4364. Vet Case Study. An old Shih Tzu shivers and stops eating on 10 Nov 22. Why? Testicular torsion.

 VET CASE STUDY: An old Shih Tzu shivers and stops eating on 10 Nov 22. Why?

Dr Sing Kong Yuen, BVMS (Glasgow). 

On 10 Nov 2022, this over 15-year-old male, NOT NEUTERED Shih Tzu stopped eating and shivered. The video showed my physical examination procedures. Significant findings were enlargement of the "prostate + bladder area" and large swelling of one scrotal sac. 

The dog did not show any sign of pain on abdominal palpation of the above-mentioned prostate + bladder area and scrotal sac. 

More information is needed from abdominal X-rays which confirm several bladder stones. Kidney stones were also present. The scrotal swelling could be testicular growth or torsion and the owner was advised to get his dog neutered. He did not accept my advice. 

(Two weeks later, the scrotal swelling was much larger. Neuter showed testicular torsion of the enlarged testicle. The dog recovered from neuter and was normal for some months. 

No urine test was done as urine was not collected. The tentative diagnosis was urinary tract infection due to urinary and bladder stones irritating the inside of the urinary system. There could be pain causing shivers. 

In conclusion, X-rays and other laboratory tests are needed to confirm the tentative diagnosis of urinary stones or enlarged prostate via physical examination.

FOLLOW-UP

The dog recovered after a course of antibiotics and commenced eating. Two weeks later, the scrotal swelling had increased considerably. The owner accepted my advice to neuter the dog. The scrotal swelling was due to testicular torsion leading to large swelling of one testicle. 

The old dog lived a normal life for some 12 months. Acute testicular torsion is an emergency condition.
Without neuter to remove the twisted testicles, he could have had died from bleeding and shock of testicular torsion.

 

UPDATE:
 https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2024/11/4364-vet-case-study.html

 

 

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REPORT WRITTEN ON 29 DEC 2024. For www.instagram.com/toapayohvets

Vet Case Study by Dr Sing Kong Yuen.

The 15-year-old male not-neutered Shih Tzu "shivers" and stopped eating. He did not have fever, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhoea or problem with urination.

He had a swollen scrotum on one side, possibly testicular tumour or torsion. I advised the owner to get the dog neutered.

He was not keen to do so as that would change his energetic personality which included biting family members who irritated him. He even bit the mother-in-law. After medication for pain and antibitoics, he recovered his appetite, so there was no reason to neuter him.

However, his scrotal swelling became bigger as evident by a video the owner sent me. He accepted my advice to get the dog neutered.

The dog would have died from bleeding and shock as the twisted testicular blood vessels would strangulate blood flow to the testes.

After neuter, the dog lived normally for around a year, but the urinary infections from kidney and bladder stones caused him kidney failure - weight loss, no appetite and vomiting.

The owner (a retiree in his 60s) and his family decided on euthanasia for his beloved companion.

The now married daughter was still in school when she was presented this dog for passing her Primary Six Leaving Examinations.

Euthanasia was a very sad occasion for me and the family who said goodbye to him. I was the one who gave him the puppy vaccination more than a decade ago and now the owners wanted me to perform the euthanasia.

#euthanasia
#shihtzu
#toapayohvets
#singaporedog
#kidneystones
#bladderstone
#shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets
#x-rays




UPDATE: https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2024/11/4364-vet-case-study.html