3597. *****KINDLE STORIES - FINAL VIDEO. THE CASE OF THE SQUEAKING DWARF HAMSTER

 1. INSTAGRAM  @toapayohvets

1 JUN 2021. BE KIND TO PETS VETERINARY STORIES. .
THE CASE OF THE SQUEAKING HAMSTER --- SHOW AND TELL
Dr Sing Kong Yuen, BVMS (Glasgow)

This 2-month-old male dwarf hamster’s fractured left hind leg was amputated at the knee level at Toa Payoh Vet 3 weeks ago. She consulted me on 27 May, as tele-consultations & photos were not as good as a proper physical examination.  

"Now Hammie has two unusual behaviours," Ms Thompson said. “Firstly, he squeaked loudly for some time on two occasions. Secondly, he used his right hind paw or both front paws to scratch his left ear vigorously every day!"

"The intense squeaking suggested pain," I pointed to the bruised brown patch on the left scrotum. "Self-inflicted biting and friction on the bedding led to bruised genital and pain."  Ms Thompson was satisfied with my cause and effect explanation.

“As for the inflamed left ear, frequent scratchings with the right hind paw to relieve ear itchiness were the cause,” I explained. “Some dirt or sand had lodged deep inside the left ear canal.  I showed her the close-up digital photos of the affected areas to account for the behaviours after I treated the itchy left ear via ear irrigation. 

SHOW AND TELL using CLOSE-UP PHOTOS gain the trust of the owner as the dwarf hamster's ear and scrotum are relatively small in area. Ms Thompson could see the inflamed areas clearly and she felt much happier after viewing the close-ups. “Please WhatsApp the photos to me,” she reminded me as she boarded her GrabRental taxi home to her Orchard Road condo to continue her work from home after lunch.

UPDATES AND MORE INFORMATION AT:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2021/05/3597-case-of-squeaky-dwarf-hamster.html

Ms Thompson - real estate marketing
A slim, tall and fair lady

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2. Bridget to create video with more substance  and explanation than the images on Instagram.
May be in 2 videos if too long.

1 JUN 2021. BE KIND TO PETS VETERINARY STORIES

THE CASE OF THE SQUEAKING HAMSTER --- SHOW AND TELL

Dr Sing Kong Yuen, BVMS (Glasgow)

This 2-month-old male dwarf hamster’s fractured left hind leg was amputated at the knee level at Toa Payoh Vet 3 weeks ago. She consulted me on 27 May, as tele-consultations & photos were not as good as a proper physical examination.  

"Now Hammie has two unusual behaviours," Ms Thompson said. “Firstly, he squeaked loudly for some time on two occasions. Secondly, he used his right hind paw or both front paws to scratch his left ear vigorously every day!"

VIDEO

Elaborate on the behaviour. What is the hamster doing? Illustration needed
Squeaking noises not recorded by the owner as it was sudden onset.

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"The intense squeaking suggested pain," I pointed to the bruised brown patch on the left scrotum. "Self-inflicted biting and friction on the bedding led to the bruised genital area and pain."  Ms Thompson was satisfied with my cause and effect explanation.

“As for the inflamed left ear, frequent scratchings with the right hind paw to relieve ear itchiness were the cause,” I explained. “Some dirt or sand had lodged deep inside the left ear canal.  I showed her the close-up digital photos of the affected areas to account for the behaviours after I treated the itchy left ear via ear irrigation. 

SHOW AND TELL using CLOSE-UP PHOTOS gain the trust of the owner as the dwarf hamster's ear and scrotum are relatively small in area. Ms Thompson could see the inflamed areas clearly and she felt much happier after viewing the close-ups. “Please WhatsApp the photos to me,” she reminded me as she boarded her GrabRental taxi home to continue her work from home after lunch.

