1172. A rare case - A cat has jet black anal sac oil

Sat April 18, 2015  11 am

"The ferocious cat will never be injected or examined," I said to the mother and daughter who tried to coax the cat out of the carrier. The cat hissed warnings but they ignored her.
"Once out of the carrier," I advised. "The cat will bolt and be even angrier!."

"This is a country pumpkin cat," the adult daughter said. "She has never gone out of the apartment." Her brother who loves this cat very much was at work selling outdoor exercise equipment. The whole family loves this angry cat.

It was 2 years ago that she was spayed and I did not see her again for the annual vaccination last year. "Too busy," the working daughter said. But in the past 3 months, the cat was losing hair on both flanks.

"It is just not possible to examine her as she will scratch anyone approaching the carrier," I advised giving the cat isoflurane gas and oxygen anaesthesia. This was done and the cat was examined. Hair loss of 50% on both flanks due to licking.

A case of bilateral endocrine alopecia since she was spayed by me 2 years ago? Flea bite dermatitis earlier as there was no signs of fleas. A case of anal sacculitis which is rare in cats.

As the cat was sleeping, I pressed the anal sacs. Jet black oil oozed out in copious amounts (see video). More  dried grey granular oil ssquirrelled out from one sac and the owners could see the oil.

"The normal oil is light yellow, like cooking oil," I said. "Your cat's black anal sac oil is rarely encountered.  One in 1000 cats possibly. The cat could feel the itchiness in the anal sacs and alleviated her itchiness by licking the flanks.

The oil was expressed.
"Her stools may be too soft and so, the anal sac oil could not be discharged," I asked whether the owners had seen the stools.
"No," the daughter said. "The maid cleared up the stools."

This was a beloved cat who would growl and hissed at family members too. So the mum clipped her claws two at a time when the cat was sleeping.


This cat came for a check up for the hair loss early. I noted in my record that the anal sacs were OK 2 years ago. So, this problem of anal sac impaction happened in the last 2 years. 

Jet black anal sac oil is very rarely seen in cats and so this will be considered a rare case. 

Spondylosis L2-L3. A 12-year-old Shih Tzu has arched back

"My dog has more muscular front legs than the back," the owner said. "The back leg muscles are withered and my dog could not walk properly. The owner wondered why the dog had very weak back legs and an arched back. I noted that she made the dog wear diapers too.

"The arched back is due to pain behind the rib cage," I said. This was a case of spondylosis deformans, a chronic disease of degenerated intervertebral discs. In this disease, the joints between the vertebral bones become unstable as the intervertebral discs become abnormal and unable to act as cushions to absorb shocks when the dog jumps.

Bony spurs called osteophytes form on the sides of the vertebral bone, as can be seen in this dog's X-rays.

"Blood test showed high total white cell count and neutrophils, indicating a bacterial infection of the blood," I explained to her the blood test results.  The dog had skin diseases which would have had led to such infections.

 TREATMENT
1. None if there is no pain.
2. In this dog, there is some pain of arched back and wasting of the back leg muscles. Painkillers may be prescribed. Weight loss is not necessary as he is not fat. Physical therapy and exercise are not practical.
3. Surgery if the spinal cord is compressed. This will be costly.

REFERENCE: Spondylosis deformans

http://www.vcahospitals.com/main/pet-health-information/article/animal-health/spondylosis-deformans-in-dogs/2141

1170. Schwannoma in a 10-year-old Miniature Schnauzer

April 13, 2015

This male 11-year-old Miniature Schnauzer had a big grey skin lump, 1.3 cm x 0.8 cm x 0.7 cm on the skin of his toe. It could be a melanoma. Dr Daniel suggested excision and histology.

Histology
Benign peripheral nerve sheath tumour suggestive of schwannoma. No evidence of malignancy. Good news. Otherwise, the toe will need to be amputated.

VIDEO

MY OPINION
As the dog is old and the growth is greyish and growing "fast", the owner should be given an alternative surgery - excision of the digit (toe) in case the tumour is malignant as there is not sufficient margin to remove all tumours.

In this case, "some of the spindle cells ae seen to reach the deep resection margin focally" meaning that the whole schwannoma could not be excised fully. There is a possibility of recurrence and a need for toe amputation later. The owner was aware of this possibility.

1169. Deep spreading pyoderma in a young female pug

Signs
Pustules on chin, nose and ears first  --- chin acne or nasal pyoderma. Ear pustules.

