I need any new hires.
"Your decision is OK with me," I said. "The English people will say that there is 'no free lunch'. As a husband, you are the head of the household. You are the leader and you have decided."
So the wife stays at home waiting for her husband to come home, instead of acquiring some work skills, experience in computer use and understanding Singaporean English. The present generation of the Myanmar people had graduated with a poor knowledge of English and computer literacy owing to its history. If they want to learn, they can do it in Singapore.
"I am the leader of this company and I have to make sure it earns some income to pay the employees and overheads. I can go bankrupt if I don't manage well. I make work decisions to make sure that the office is run properly to survive the competition. In 2015, there are over 70 vet clinics in Singapore and business per clinic must be lesser.
The husband understood the highly competitive nature of the veterinary industry in Singapore as he was here for over one year.
Some of my employees may not be happy with such decisions. I have explained again and again why I make the decisions to sustain the business. Employees want the best work conditions but they need to be realistic. They can always resign and join another company if they are capable and experienced.
"What is it in for me?" an employee will always think. "I don't care if the employer loses money or go bankrupt." There is not always another job waiting nowadays for most people.
WRONG ASSUMPTION
My employment agent had spoken by phone to my vet assistant the day before and assumed that he was happy with her explanation. Yet I don't think so and wanted a face-to-face meeting today, Saturday. This gives the employee a chance to voice out his side of the story as regards his wife's employment situation. The agent had already told him and he was aware that there would be no employment for the first 3 months after getting a Dependent's Pass. His wife was free to stay at home all day long.
"She will stay at home from tomorrow," the husband was unhappy that his wife received no pay for being present at the office. I had arranged for the Myanmar employment agent to come to my office to let the husband speak out in his Myanmar language as there may be miscommunications and a 3rd party is best. This meeting was held yesterday at nearly 11.30 am after a busy morning of consultations.
The wife had stayed in Singapore for one month. She got a Dependent's Pass from the Ministry of Manpower. But the approval to work will be given only after 3 months in Singapore. A Letter of Consent needs to be applied by an employer. So, she could not be employed. Neither do I need any new hires.
"Your decision is OK with me," I said. "The English people will say that there is 'no free lunch'. As a husband, you are the head of the household. You are the leader and you have decided."
So the wife stays at home waiting for her husband to come home, instead of acquiring some work skills, experience in computer use and understanding Singaporean English. The present generation of the Myanmar people had graduated with a poor knowledge of English and computer literacy owing to its history. If they want to learn, they can do it in Singapore.
"I am the leader of this company and I have to make sure it earns some income to pay the employees and overheads. I can go bankrupt if I don't manage well. I make work decisions to make sure that the office is run properly to survive the competition. In 2015, there are over 70 vet clinics in Singapore and business per clinic must be lesser.
The husband understood the highly competitive nature of the veterinary industry in Singapore as he was here for over one year.
Some of my employees may not be happy with such decisions. I have explained again and again why I make the decisions to sustain the business. Employees want the best work conditions but they need to be realistic. They can always resign and join another company if they are capable and experienced.
"What is it in for me?" an employee will always think. "I don't care if the employer loses money or go bankrupt." There is not always another job waiting nowadays for most people.
WRONG ASSUMPTION
My employment agent had spoken by phone to my vet assistant the day before and assumed that he was happy with her explanation. Yet I don't think so and wanted a face-to-face meeting today, Saturday. This gives the employee a chance to voice out his side of the story as regards his wife's employment situation. The agent had already told him and he was aware that there would be no employment for the first 3 months after getting a Dependent's Pass. His wife was free to stay at home all day long.
1186. Instagrams@hampigs - the guinea pig had diarrhoea
Sunday Feb 8, 2015
The adopted female guinea pig recovered from watery diarrhea. She lived with another female. Both chased each other in a small pen. A few days earlier, she had blood in the urine and urine tests showed bacteria and blood in the urine. She recovered but had watery stools yesterday. After SC dextrose, anti-diarrhea and antibiotics, she passed lots of normal stools. Hay was given overnight.
The lady owner really researched on the best bedding for the guinea pig via her Instagram account. "The video is only for 1 minute," she showed me 2 guinea pigs on the "fleece blanket bedding" bought from IKEA chasing each other round and round in a crammed central space. Like cars going round a circle.
Instagram connects guinea pig lovers and she has 55 likes in her @hampigs posting. I did not know that Instagram can be used to share info on guinea pigs care. "You have to open an account under "pets"," she said. She had done her research and the "fleece polyester blanket from IKEA" is the best to prevent underfoot sores! It absorbs the urine and she can sweep away the faecal pellets. The 2 guinea pigs have their own pee pans too. I asked her to send me a video later although her account showed the bedding.
