1001. Follow up on the "panting dog"

Update on May 18, 2012. The old dog suffered from severe ascites and was in pain. Euthanasia was the humane option and was done 4 days ago.




HISTORY

On Wed, Apr 25, 2012 at 10:31 AM, .... wrote: Dear Mdm

I would like to make an enquiry about my dog (Schnauzer-cross). She is 15 years old.
We brought her to the vet as she was panting heavily and her stomach swelled and keeps hiding in the room, away from the rest of the family.
X-ray results shows that she has an enlarged liver. Also, the blood test shows that she has high Calcium, high platelets and white blood cells.
Most likely, says the vet, my dog has cancer and recommended an ultrasound at its hospital. Meanwhile, the vet has given her some liver medication and my dog's condition has improved though the vet did share that this would be temporary.
I am worried about the costs of sending my dog to their hospital as I did some research and found that the hospital tend to order several tests and cost of the treatment usually escalates. If she is found to have cancer, it's likely that we will not opt for treatment as she is old and already her quality of life is poor, with poor eyesight etc.
Does your clinic offer ultrasound services and how much does it cost? Is ultrasound the best option for my dog now?
My family wants to see her pass on without suffering too much. What should I do to alleviate her suffering?
I would really appreciate if you could advise me. Please feel free to call me if need be.

Rgds





E-MAIL REPLY FROM DR SING DATED APR 26, 2012

26/04/12 03:35 PM

cc Subject Re: Enquiry about ultrasound costs

I am Dr Sing from Toa Payoh Vets. We spoke by phone today Apr 26, 2012, 3.31 pm and the following is my brief reply to you:

 
In my opinion, the important health care issues in your old dog are:
1. what is the cause of "panting heavily" and "swollen stomach"
2. what is the cause of the "high platelet and white blood cell count"

Is there liver cancer or not? Is there a cure?  If the cause of the illness is known and treatment can be effective, it should not be "panting heavily".


 E-MAIL TO DR SING DATED MAY 14, 2012









Hi Dr Sing

Just wanted to thank you for all your help — calling me back when I wrote to you, treating .... during her last days and calling to check on how she was doing.

Also, I didn't get to share with you that I am glad to have chanced upon your website — it's very informative and lets pet owners out there see that your practice does very good work and that you are sharing your knowledge with younger doctors.
Thanks again — I really appreciate all that you've done.


Rgds



E-MAIL REPLY FROM DR SING DATED MAY 18, 2012


Just read your email of 4 days old. Thank you very much for your kind comments.Sharing real case studies via the internet takes up a lot of time to document each case. However, real cases will benefit the animals more, as their owners become educated on real life cases. Vet students struggling in their little rooms to pass exam can remember their studies better when they see the real case pictures, bringing vet medicine and surgery alive to them.

The practice of veterinary medicine and surgery of so many animals other than dogs and cats is so large in scope unlike human medicine (one species - homo sapiens) such that it can be overwhelming and frightening to the younger vet, as the owner expects the vet to "know it all."   

Best wishes