Thursday, September 29, 2016

2933. A Golden Retriever may have tick fever - Babesia gibonsi antibody test. A Presa had tick fever in 2014

In 2016, the supplier stocks Babesia gibsoni antibody test kits and Toa Payoh Vets have some. Yesterday, Sep 28, 2016, a young couple probably google "Imidocarb Singapore Vets" or some words similarly and phoned me.

His vet had no stock of the test kit. The 2.5-year-old Golden Retriever lives in an apartment and was unable to stand and had smelly diarrhea. He farted but could walk on his hind legs. He had a fever of 40.8 C and a lower RBC, Hb count of less than 5% in the low range. Platelets were very low at 36. The vet tested with Cani-Vet 4 which does not cover Babesia and so told the owners accordingly.
Anti-diarrhea drugs and electroltyes and prednisolone medication were prescribed.

So, the boyfriend surfed and phoned me. I had the test kit. The dog was negative to the test. If clinical signs are present (anaemia, seizure, fever) and this test is negative, it is interpreted as 2-4 weeks after infection. But the dog's gum are pink and though he has weakness in his back legs and diarrhea, this may or may not be a suspected case of tick fever.

Vet 1 did not want to give the imidocarb injection and so I did not want to interfere as the owner only wanted a test kit for Babesia and/or a PCR test.    

"Was a blood smear done by Vet 1?" I asked. The owner said a blood test was done. As the owner would be going back to Vet 1, I did not want to confused him further.

The owner wanted a PCR test which Vet 1 had advised.


PCR (polymerase chain reaction) is a technique that permits the analysis of samples containing only minute quantities of DNA or RNA. PCR is used to reproduce (amplify) selected sections of DNA or RNA for analysis.


AN INTERESTING CASE OF A PRESA with Babesia gibsoni treated successfully in Mar 2014 is at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1b0DrZKx-I&feature=youtu.be


At that time, there were no Babesia gibsoni antibody test kit. The blood smear was positive as the dog had clinical signs. Treatment was early and the dog is now normal.  


Wednesday, September 28, 2016

2932. A rabbit has a solitary bladder stone removed













The rabbit's bladder stone was removed by Dr Daniel and he is back to normal

Sunday, September 25, 2016

2931. Lame RH, neck pain




------------------------------------------

Said a vet diagnosed knee cruciate ligament rupture
Hip arthritis
Teeth decay
Heart disease










Tuesday, September 20, 2016

2929. A 7-year-old female pug is ataxic after 2 days at the boarding kennel

Sep 16, 2016

"Walks like a drunken person," I palpated the pug's hips which elicited painful cries.
The pug had been clipped bald and  was in a boarding kennel for the last 2 days. Now she has lost appetite, was thirsty and had diarrhea.

"Yes, yes," the man said. "She walks like me when I am drunk, swaying from side to side!"

"It is possible that the boarding kennel had used a strong body wash after clipping the coat. The pug could have drank some of the chemicals or she had suffered some hip injuries as the hips are very painful."

The owner did not want a blood tests. X-rays of hips were normal. I gave an IV drip. The pug went home and was OK the next day.




Monday, September 19, 2016

2928. FUS - Pollakiuria in a 6-year-old male neutered cat

Sep 13, 2016

"My cat keeps going to and fro the litter box, meowing painfully," the owner said.
"Your cat has pollakiuria which is an abnormal frequent urination.," I palpated a small bladder, hence no urethral obstruction. "How many cats are there in the apartment?"
"One cat only," the owner said.

"Did you change the dry cat food?" I asked.

"No, but I gave him more cat treats recently," the owner showed me a packet of Friskies Party Mix cat treats given for the past 1 month.




"Did you change the litter often?" I asked. The owner had not changed the litter for around 7 days or more and had not picked up the stools. It is possible that the cat was stressed and this could cause FUS (Feline Urological Syndrome).

X-rays showed no urinary stones. Blood and urine test was not done to lower medical costs.




3 days later, I phoned. The cat is back to normal and the litter is changed regularly and often. Early vet consultation and treatment enabled the cat to recover the next day.


   

Saturday, September 17, 2016

2927. An Asiatic bear had 2 ranula operation 3 months ago - follow up

HOOK



In June 2016, Dr Sing Kong Yuen from Toa Payoh Vets flew to Yangon, Myanmar to assist in the operation of an orphaned 5-month-old male  Asiatic bear diagnosed with two ranulas, also known as sublingual mucocoeles. A poacher had killed his mother and was trying to capture them for sale to the China market.

The villages rescued the two month-old sibling bears and sent them to the sanctuary of the Buddhist Thabarwa Centre. One sibling bear had two cysts under the tongue and these cysts grew bigger every day. A wildlife vet from Scotland had volunteered to operate on the bear and the operation was done at the Royal Asia Veterinary Surgery, Yangon     



Video footage - before and after operation







Marsupialisation of two ranulas in an Asiatic bear
Is the ranula operation successful for this bear?
Follow-up 3 months after treatment


WARNING. SURGERY PROCEDURES.






INTRODUCTION
What is a ranula?




What are the 2 methods of treatment
1. Marsupialisation - recurrence likely due to closure of opening as in this case (image below)
2. Excision of the ranula and sublingual salivary gland is the choice of treatment






INTRODUCTION
Jun 2016    - 2 surgeries known as marsupialisation. What is marsupialization?





OPERATION AT RAVS IN JUNE 2016 BY WILDLIFE VET, DR BACON
ASSISTED BY DR T T AUNG






DAY 1 OPERATION




DAY 2 REPEAT OPERATION ON LEFT RANULA - ranula is much less inflamed after medication given on Day 1









Dr Sing Kong Yuen visits the bear in September 2016. 
September 2016 - review
IMAGES BELOW - Sep 2016













Sibling bear has normal tongue and grows much larger when seen in September 2016

                                                 
CONCLUSION
One ranula recurs on right side of lower tongue
50% successful - use images
(Edit videos)

Illustration and interview with Dr Sing Kong Yuen


TIPS AND ADVICES

1. The bear has grown to the size of an adult man. There is a bigger risk and danger to staff in handling this bear at RAVS, as this is a wild animal.
2. A repeat operation by marsupialization  on the right ranula is best done by the volunteer services of the wildlife vet as she has the anaesthetic experience of sedation and handling of this larger bear.
3. The operating room with post-op facilities will not be sufficient in the RAVS for this operation.
4. The choice of treatment is by excision of the ranula and sublingual salivary gland. This is a complex operation involving the neck area. This needs more skill and post-op care.

Therefore I advise that Dr T T Aung not to volunteer for marsupialization or excision as the outcome will not be good due to the lack of post-op facilities and nursing care.   





CREDITS





Dr T T Aung of Royal Asia Veterinary Surgery, Yangon

Dr T T Soe (left) of Royal Asia Veterinary Surgery, Yangon

Dr Sing Kong Yuen (2nd from left) of Toa Payoh Vets, Singapore
Consultant Vet to Royal Asia Veterinary Surgery


FOR MORE INFORMATION