UPDATES AND MORE INFORMATION AT:

https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2021/05/3597-case-of-squeaky-dwarf-hamster.html

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MS THOMPSON, in her late 40s, IS AN EXPATRIATE sales director working for a multinational company. She used to travel in the ASEAN region extensively but now works from home. This is because Singapore is in partial lockdown from 13 May, due to an increase in community infections arising from the Indian vairant Covid-19 strain. Dining-in is prohibited and only two social visits per person per day is permitted.

She lives in an Orchard Road condo which is the prime downtown area of Singapore. Rentals for one-bedroom would be S$5,000 per month

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Ms Thompson goes shopping in Tanglin Mall

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CONCLUDE WITH THE TWO VIDEOS BELOW

POST OP AFTER EAR IRRIGATION

Ms Thompson sent video today 1 Jun 2021, 5 days after ear irrigation. Much less scratching of the ears. No more squeaking behaviour. Owner is pleased. 

Bought an exercise wheel for the 2-month-old. Very active on wheel.   

Sent two videos

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draft

SCRIPT FOR ANOTHER VIDEO

27 MAY 2021. BE KIND TO PETS VETERINARY EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS.

THE SQUEAKING HAMSTER --- SHOW AND TELL

 

This 2-month-old male dwarf hamster’s fractured left hind leg was amputated at the knee level at Toa Payoh Vet 3 weeks ago. She came to the surgery on 27 May, as tele-consultation was not as good as a proper examination.  

 

"Now Hammie had two unusual behaviours," Ms Thompson said. “Firstly, he squeaked loudly for some time on two occasions. Secondly, he used his right hind paw or both front paws to scratch his left ear vigorously daily."

 

"The intense squeaking suggested pain," I pointed to the bruised brown patch on the left scrotum. “He had licked the outside and bitten the testes eliciting sharp pains – hence the abnormal squeaking sounds.

“The left ear was very itchy. He used his right hind leg to scratch bald the left ear since he had no more left hind leg which was amputated,” I indicated to the owner the affected sites. “I will take digital photos to show the balding left ear and hair loss on the right hind leg.” 

 

SHOW AND TELL using CLOSE-UP PHOTOS gain the trust of the owner as the dwarf hamster's ear and scrotum are relatively small in area. The young lady could see the inflamed areas, but she felt much happier seeing the close-ups. “Please email to me the photos,” she  reminded me as she entered her cab to continue work from home. Singapore is in partial lockdown due to an increase in community infections arising from a virulent Covid-19 strain.

 

MORE INFORMATION AT:

https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2021/05/3597-case-of-squeaky-dwarf-hamster.html

3596. A 12-year-old Chow Chow has melanomas in 3 sites.

 27 May 2021. 

3595. A 2-year-old dwarf hamster has itchy left ear - a cluster of ear warts.

13 JUN 2021. 

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My  comments on the draft video posted in YouTube:

13 June 2021. A concise vet educational video for hamster owners. This video is created by an intern with guidance from me (Dr Sing Kong Yuen). She is free to make mistakes as that is how she will learn better than being spoon-fed. Hence I had not edited her script before she created this video. My comments are: 1. All interns tend to go to exposition. It is important to think of a hook and then continue from there, otherwise, the video is just an ordinary dull power point lecture. 2. ERRORS: 2.1 incorrect link the credits: www.toapayohvets.com/videos.html with the "html" is erroneous. It should be https://www.toapayohvets.com/videos.htm 2.2 "abdominal tumour" was removed. It should be "abdominal SKIN tumour". 2.3. 1:08 - Image of condo where Mrs Johnson lived is actually image of Housing Board flats." 2.4. "tall, fair, lady" should be tall and fair lady. 2.5. HOOK in this video shows the SAME images as INTRODUCTION OF WHATSAPP message. it should have used the LATTER as hook instead. 3. The video footage on credits is much better than my previous ones as it is a video rather than slide presentation at the conclusion. 4. Do remember to use the "Hook" in next video production as video making is so much different from writing essays or expositions. 5. This video creation shows the importance of google docs in collaboration with me. If she had put up the script at google docs for me to read, she would not have erroneouly stated "abdominal tumour" was removed. It was an abdominal skin tumour. 6. UPDATED INFORMATION WILL BE AT: https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2021/05/3595-2-year-old-dwarf-hamster-has-itchy.html

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To re-make the video:  

HOOK. Use this footage unless you have better ones.   

