4549. A big smelly ear tumour grows itchier in a dwarf hamster. What to do?

 

 

 VET CASE V 2/2. 

26 JAN 2023:
The smelly left ear tumour was removed under anaesthetic by Dr Daniel Sing 2 weeks ago. The lady owner did not want the whole ear lobe plus tumour removed as advised by me. My reason was that the large tumour looked cancerous and could have had spread further. It will recur if cancerous. Removal of the ear lobe and tumour would save the owner money and stress. Since no biopsy is done pre-op and no histology of the tumour is done post-op (to save medical costs), I cannot be 100% sure. If cancerous, the ear tumour will recur within 8 weeks.

UPDATES AT:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2023/01/4571-left-ear-tumour-looked-cancerous.html

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VET CASE V 1/2 AT:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2023/01/4549-big-smelly-ear-tumour-in-dwarf.html

VIDEOS X 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHATSAPP CONSULTATION WITH DR SING KONG YUEN

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[11:29 pm, 04/01/2023] +65 6: Hi Dr Sing
[11:29 pm, 04/01/2023] +65 6: Can I bring my hamster Latte to see you tomorrow?
[11:40 pm, 04/01/2023] David Sing: Appointment at 11.30 am tomorrow
[11:42 pm, 04/01/2023] +65 6: Latte want to cut teeth also, her ear need to check .
[11:43 pm, 04/01/2023] +65 6: Okay
[11:56 pm, 04/01/2023] +65 6: Sorry Dr Sing, can I see u at 12pm? 11:30am a bit rush for me.
[5:33 am, 05/01/2023] David Sing: I have an appointment made at 12pm. If you can wait, come at 12.30pm
[6:36 am, 05/01/2023] +65 6: Ok
[6:36 am, 05/01/2023] +65 6: Thanks

[5:40 pm, 06/01/2023] David Sing: Good afternoon. How is Latte’s ear now? Any bleeding and scratching? Any bad smell? What was the cause of the white stools in Matcha in December 2022? Was it the food?
[6:06 pm, 06/01/2023] +65 6: Matcha now ok after we remove the sand. Latte at my boyfriend house, now my boyfriend take care of her
[6:08 pm, 06/01/2023] David Sing: I advise surgery to remove Latte's ear tumor because it will continue to grow bigger daily. Just to let you know (as your boyfriend came for consultation and did not want surgery)
[6:10 pm, 06/01/2023] +65 6: Ok. Thanks for your concern! Will think about it n diccuss with my boyfriend fist.
[6:25 pm, 06/01/2023] David Sing: Any sand bath for Matcha nowadays?
[6:26 pm, 06/01/2023] +65 6: No more sand bath for matcha
[10:07 pm, 07/01/2023] +65 6: Dr Sing
[10:07 pm, 07/01/2023] David Sing: Hello
[10:07 pm, 07/01/2023] +65 6: May I know if latte surgery have risk?
[10:08 pm, 07/01/2023] +65 6: I saw latte ear redness n smelly
[10:08 pm, 07/01/2023] +65 6: Can keep ear?
[10:09 pm, 07/01/2023] David Sing: If eating, active, pooping 20 pieces, less risk
[10:09 pm, 07/01/2023] +65 6: My heart like broken saw latte unwell
[10:12 pm, 07/01/2023] David Sing: Ear - try to keep if you want. See similar case in www.instagram.com/toapayohvets… image of ear with a hole
[10:20 pm, 07/01/2023] +65 6: If surgery remove the tumour need to take how long time? How much for the cost? Need to arrange to bring latte to surgery on Monday. As soon as possible
[10:23 pm, 07/01/2023] David Sing: Is he eating and pooping 20 pieces per 24 hours?
[10:25 pm, 07/01/2023] +65 6: Latte is female 😼
[10:26 pm, 07/01/2023] +65 6: Will call n make an appointment tomorrow. I’m off on Monday
[10:28 pm, 07/01/2023] David Sing: Please give antibiotic as usual. Phone 62543326 for appointment tomorrow 10am
[10:28 pm, 07/01/2023] +65 6: Ok thank you dr
[5:50 am, 08/01/2023] David Sing: Good morning. Please send me a one-minute video of Latte inside her house and close up of her ear tumor
[5:51 am, 08/01/2023] David Sing: Also another video of Matcha
[8:49 am, 08/01/2023] David Sing: Many thanks

THE BOYFRIEND decided not to have the ear tumour operation and went home with medication as requested by him. I informed the girlfriend who is the owner.