Skin scraping - demodectic mites and dermatophytes  ----- No demodecosis, dermatophytosis yes No bacterial culture and sensitivity done to lower costs

Spreading. Very itchy

Skin biopsy on collarettes when lesions get more - ruptured epidermal cysts --- pyogranulamatous processes
No fungal culture
No cytology

Ciprobay, ketoconizole, amitraz wash, atopica, pred at different times.
e-collar, booties for hind paws, pain relief.

Healing after more than 4 weeks of treatment
Folliculitis or impetigo?
Deep spreading pyoderma

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

1146. Pug with folliculitis

Mar 24, 2015
Review of the pug. 9 days. Still has inflamed skin. Appeared spreading.
Ringworm +ve some hairs
Skin scrapings 3 areas - no mites seen.
Allergy?  Plastic biting of handles of mum's bedframe - allergic on chin and face.


LOOKS VERY MUCH LIKE
COMPLEX DEEP PYODERMA - seborrheic conditions - follicular and sebaceous disease.
A skin biopsy showed ruptured epidermal cyst - pyogranulomatous inflammation.

A very difficult skin disease to treat with antibiotics in this pug as the pyoderma keeps spreading and the pug keeps scratching every day uncontrollably.  

Skin biopsy is important in this case. Report
 -- ruptured epidermal cysts

VIDEO AS AT APRIL 12, 2015    MORE THAN 4 WEEKS OF TREATMENT OF THE DEEP SPREADING PYODERMA. Not fully recovered yet. Will the pustules and collarettes recur?

armpit left side - infection caused by left hind leg traumatic scraching  ---foreign body material like plastic and hair keratin scratched into the dermis --- collarettes?

Still has 7 days of medication and on amitraz wash. Appears to be healing now. Owners are happy.


FLASH BACK
FIRST VISIT
PUSTULES AND COLLARETTES

APRIL 14, 2015
Always palpate and press the skin lump. It was painful as the pug reacted to palpation. I suspected an abscess. Histology report of skin lump from central sternal area - acute suppurative inflammation and abscess formation. Noevidence of malignancy. 

1168. How to examine a Beagle's swollen closed eye?

Yesterday, Apr 13, 2015, a gentleman brought in a Beagle with the left eye swollen and closed 90% while the right eye was 60% closed. Both eye conjunctiva had bulged and swelled to a large soft mass. What was the cause? He had been barking the whole night.

"I suspect that some naughty  had splashed chemicals onto his eye or he had contacted such chemicals from the fertilisers or plant."

"My Beagle is leashed and so it is not possible for boys to do it," the man said. "Besides, I live in a very good neighbourhood."

"It is possible that there are naughty boys who splashed acid onto his eyes," I replied. "There are always the fringe extremes of human behaviour."

FOR VETERINARY EXAMINATION OF THE EYE - SEDATION, EYE WASH, FLUORESCEIN EYE STAIN TEST

Dr Daniel sedated the dog and gave an IV drip with dexamethaone and baytril. The conjunctiva had reduced much in swellings after the use of 0.1 ml of dexamethasone as you can see in the images..



    

The white debris are hairs. A video shows clearly the fluorescein stained green corneal ulceration. The next day, the owner came to visit. Swelling of the right eye had subsided by 90%. Should go home tomorrow.

The dog could have splashed himself with cleaning detergent as he had been leashed near the washing area and mop. So, there was no naughty boys.

BLOOD TEST
Significant finding is low platelets  106   (200-500) indicating that there was toxaemia.
The white cell count is normal  11.9 (6-17),  N 74%  (60-70%),  N absolute 8.8 (3-11), L 19%, L absolute 2.21, M 4%, M absolute 0.45%, E 3.9%, E absolute 0.46, B 0.1%, B absolute 0.01


DAY 2
He looked much better today. The image was taken when he was sedated to check his eye ulceratios. The left eye was normal.

DAY 3
Left eye cornea no longer stains green with fluorescein indicating that the corneal surface is not ulcerated. However, I can see faint cloudiness in the central area.

The left eye white (sclera) is severely congested indicating that there was severe inflammation and pain when the chemicals spill over the left cornea.. E-collar is applied.  VIDEO

Dog goes home with painkillers and eye drops.

1167. Miniature Schnauzer has itchy flanks again and again - ear pain or bilateral endocrine alopecia?

"What is the solution?" the lady asked. "In any case, give my dog the anti-itch injection."
I did explain to her that an ear surgery may be needed to provide ventilation and drainage as the ear pinnae showed hyperpigmented markings of chronic scratching. She said I had not mentioned it before. I showed her the illustration I had in her case file, of the ear surgery called lateral ear canal resection.

