934. 2 guinea pig cases. Guinea pig with blood in the urine follow up and 2 GPs in a DBSS flat

CASE 1.
E-MAIL FROM DR SING DATED APRIL 4, 2012

I have checked the X-rays. No radio-dense urinary stones were present in the bladder. You will need the urine tests to confirm possible bacterial infections of one or more GP. Also increase water intake, don't give excessive Vit C tablets. Separate all 3 GPs since 2 have runny nose as they are likely to be bacterial infection. Vet check up and urinary tests as soon as possible, are advised

E-MAIL FROM OWNER TO DR SING DATED APRIL 4, 2012

Okay sure. Will collect the urine ASAP and bring them in for a check up. Thanks a lot Dr Sing

Sent from my iPad


CASE 2.
Yesterday, April 7, 2012, Saturday, I visited a young couple who had a one-month-old baby gathering. This was the first time I had visited a DBSS (Design Build Sell Scheme) apartment and so I was most interested to find out how a DBSS looks like. DBSS flat is built by private developers for HDB (Housing Development Board) applicants and come with better quality finishes.

I saw 2 guinea pigs and asked the owners how she maintained them during the past 7 years or so. The parental stock gave birth to 2 litters. Now, the dam (6 years old) and the daughter GP lived in the DBSS. "Too much hair loss and so we shift the GPs to the balcony from the rooms," the young wife told me. The local Chinese believe that hairs flying around the apartment are not good for the new baby.

I noted that the dam had sparse coat and asked why. "She sheds now and then. Sometimes, full coat. Ask my husband. He is the one caring for the GPs. The daughter has a full coat."

"Do you feed Vit C tablets?"I asked.
"No, we feed vegetables and the GP mixture for the past years."
I advised feeding Vit C tablet to the dam but the cause is surprising since the daughter GP has a full coat. Mites?

"When did the dam give birth? Before or after 8 months?" I asked.
"When she was one year old and she gave birth two times. No problem." So, this is a case where the GP book says that GPs must give birth before 8 months of age as the pelvis will close (fusion of the pelvic bones narrowing the pelvic inlet) has stated incorrectly.

For this couple, the husband had kept the GPs for the past 6 to 7 years and there were no health problems. The daughter and dam would rush back into the cage when let out, the wife told me. So, there was no problem.

This DBSS flat has a beautiful view of the surrounding flats. Breezing. DBSS flats come with air-conditioning in the bedrooms, bay windows, even in the master bathroom, narrowing the bathroom shower space to barely two body-width! The bay windows are not allowed to be demolished and so the owner had to cram into the master bathroom to shower since the bay window took up 30% of the width of the shower stall!

Sometimes, I think the architect of DBSS does not know what he or she is designing.