"Don't they gnaw the bedding?" I asked.
"I fix it properly to the grid," she said. The grid was bought from DAISO but now they don't stock it. The grid are wire squares for the kitchen wall, to hang things.
Thursday, February 5, 2015
1185. Employment agency has "no business"
Wed Feb 4, 2015
Khin Khin's Employment Agency had no income for the past 2 months in December and January. The manager blamed this on the holidays but not himself. The Government had slashed many work permit and employment pass applications leading to a labour crunch. Certain jobs like construction and food and beverage industries do not attract most Singaporeans and so it is bad luck to such investors or employers.
I had a chat with the manager as he was not performing despite 3 years of experience. "The fault lies with your leadership," I said to Khin Khin who is the licensee. "It is rare to employ a manager who is self-motivated and driven and since you were in Yangon for the last 2 months, your manager would not close sufficient cases to cover the rental and his salary!
Khin Khin's Employment Agency had no income for the past 2 months in December and January. The manager blamed this on the holidays but not himself. The Government had slashed many work permit and employment pass applications leading to a labour crunch. Certain jobs like construction and food and beverage industries do not attract most Singaporeans and so it is bad luck to such investors or employers.
I had a chat with the manager as he was not performing despite 3 years of experience. "The fault lies with your leadership," I said to Khin Khin who is the licensee. "It is rare to employ a manager who is self-motivated and driven and since you were in Yangon for the last 2 months, your manager would not close sufficient cases to cover the rental and his salary!
A stray cat vomits and has watery diarrhoea for at least 3 days
Blood test, urine test, faecal test - no abnormalities
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
1183. Another 13-year-old Golden Retriever has open pyometra
Feb 3, 2015
Yesterday, I had a very thin and panting female 13-year-old Golden Retriever that had become lethargic and had not been eating for 2 days. Not spayed. Like the other one who is now back to normal. I had expected that one to die after surgery as she was very ill.
Now I had this contemporary. This one was panting continuously. Treatment given included drips, spasmogesic, baytril, amino acids, vitamins, frusemide and an Haemoplex (iron vitamin injection) IV. Nutriplex and antibiotics for 14 days. First time I give iron IV.
Continuous panting is a bad sign as this precedes death. Best to wait 14 days and spay the dog once she is healthy but this is my advice as the womb infection will recur. See video.
FOLLOW UP TODAY
10.57 am. SMS. Is Daisy still panting? Eating more?
10.58 am She's started eating. Panting is almost all not visible. She ate 4 pieces of bread and an egg this morning.
10.59 am. Feed 6X/day or have food available.
If both female Golden Retrievers had been spayed at a young age, they will be in good health as they live longer than the average. I believe most live around 10 years of age.
THE OTHER 13-YEAR-OLD GOLDEN RETRIEVER video. A very thin dog too.
Yesterday, I had a very thin and panting female 13-year-old Golden Retriever that had become lethargic and had not been eating for 2 days. Not spayed. Like the other one who is now back to normal. I had expected that one to die after surgery as she was very ill.
Now I had this contemporary. This one was panting continuously. Treatment given included drips, spasmogesic, baytril, amino acids, vitamins, frusemide and an Haemoplex (iron vitamin injection) IV. Nutriplex and antibiotics for 14 days. First time I give iron IV.
Continuous panting is a bad sign as this precedes death. Best to wait 14 days and spay the dog once she is healthy but this is my advice as the womb infection will recur. See video.
FOLLOW UP TODAY
10.57 am. SMS. Is Daisy still panting? Eating more?
10.58 am She's started eating. Panting is almost all not visible. She ate 4 pieces of bread and an egg this morning.
10.59 am. Feed 6X/day or have food available.
If both female Golden Retrievers had been spayed at a young age, they will be in good health as they live longer than the average. I believe most live around 10 years of age.
THE OTHER 13-YEAR-OLD GOLDEN RETRIEVER video. A very thin dog too.
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
Cambodia produces the cheapest rice
Feb 3, 2015
I spoke to a Singaporean who helped the Cambodian agro-industry in the following project.
Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam are 3 biggest rice growers.
Cambodia (15 million people, size of Malaysia) produces the cheapest rice.
AGRO-TECH CHALLENGES
Owing to its history of Pol Pot killing the educated amongst the population, there are very few educated farmers to adopting agro-technology. The main worry is scam and so the farmers cannot accept new knowledge which may benefit their rice production. Wholesalers and traders are the other group.
