A 16-year-old unspayed female chihuahua has a tense swollen abdomen

As the cost of living in Singapore, esp. rentals and labour, has shot up in 2014, many pet owners want the least medical costs. This means no blood tests before anaesthesia, no urine tests, no X-rays and no abdominal fluid tests.

Abdominal palpation may be useful.

Sep 23, 2014
This 16-year-old chihuahua had a large elongated inflamed breast tumour growing from the left MG4. Her abdomen was tense like a balloon about to burst.  I percussed the abdomen. A fluid thrill from the sides was palpable.  Heart murmurs on left side and owner reported occasional coughing which he had not really noticed.

Gas anaesthesia inside the carrier which is enclosed by a big plastic bag was the safest way. No direct handling with a gas mask as she might die from heart failure, being so old. No thick cataracts, still active.

I drained around 20 ml of the abdominal fluid - dark brown cloudy, reducing the abdominal swelling by 50%. I could palpate nodular masses - possibly abdominal tumours from the liver, ovaries, spleen or other organs. After giving frusemide injection SC, the dog peed clear watery urine, like drinking tap water, a few times. Active and running about.

Heart medication dispensed. H/D prescription diet given as the dog was on pumpkin diet. She was on those Caesar wet food previously. Toothless as all teeth had droppped out but looked and was energetic as a young as a 10-year-old with mild cataracts.