Our 14-year-old pet dog started limping and cried in pain late yesterday evening when we tried to lift her to check the cause...
We took her to a 24 hr clinic and was told that her hip bone was dislocated. I’m attaching her xrays to ask firstly if you would be able to help and for an estimate cost of the surgery as times are hard and we have to go with a clinic who would be able to help her best but with the lowest cost.
Our female dog C has had surgery at your clinic twice (bladder stone removal) before and hope you will be able to help her once again.
We’d like to bring her in as soon as you open tomorrow but hope that we will be able to hear from you if possible re the estimate cost before we head there.
We hope that we’re not inconveniencing you with this unusual request and hope you’ll be able to help.
Thank you and warm regards
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Toa Payoh Vets
Wed, Sep 23, 2:25 PM (4 days ago)
to me
---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Kong Yuen Sing<99pups@gmail.com> Date: Mon, Jul 27, 2020 at 5:14 AM Subject: Re: Appointment To: E
The anaesthetic risks are too high if stone removal surgery and hip joint surgery are performed together as the time taken will be over 3 hours. In this hip joint surgery, the femoral head is cut away to relieve pain---the anaesthetic risk is high owing to old age---therefore you need to be aware of this risk first. We will not perform two-in-one surgeries owing to the very high risks of anaesthetic death involved.
On Mon, Jul 27, 2020 at 4:48 A Mwrote:
Thank you Dr Sing for your quick response! As you can see that the stones in her bladder has returned once again despite putting her on the special diet recommended to keep the stones away.
Would it be too much for her to have the stones removed during surgery and how much more would it cost? C is close to 15 yrs old now
Create a wildlife documentary video. vertical 9:16, WHAT DOES THE PYGMY HIPPO IN THE WILD EAT?
GRANDPA WONG. Chinese male, 60 years old. Head has NO hair, shiny. Broad-shouldered. Gold-rimmed spectacles. Kind eyes. Clean shaven. White tee shirt, brown long pants, white sports shoes. Carry Canon R5 camera with zoom lens.
GRANDDAUGHTER YA YA. Chinese girl, 7 years old. Head has black hair arranged in two plaits. Tall, feminine. kind big eyes. Violet floral blouse, deep blue long pants, white school shoes. Carry small sling bag across shoulder. Wears a gold watch.
SINGAPORE - 25 SEP 2026. Grandpa Wong shows granddaughter Ya Ya: An educational Singapore Zoo sign titled "Little Hippos, Big Future". Grandpa says "The Singapore Zoo is successful in breeding and conserving the pygmy hippopotamus." It is an endangered due to habitat loss and poaching. Behaviour: Reclusive and mostly active at night. Native Habitat: Swampy forests in West Africa, mostly in Liberia.
"What does it eat?" Ya Ya asked grandpa Wong.
Pygmy hippos are herbivores that eat a wide variety of forest vegetation, unlike their larger common hippo relatives which mostly graze on grass.
PYGMY HIPPO (attached video) is inside the Singapore Zoo. Goes for a swim inside the pool.
Main Foods
Leaves and shoots: They consume fresh leaves, herbaceous shoots, and broad-leaved forest plants.
Fallen fruits: They search the forest floor for fruits that have dropped from the trees above.
Ferns and herbs: They eat various ground-growing ferns, sedges, forbs, and small vine-like herbs.
Roots: They dig up or feed on plant roots when other food is scarce.
Feeding Habits
Foraging style: They spend about six hours a day foraging on land, mostly under the cover of darkness. To strip leaves from a twig, they pull it through their mouth like a leafy kebab while shaking their head.
Farm raiding: When living near the edges of forests, they occasionally eat cultivated crops like sweet potato leaves, okra, cassava, and rice seedlings.
Rare items: They rarely eat grass because it is uncommon in their dense forest habitats, though they occasionally take opportunistic items like fish from local traps in parts of Sierra Leone.
SINGAPORE - 25 SEP 2026. Grandpa Wong shows granddaughter Ya Ya: An educational Singapore Zoo sign titled "Little Hippos, Big Future". Grandpa says "The Singapore Zoo is successful in breeding and conserving the pygmy hippopotamus." It is an endangered due to habitat loss and poaching. Behaviour: Reclusive and mostly active at night. Native Habitat: Swampy forests in West Africa, mostly in Liberia.
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SINGAPORE - 25 SEP 2026. An educational Singapore Zoo sign titled "Little Hippos, Big Future" detailing pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis libereriensis) breeding and conservation. Its Conservation Status: Endangered due to habitat loss and poaching. Behaviour: Reclusive and mostly active at night. Native Habitat: Swampy forests in West Africa, mostly in Liberia.