It is good practice to illustrate the surgery and keep a record. Owners have short memories and in this case, I had the evidence of having explained to her. Another cause could be bilateral endocrine alopecia.

VIDEO

1166. Playpen and pee pad toilet training of 4th Miniature Schnauzer pup - Video

April 12, 2015


5 siblings came for vaccination at 6th and 7th weeks of age.


4th pup from the same seller came for vaccination and microchip yesterday.

Video on how owners train it.

1165. Toilet-training. I asked. I aCross-bred pup from K9 Missions no longer anaemic

Sunday Apr 12, 2015

TOILET TRAINING FOR A 2-MONTH-OLD PUPPY

Stray puppy, female, cross-bred,  rescued by K9 Missions, Singapore.
Duration: Around one month of toilet training.

1. Commercial Dog Pee pads 3/day put outside the Crate
2. Does not like pee tray.
3. Sleeping, eating and drinking area inside the Crate
4. Poop after eating 2-3 X a day but not always on the pee pad. Prefers corner with privacy away from the owners' view.
5. Success is 50% as the dog does not want to poop onto the pee  pads.








The couple brought in the 3-month-old female cross for the 2nd injection of Imidox injection.
"How is the other sick sibling?" I asked as K9 Missions had mentioned that there was a sick sibling last time and had checked on this puppy recently.
"He is fine after treatment."
This puppy is now pink in gums and had gained weight. Active. So, it is good news. I gave her the 2nd jab of Imidox 0.75 ml for 7.5 kg bodyweight. 0.3ml IM and 0.45 SC. The puppy should recover.

TOILET TRAINING.
"How do you toilet train her?" I asked as it was already one month of living in the apartment.
"This timid puppy is the smallest in the litter and would take her food to eat in a corner, away from the other 5 siblings."
I guess she was bullied.
"Successful in peeing on the pee pad but not successful on pooping," the husband said.
3 pee pads are used per day. The puppy would poop on the pee pad if needed to be.
"But she would wait till we are not around before she would poop," the husband laughed. "Somewhere away from the crate which has the water and food bowl and the bed. She would poop elsewhere in a corner."
"This puppy valued privacy," I said. "It is what she did before adoption."

1164. Toilet-training a 4-year-old dog

EMAIL DATED APR 12, 2015
Dear Judy,

I need help with training my 4 year old dog to do his business at the right place. When he was a puppy, our family was not sure of how to train him and so many people had many different ways of teaching or scolding him that I believe he got confused and didn't learn it well. We later moved to another home and it got worse! As a male (but neutered), he started to mark places like our sofas, mats and even beds and we had absolutely no way of stopping him that my father decided to confine him to an area for good.

I have been very busy at work and next week, my father is travelling for 1 week so I have decided to take a week's leave and train him proper. I am unsure of how to do it; should I get a pee tray with walls or without since he lifts his leg while he pees, or should I get a belly band etc. I noticed he responds quite well to clicker training and I plan to implement that while training him.

So far, my plan is to get a pee tray (please advise on whether I should get one or not, and should I get one with height or without) and then soil it with his own pee so that he can smell it but should I click it when he sniffs it or when he steps on it? I am not even sure if he will want to do his business there or not!

Please help!

Thank you so much and I truly appreciate it that you're posting useful information to guide dog owners!

Amanda H.

REPLY DATED APR 12, 2015

I am Dr Sing Kong Yuen. Thank you for your email.

1. Your dog is 4 years old and therefore will need more than one week to toilet train him, unlike a 3-month-old puppy.

2. Your home is full of urine smells. Neutralise the smells.

3. Confinement to an area is still important. Pee tray with walls will be needed.

4. Belly band is not a method of toilet training but to prevent him urine-marking by some dog owners.

5. Urine marking is due to belated neutering. When did you neuter him?

6. Your clicker is meant to replace verbal cue. Therefore, click when the action is desired (e.g  stepping on the pee tray to pee). Give a food treat reward.

7. One alternative is to take him downstairs twice or thrice a day and use clicker training.   

Pregnancy Diagnosis - X-rays v ultrasound

A tricolour young female Pom X looking like a minature Sheltie was mated by a male Poodle.
One lateral X-ray view of the Pom's abdomen is sufficient. The ultrasound scan is an alternative if the owner is worried about radiation to the puppies. However, one X-ray is not known to harm the puppies. In ultrasound scan, much depends on the expertise of the vet interpreting the scan. Some vets cannot ascertain the number of puppies when there are multiple ones and would give a report as "four or five" puppies. For the X-ray, the number of spinal columns will show clearly. In this case, there are 2 and therefore 2 puppies.