[8:50 am, 08/01/2023] David Sing: Was there lightning? Video is dark
[10:05 am, 08/01/2023] +65 6: No lightning, just now my boyfriend was sleep
[5:34 pm, 08/01/2023] David Sing: Please take video with lightning if possible and thank you
[5:39 pm, 08/01/2023] +65 6: Ok
[5:43 pm, 08/01/2023] David Sing: Thanks again. Please give antibiotics to your hamster before surgery. Also let Dr Daniel know you want part of the ear lobe to remain as he will be doing your case.
[5:44 pm, 08/01/2023] +65 6: Ok thanks
[10:16 pm, 08/01/2023] David Sing: Thank you. Are there dusts or small fine sand particles inside cage? Please also video the cage of Matcha

[10:23 pm, 08/01/2023] +65 9823 6306: This is matcha
[10:24 pm, 08/01/2023] +65 9823 6306: Should not have much dust, we change bedding every month, wash the cage and toys. Now never put sand in the cage for Latte already after her ear grow
[10:25 pm, 08/01/2023] David Sing: Who has white stools earlier? Please send a video of stools and cage
[10:25 pm, 08/01/2023] +65 9823 6306: Matcha
[10:27 pm, 08/01/2023] David Sing: All 4 videos today are Matcha?
[10:28 pm, 08/01/2023] +65 9823 6306: Pink cage is Latte
[10:28 pm, 08/01/2023] +65 9823 6306: Black cage is matcha
[10:30 pm, 08/01/2023] +65 9823 6306: Matcha. Stools are black now
[10:49 pm, 08/01/2023] David Sing: Many thanks. Do you provide sand bath to slate?
[10:56 pm, 08/01/2023] David Sing: Latte
[11:12 pm, 08/01/2023] +65 9823 6306: Not anymore since her ear got growth
[11:12 pm, 08/01/2023] +65 9823 6306: No problem
[9:35 am, 11/01/2023] +65 9823 6306: Good morning dr sing
[9:37 am, 11/01/2023] +65 9823 6306: Today latte have surgery at 11:30am. Can latte eat the first serving of food before surgery?
[9:38 am, 11/01/2023] David Sing: Eat 3 pieces
[9:40 am, 11/01/2023] +65 9823 6306: What the meaning?
[9:45 am, 11/01/2023] David Sing: Eat a bit e.g 3 pellets or seeds
[9:46 am, 11/01/2023] David Sing: Please send a video of ear tumour. About 1 minute video
[9:58 am, 11/01/2023] David Sing: Hold hamster firmly. Take video left ear. Get camera lens closer to ear  60 sec
[0:35 am, 12/01/2023] David Sing: Excellent images (of Latte's ear tumours and surgery). Thanks

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4 Jan 2023. Above is Tele-video WhatsApp consultation between Dr Sing Kong Yuen and a young lady owner of two hamsters. Matcha used to pass pale "white" stools, but has now recovered. 

 

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FINAL VIDEO. VET CASE. How to save money on vet expenses in large ear tumour in a dwarf hamster

VET CASE. A big smelly ear tumour. What to do?
Dr Sing Kong Yuen, BVMS (Glasgow). Toa Payoh Vets

The young lady had 2 dwarf hamsters. Matcha, male, 2 years old passed pale "white stools". Latte, female, 2 years old had a large inflamed red and smelly left ear canal tumour.

This article reports on Latte. On 4 Apr 2022, the boyfriend, a slim tall man in his 30s, came on behalf of the owner. "The ear canal tumour is large, over 5 mm across," I examined the tumour. "It is likely cancerous as it grows fast and also the hamster is old. Older hamsters develop tumours. She was 2 years of age. I advise a surgery to cut off the whole ear lobe with the embedded tumour."

"No removal of the ear lobe or tumour," the boyfriend said. "Let me try treating it with medication". The girlfriend had boarded this hamster with him. As she was busy working, he brought the hamster to the clinic while she made the appointment with me.

"Medication and washes will not be effective as the tumour is growing. It has a hole spilling out blood," I said. "Latte has had been scratching it with her paw as it is itchy."

The boyfriend insisted on medication against veterinary advice.

Two days later, I WhatsApp the girlfriend to follow up. "Her ear tumour is red and more swollen. There is bad smell from the ear," the girlfriend messaged back. "Will anaesthetic be risky if she undergoes surgery?"

"Much less risky as your hamster is active, not losing weight and is still eating well," I replied. "Let the vet know that you do not wish the ear lobe to be excised."

Dr Daniel Sing operated on 11 Jan 2023, leaving a large part of the ear lobe intact as that was what the lady wanted. She was most happy seeing the hamster's ear. Beauty to her and many hamster owners mean having two ears.

This Final Video shows that Latte recovers well from the anaesthesia and surgery. He is bright, alert and responsive today, 16 Jan 2023 compared to the period prior to surgery.  

Will the tumour recur? I do not know for sure as the tumour was not sent to the laboratory for histology to check whether it was cancerous or not, to save on veterinary expenses. From my observation of the fast growth and the old age of the hamster, I would rate this likely to be a cancerous ear canal tumour. It will recur, but we will know if it reappears within 2 months. 

 

HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON VET EXPENSES IN THIS CASE? 1. Early treatment when the ear tumour is smaller, less than 5 mm across. 2. Prompt treatment which is surgery. Medications are ineffective and permit the hamster to grow much bigger and redder. 3. Loss of one ear due to possible cancerous growth of the ear canal tumour. The loss of the ear lobe does not affect hearing. Only the beauty of the hamster. If the growth is cancerous, there will need to have another operation 2 months later.


UPDATES AT:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2023/01/4549-big-smelly-ear-tumour-in-dwarf.html