Exhibit and Residents
Miata: A popular young pygmy hippo born at the zoo in February 2021 who lives in her favorite mud pool.
Other Residents: The zoo houses a small family group, including older members like Minah.
Location: Find them at the Singapore Zoo pygmy hippo exhibit. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Quick Facts
Skin protection: Pygmy hippos secrete a pink fluid often called "blood sweat" that acts as a natural sunscreen and moisturizer.
Lifestyle: They spend hot days cooling off in the water and move along forest paths at dusk to feed.
Conservation status: They are endangered, with fewer than 2,500 left in the wild. [1, 2, 3]
My 8-year-old Maltipoo has been diagnosed bladder stones. He is now passing brown/bloody urine. My current vet quoted $2,300–$3,000 for cystotomy, which I cannot afford. I already have his X-rays/medical records.
Could you give me your lowest estimated total cost for bladder-stone removal, including anaesthesia, bloodwork, imaging, surgery, hospitalisation and medication?
Create a video prompt. Vertical aspect 9:16. A grandfather, Chinese, male, 76 years old, broad shouldered, bespectacled, white tee shirt, brown shorts, white shoes, camera R5 zoom lens, talks to his granddaughter, Chinese, 7 years old, violet dress, pony tail: "The Key Differences between a Malayan Water Monitor and the Clouded Monitor lizard are mainly in the position of the nostrils."
2. Chatgpt:
VIDEO PROMPT — VERTICAL 9:16 | SINGAPORE WILDLIFE EDUCATION
Format: 9:16 vertical, photorealistic wildlife documentary, 4K, natural Singapore daylight, realistic animal movement and anatomy, cinematic depth of field.
LOCATION: A lush Singapore nature park beside a quiet forested waterway. Green vegetation, tree trunks, leaf litter and natural sunlight. A Malayan Water Monitor is near the water while a Clouded Monitor is shown moving through woodland vegetation.
MAIN CHARACTERS
Grandfather: Chinese male, 76 years old, broad-shouldered, bespectacled, friendly expression, white T-shirt, brown shorts and white shoes. Carries a Canon EOS R5 with a zoom lens.
Granddaughter: Chinese girl, 7 years old, ponytail, wearing a violet dress and white shoes. Curious and attentive, standing beside her grandfather.
SHOT 1 — INTRODUCTION
0–6 seconds
Medium tracking shot of grandfather and granddaughter walking slowly along the nature trail. The grandfather notices a monitor lizard near the water.
He raises his Canon R5 and photographs it.
Grandfather: "Ya Ya, look carefully. Can you tell a Malayan Water Monitor from a Clouded Monitor?"
Cut to a close-up of the Malayan Water Monitor's head.
SHOT 2 — THE KEY DIFFERENCE
6–16 seconds
Extreme close-up of the Malayan Water Monitor's head and snout.
Show the nostril clearly at the front portion of the snout.
On-screen text:
MALAYAN WATER MONITOR Nostril: near the tip of the snout
Cut to an equally clear close-up of a Clouded Monitor.
Show its nostril positioned farther back, approximately midway between the eye and the tip of the snout.
On-screen text:
CLOUDED MONITOR Nostril: farther back on the snout
Grandfather: "The key difference is the position of the nostrils."
SHOT 3 — SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON
16–28 seconds
Clean wildlife-documentary split screen.
LEFT: Malayan Water Monitor near a pond or waterway. RIGHT: Clouded Monitor moving through forest vegetation.
Use subtle graphic arrows pointing toward each nostril.
Grandfather points toward the two animals.
Grandfather: "The Water Monitor's nostril is near the tip. The Clouded Monitor's is farther back."
Granddaughter looks closely and nods.
SHOT 4 — SIZE AND TAIL
28–39 seconds
Show the substantially larger Malayan Water Monitor moving beside water.
Cut to the smaller Clouded Monitor climbing over a fallen branch.
Brief close-up of their tails:
Malayan Water Monitor: broad, laterally flattened tail adapted for swimming.
Clouded Monitor: relatively rounder, more slender tail.
Malayan Water Monitor swimming through shallow water, then climbing onto the bank.
Cut to Clouded Monitor climbing through woodland vegetation and leaf litter.
On-screen text:
Water Monitor → waterways, ponds, canals, mangroves Clouded Monitor → forest, scrubland, trees and leaf litter
Granddaughter watches with fascination.
SHOT 6 — FINAL LESSON
49–60 seconds
Grandfather and granddaughter stand quietly at the edge of the nature trail.
The grandfather lowers his camera and smiles.
Grandfather: "So remember, Ya Ya—look at the nostrils first."
Granddaughter smiles:
Granddaughter: "Near the tip—Water Monitor. Farther back—Clouded Monitor!"
Final shot: both animals disappear naturally into their respective habitats.