Then use FLASH BACK....WhatsApp, history of previous abdominal SKIN TUMOUR removal, not abdominal tumour removal (see your old video).

Give me the script in google docs. In that way, no worries about technical mistakes.

Ms Thompson

Wart excised

Follow up on 26 May 2021. Owner is happy. No bleeding. No warts seen.

MORE INFORMATION AT:

https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2021/05/3595-2-year-old-dwarf-hamster-has-itchy.html

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3594. How to raise a healthy red-eared slider in an apartment?

 24 May 2021.

INSTAGRAM

To create an educational video using two case studies

CASE 1. From internet query from Johor, Malaysia

Complaints:
1. White and black spots on shell
2. Soft shell in back area.
3. Gasping 

Metabolic bone disease (MBD) is a common disease in pet red-eared sliders.
Other terms which may be used include fibrous osteodystrophy, osteomalacia, secondary nutritional hyperparathyroidism, osteoporosis, and rickets. There is no single cause of MBD and the disease is not as simple as calcium deficiency. The primary problem is a disruption of calcium metabolism which causes a host of related problems.

MBD is almost always a result of poor husbandry but it is also generally preventable by providing a proper environment and diet specifically for your type of reptile. 

Prevention of metabolic bone disease

Proper husbandry is more than just providing the right diet. The following are important in both the prevention and treatment of metabolic bone disease:

• A diet balanced in calcium and phosphorus, protein, energy and other nutrients. Buy a reputable brand with good supply of Calcium, Phosphorus and Vit D..
• Exposure to UVA/UVB invisible light rays
• Proper heat gradients - basking area heated at one end with heating lamp and UVA/UVB lights, the other end cooler temperature.
• Adequate enclosure and/or room to exercise

HOOK

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UVA/UVB lights

Heating lamp at one end

Exercise area

Good quality diet - calcium:phosphorus ratio 2:1 and Vit D supplements

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CASE 2. Toa Payoh Vets

Similar complaints of soft shell, shell rot and respiratory infection in the group of 3 sliders

 

3593. How does Toa Payoh Vets treat a gigantic hamster haematoma?

FINAL VIDEO AT:

https://youtu.be/DvLehQU2oCE

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FOR INSTAGRAM   

22 MAY 2021. DR SING'S VETERINARY STORIES - HOW TO TREAT A HAMSTER'S GIGANTIC HAEMATOMA? 24 IMAGES.

The 2-year-old female dwarf hamster’s chest had a big swollen bag of reddish-brown fluid. Ms Chong’s vet doesn’t perform hamster surgery. "I saw another hamster with a similar swelling," she told me that had surfed the internet. "The hamster was Pigu, treated at your surgery."

"Pigu's owner did not want any surgery as her hamster might die on the operating table.  I had earlier advised surgery. Soon the bulging haematoma ruptured. Blood and tissues splattered on the hamster's face and body, like gunk. She rushed to an emergency vet and came to me the next day.”

Death on the operating table worried Ms Chong too. "What if she dies under anaesthesia?" Ms Chong was aware of the high risks involved in operations. "What if she dies of bleeding under surgery?" 

The skin of the haematoma had stretched to the limit. It would break soon. Ms Chong opted for the surgery. Under gas anaesthesia, I aspirated around 2.0 ml of dark blood in a syringe. Then I used electricity to incise a 5-mm skin cut on the normal skin, distant from the stretched-out skin of the haematoma. From this incision, I drained all residual blood and extracted several small nodules wth forceps.  

The hamster was wide awake within 10 minutes and went home the next day. 3 days later, Ms Chong WhatsApp to me a video showing the electro-incision wound was clean and healing well. She did not want histology to check whether the nodules were cancerous or not. 