The rich and the poor wealth gap is very wide. It took 40 years to get the whole rice production community to accept IR8 strain of rice.
EFFICIENT PRODUCTION OF RICE
Rice production by the big rice millers needs a lot of power (electricity) to dry the rice and crush the paddy which then comes out as rice. The husk, after crushing, is too voluminous and light and contains silica.
Traditionally, the husk is burnt, contaminating the environment with silica as it is a poisonous waste and cannot be used as fertiliser. 1 tonne of paddy produces 100 kg of rice and a large and light volume of husks. If the silica is extracted, the by product can be used as a fertiliser and the silica can be sold.
In this project, Angkor Wat Mills, the largest rice miller in Cambodia, is privately owned. It has a plant which extracts the silica on a large scale. It has a British company to document the process (safety and SOP operation etc). It and another company is doing this project (paddy-dehusk-rice).
Vietnam had a US$20 million ADB loan but the plants are not operational now. Thailand used to have privately funded research centres to provide free services to the farmers by the Thaksin and elite group. Now it had no operational plants now. So, Cambodia is the only one doing it in 2015. The Singaporean says that the tuning of the plant must be done right to execute this process although the agro-technology knowledge is well known. Rice husk is converted to biogas
For every tonne of rice produced, Angkor Wat Rice Mill donates a gas stove to the farmer. The farmer is to use the gas stove to calcify silica and take back 95% of the hydroxide. No need to buy hydroxide. Control of CO2 is important.
A plant needs US$2.5-3 m to be set up. Control of CO2 and the need to purchase hydroxide. A chemical process basically to extract the silica for sale, and to prevent environment contamination.
Education of the farmer is needed to use gas stove provided to farmers by Ang Kong Rice Mills (2.5 years in existence).
The technology is there. But the execution is the challenge and it appears that Cambodia has successes to lower the cost of production. Can this process be done in Myanmar? The stage of development - not possible now.
RICE VARIETIES
2 main strains. Jasmine and Thai Hong Ha.
I spoke to a Singaporean who helped the Cambodian agro-industry in the following project.
Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam are 3 biggest rice growers.
Cambodia (15 million people, size of Malaysia) produces the cheapest rice.
AGRO-TECH CHALLENGES
Owing to its history of Pol Pot killing the educated amongst the population, there are very few educated farmers to adopting agro-technology. The main worry is scam and so the farmers cannot accept new knowledge which may benefit their rice production. Wholesalers and traders are the other group.
The rich and the poor wealth gap is very wide. It took 40 years to get the whole rice production community to accept IR8 strain of rice.
EFFICIENT PRODUCTION OF RICE
Rice production by the big rice millers needs a lot of power (electricity) to dry the rice and crush the paddy which then comes out as rice. The husk, after crushing, is too voluminous and light and contains silica.
Traditionally, the husk is burnt, contaminating the environment with silica as it is a poisonous waste and cannot be used as fertiliser. 1 tonne of paddy produces 100 kg of rice and a large and light volume of husks. If the silica is extracted, the by product can be used as a fertiliser and the silica can be sold.
In this project, Angkor Wat Mills, the largest rice miller in Cambodia, is privately owned. It has a plant which extracts the silica on a large scale. It has a British company to document the process (safety and SOP operation etc). It and another company is doing this project (paddy-dehusk-rice).
Vietnam had a US$20 million ADB loan but the plants are not operational now. Thailand used to have privately funded research centres to provide free services to the farmers by the Thaksin and elite group. Now it had no operational plants now. So, Cambodia is the only one doing it in 2015. The Singaporean says that the tuning of the plant must be done right to execute this process although the agro-technology knowledge is well known. Rice husk is converted to biogas
For every tonne of rice produced, Angkor Wat Rice Mill donates a gas stove to the farmer. The farmer is to use the gas stove to calcify silica and take back 95% of the hydroxide. No need to buy hydroxide. Control of CO2 is important.
A plant needs US$2.5-3 m to be set up. Control of CO2 and the need to purchase hydroxide. A chemical process basically to extract the silica for sale, and to prevent environment contamination.
Education of the farmer is needed to use gas stove provided to farmers by Ang Kong Rice Mills (2.5 years in existence).
The technology is there. But the execution is the challenge and it appears that Cambodia has successes to lower the cost of production. Can this process be done in Myanmar? The stage of development - not possible now.
RICE VARIETIES
2 main strains. Jasmine and Thai Hong Ha.
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