769. Sunday's interesting case. Post-op spay swelling

Sunday Dec 11, 2011

1. Post-spay complications do occur now and then to all vets performing spays in female dogs. It is hard to prevent every case.

Post-op 7 days later, an active Jack Russell came with swelling and inflammation at the spayed area. It looked as if the dog had irritated the spayed area due to itchiness as the owner said he had never taken out the e-collar. The dog was warded. There was no complaint till recently. The dog had pain-killers and antibiotics post-op.

2. 18-year-old cat with 2 large sores on back spinal area. "Would you advise euthanasia?" the owner asked me. "This cat was paralysed last year and treated by you," the owner said. "He could walk later."
"How long it took to walk normally?" I recorded injury T10-L3, jumped upon by the Golden Retriever. I was much surprised that he could be alive.
"A year of walking on front legs and then all 4 legs,.

"It is up to the owner to decide," I said. "Is the cat eating?"
The owner said: "Yes,".
"Many times it will be the children who are against euthanasia," I said.
"No euthanasia," the pre-teen child who listened intenly decided.
I don't advise euthanasia and it should be the owner's decision as treatment may or may not cure. But euthanasia denies a chance of living.
Gave the old cat a warm bath after Min had clipped bald. Got a kettle of water boiled and bathe this aged feline who went into fits when I touched the two big scabs on his back, somewhere on either side of the T10-L3 area Had fleas. Needed grooming and ear cleaning.


3. 4-year-old Schnauzer with globular skin tumour around 8mm x 8mm on right neck
"Any drugs to make it disappear?" the lady in her 30s asked me.
"Not advised," I said. "This is a skin growth. It may or may not be cancerous."
"How much?"
"Anaesthesia and surgery and medication estimated around $250," I said. "Do you want to know whether it is cancerous or not. If you want to know, I will send to the lab for histopathology."
"What if the growth is cancerous?" the husband asked. "Is there a cure?"
"It is not guaranteed," I said. "Depends on type of malignancy."
So, it was decided that the lump be removed and dental scaling be done at the same time to save on costs.

4. Paralysed Shih Tzu.
This Shih Tzu could lift his head but would not stand on his four legs as 2 days ago. His tongue was peculiarly a dark pinkish red. I took him outside the Surgery at 1.10 pm for review. He peed, looked at me. Later he pooped a large amount of soft brown black stools.
Same eye reflex as before when I shone the bright light on both eyes. The left one was dilated while the other constricted on light shone on the pupils. The left one dilated lesser amount than 2 days ago. I asked Dr Vanessa to pinch the front toes of both front paws. Both paws showed withdrawal reflex.

Blood sample taken to check for infection. Glucose, duphalyte and IV drip given. "It takes a long time to recover," I said to Dr Vanessa. "It is not going to be so soon."