Early surgery is important as a gigantic haematoma may thin out, burst and smear the hamster with blood and gunk, stressing her badly, if the owner, fearing death on the operating table, procrastinates. 

@toapayohvets

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FOR VIDEO CREATION

Ms Chong's hamster, Mini

The 2-year-old male dwarf hamster’s chest had a big swollen bag of reddish-brown fluid. Her vet did not want to perform hamster surgery. So Ms Chong surfed YouTube. "I saw another hamster with the similar condition," she told me. "The hamster's name was Pigu."

*(Video footage of Pigu before and after rupture of haematoma). The owner had created a memorial video for Pigu. It is at:    

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omMg__XPbiU"

"Pigu's owner did not want any surgery as her hamster might die on the operating table.  I had earlier advised surgery.

"Soon the bulging haematoma ruptured. Blood and tumour tissues splattered on the hamster's face and body, like gunk. She rushed to an emergency vet and came to me the next day."

Death on the operating table worried Ms Chong too. "What if he dies under anaesthesia?" Ms Chong was aware of the high risks involved in operations. "What if he dies of bleeding under surgery?"   

I asked her to wait at the safe-distancing chair outside the clinic to think what she should do.

The skin of the haematoma had stretched to the limit. It would rupture soon. Blood would splatter all over the face and body.

 *(Video of chairs with safe distancing and thermal scanner inside the clinic). 

This video shows  

How does Toa Payoh Vets treat a hamster's gigantic haematoma? 





 

VIEWER DISCRETION

Ms Chong lives in a high-rise apartment in Singapore. As hamsters need little living space, she has two or more of them as pets. She hopes they can live more than 2.5 to 3 years which is the life span of the hamster. But some do develop tumours after one year old and need veterinary surgery.  

Ms Chong is a creative woman in her late 30s. She handcrafts unique products such as TraceTogether token pouches for sale at Shopee.sg.





TraceTogether tokens are used to do SafeEntry check-in at public places to monitor Covid-19 infections in people.

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Ms Chong decided on surgery and signed the anaesthetic consent form.

Back to the dwarf hamster. 

PLANNING THE SURGERY

GASEOUS  ANAESTHESIA, OXYGEN GENERATOR
AND ELECTRO-SURGERY EQUIPMENT

oxygen generator

GASEOUS ANAESTHESIA

Zoletil injection was not used in this case, but may be used in some cases of large tumours  

SURGERY

HISTOLOGY 

 is advised to check whether the nodules are cancerous or not..

POST OP AS IN-PATIENT FOR ONE DAY

FOLLOW UP 3 DAYS LATER
Video from owner. 

Ms Chong WhatsApp to me the following:

"Mini happens to be sleeping like this, so you can see (the electro-incised red skin wound) from the video.  The surrounding area seems ok.  

Just the red wound which is still healing". 

The red wound is the 5mm electro-incision I did to drain out the fluid 

and remove the nodules of tumours. I am happy that Ms Chong permitted anaesthesia and surgery to prevent blood smeared over the hamster's head and body from the rupture.
As at 2 weeks post-surgery, the hamster leads a normal life looking forward to the meal worm treat from Ms Chong daily.  (Image of meal worms).

   

CREDITS

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FINAL VIDEO:

  

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20 may 2021.

Script from intern

HOOK:

"Hello doctor, I've brought my hamster to see you because of a strange-looking lump on his underside," said Miss Chong. "It has been there for a few weeks."

"Good morning, how is the hamster's appetite and activity level?

Is his urine and stools normal?" asked Dr Sing as he examined the hamster.

"Yea," Miss Chong said worriedly. "His appetite is normal but has smaller stools. 

Mini is active and eating, but drinks less water."

Miss Chong is a 25-year-old accountant.

During her adolescence, she worked part-time at a pet shop.

Ever since, she developed great fondness for these small rodents.