FINAL ON-SCREEN TEXT:
MALAYAN WATER MONITOR vs CLOUDED MONITOR
Look at the nostrils. Look at the tail. Look at the habitat.
Singapore Wildlife • Observe • Learn • Protect
VISUAL AND AUDIO DIRECTION
Natural wildlife-documentary realism. Accurate reptile anatomy. No exaggerated animal behaviour. No artificial interaction between humans and wild monitors. Keep a respectful distance from the animals.
Use natural ambience: birds calling, gentle wind through leaves, insects and soft water sounds. No dramatic music overpowering the narration.
Camera style: Canon R5 aesthetic, realistic telephoto compression, shallow depth of field for animal close-ups, smooth handheld documentary movement, occasional slow push-in for identification details.
Important: The nostril positions must be visually accurate and remain the primary identification feature throughout the video.
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The clouded monitor (Varanus nebulosus) is a relatively common, medium-sized monitor lizard species native to Singapore, growing up to 1.5 meters in total length. [1, 2]
Identifying Features & Habitat
Appearance: Brown-grey skin densely covered with yellow spots or cloudy, marbled blotches. [1, 2, 3]
Nostril Position: Located midway between the eyes and the tip of the snout (unlike the Malayan water monitor, whose nostrils are near the snout tip). [1]
Behavior & Diet: Diurnal and shy, they use sharp claws to climb trees or dig through leaf litter and topsoil for invertebrates like worms, beetles, and snails. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Where to Find Them: They favor terrestrial and arboreal environments and can be spotted in nature reserves and parks like the Singapore Botanic Gardens, Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, and Thomson Nature Park
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SINGAPORE - 23 SEP 2026: 10 am. An adult Malayan Water Monitor (Varanus salvator) swims in the Seletar Simpang Kiri River. Its nostrils are located nostrils near the snout tip unlike the Clouded Monitor whose nostrils are midway between the eyes and the tip of the snout.
This photograph appears to show a Malayan Water Monitor (Varanus salvator), rather than a Clouded Monitor (Varanus nebulosus).
Why I identify it as a Malayan Water Monitor
Aquatic behaviour: The lizard is swimming with only its head and back above the water. Varanus salvator is highly aquatic and is an excellent swimmer.
Long, streamlined body: The visible body and neck are consistent with the elongated form of a Water Monitor.
Head and snout: The head appears relatively long and robust, with the nostril positioned very close to the tip of the snout—an important distinction from the Clouded Monitor.
Environment: It appears to be in a waterway surrounded by overhanging vegetation, which is typical Water Monitor habitat in Singapore.
Colour: The dark, almost black appearance in this photograph can occur in V. salvator, particularly under subdued lighting and when the animal is wet.
Identification: Malayan Water Monitor — Varanus salvator.
One interesting feature of your photograph is that the lizard is almost completely submerged. That makes it a particularly good illustration for a Singapore wildlife video: “Why is the Malayan Water Monitor such a good swimmer?” Its long, laterally compressed tail provides powerful propulsion, while its body and limbs are adapted for swimming.
If you're using this for your Seletar Simpang Kiri River wildlife photography, I would caption it:
Malayan Water Monitor (Varanus salvator) swimming quietly through the waters of Singapore.
The photograph provides enough evidence for a probable identification, although the nostril is partly obscured by the angle and water, so I would not call it absolutely diagnostic from this single image.
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The main difference between the Malayan water monitor and the clouded monitor lies in the position of their nostrils, their size, and their preferred habitats. [1]
Key Differences at a Glance
Nostril Position:
Malayan Water Monitor: Nostrils are located right at the tip of the snout, acting like a built-in snorkel.
Clouded Monitor: Nostrils are positioned midway between the eyes and the tip of the snout. [1, 2]
Size:
Malayan Water Monitor: Much larger, growing up to 2 to 3 meters (6.5 to 10 feet) long.
Clouded Monitor: Smaller, generally reaching a maximum length of about 1.5 meters (5 feet). [1, 2, 3, 4]
Tail Shape:
Malayan Water Monitor: Has a flattened, vertically compressed tail designed to help it swim efficiently.
Clouded Monitor: Features a rounder, more slender tail. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Habitat:
Malayan Water Monitor: Semi-aquatic; frequently seen near canals, reservoirs, ponds, mangroves, and urban waterways.
Clouded Monitor: Terrestrial and arboreal; prefers forests, scrublands, and wooded parks where it climbs trees and searches through leaf litter. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Diet:
Malayan Water Monitor: Carnivorous and opportunistic scavengers eating fish, small mammals, birds, and reptiles.
Clouded Monitor: Specializes more in terrestrial invertebrates like insects (beetles, grasshoppers) and small vertebrates