Miss Chong is now a proud owner of three dwarf hamsters.

Mini, the eldest, stood out from his siblings.

He was ever-ready to greet and show his affection to Miss Chong.

While the other hamsters shy away sometimes, Mini never did.

In the beginning of April 2021, Miss Chong noticed a small black lump on Mini's chest.

The lump was not affecting the hamster 

as he seemed to pay it no notice.

Weeks passed by and as the black lump rapidly grew in size, 

so did Miss Chong's worry.

She brought Mini to the nearby vet

but was told that the lump was too big to operate on.

Distraught, she searched the web for alternatives and found Toa Payoh Vets,

a clinic ran by veterinarians adept at surgery for hamsters.

During the consultation, Dr Sing palpated the lump on the hamster's chest.

The lump was 2cm x 2cm and soft on palpation.

Mini was rather thin with a prominent backbone and weighed only 51g.

"This is likely to be a haematoma, a blood-filled lump caused by blood vessel tumours.

The size of this large lump causes considerable discomfort and hinders movement. 

Hence, it is affecting the hamster's daily activities."

"Oh my, I didn't know Mini was in so much agony.

What can I do to help him now?"

"Surgery is necessary for a lump of this size.

But it is not without anaesthetic and surgical risks," Dr Sing explained.

"What are Mini's chances of recovery from surgery?

If we do without surgery, how long does Mini have left to live?"

"He is still active and eating well but he is quite old. 

Considering that the lump is about the size of his head, 

his true body weight is very low."

Dr Sing paused, "I would say his chances are 50%."

"That is a hard decision.

Please give me some time to consider."

"Take your time.

Ask me about anything if you'd like."

Miss Chong was faced with a decision that could mean life and death for her beloved hamster.

Her hamster was suffering and she just wanted the best possible outcome for him.

What was the treatment that she decided on?

Keep watching this video to find out more.

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INTRO:

This is a BKTP veterinary educational video,

sponsored by TPV and is set in Singapore.

This video will show how haematoma in hamsters is being treated at TPV.

Singapore has a reputation as a Garden City, with bustling streets and busy people.

Hamsters are popular pets as they require little attention and space to keep.

Despite this, they do occasionally fall sick and require veterinary attention.

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CONSULTATION:

On 29 April 2021, Miss Chong brought her 2-year-old male dwarf hamster to TPV for the lump on his chest.

This lump was diagnosed as a haematoma.

Surgery was an option, but the risks were high.

Miss Chong was determined to help her hamster.

"I would like to know how long Mini can wait before surgery.

I would like to spend more time with him before he takes the risk," she said. 

"This varies from the individual.

For the size of this haematoma,

it is advisable to do the surgery as soon as possible.

Delays may lead to eventual rupture of the haematoma soon.

When the blood-filled lump ruptures,

infections can enter the bloodstream directly.

Perhaps his body will also be weaker then.

The surgical risks will become much higher."

"I understand. 

I also really hate to see him suffer,"

Miss Chong sighed. 

"Thank you, doctor. 

I'll leave him in your hands."

Miss Chong signed the surgery and anaesthesia consent form. 

She went home and waited for the good news.

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To be written:

Brief summary of surgery: aspiration + electrosurgery

Post-op condition + medicine

Advice to hamster owners: find hamster vet, consult early

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Surgical details in another video

3592. canal fishes

PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS. Image 1/3. Original image of canal fishes in clean watersbackflow from the Seletar Simpang Kiri Riverto a drainage canal in Yio Chu Kang Crescent

PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS. Image 2/3. Adobe Lightroom image of canal fishes in clean watersbackflow from the Seletar Simpang Kiri Riverto a drainage canal in Yio Chu Kang Crescent

PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS. Image 3/3. Adobe Photoshop image of canal fishes in clen watersbackflow from the Seletar Simpang Kiri Riverto a drainage canal in Yio Chu Kang Crescent


@toapayohvets