3016. March 23, 2018 6.10am, 7.40am - Pretty Shaggy Mane mushrooms & umbrella mushrooms

Mar 23, 2018  6.10am

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 Mar 23, 2018  7.40am
Surprisingly, two species of mushrooms seen in abundance today.

Garden
Shaggy Mane mushrooms

Plantar Box
Umbrella-like mushrooms, grey and white ones together and alone..

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Mushrooms here reflect the spectrum of living.
Of human lives of struggle, youth and ageing, relationships, close and broken relationships.

3015. A 9-year-old female Samoyed cried when carried and had a right hind leg limp when walking.

Case TP 40329

14.12.17  painful hip on palpation. Complaint of pain when carried. 

Chest pain. Lung nodules seen.

22.3.18. Follow up.
Owner gave her own medication schedule of every 10 days to avoid kidney damage.    

After X-rays, Rimadyl 75mg was prescribed at 4 days on, 8 days off.
The dog was much better as there was no limp when walking.
"She cried when carried. This was due to the hip problem, I said..

No pain when on my schdedule.

However, owner gave 1 tablet 70mg Rimadyl every 10 days to avoid kidney failure. .
"Still limping on Right Hind when walking but she never cried," the lady explained.

I advised her to give 4 days on, 10 days off so as to let her have no limp in her walk. A better quality of life. Monitor side effects on kidneys by 6-12monthly blood test. This case study shows that follow up is important.

Blood test on Dec 14, 2017          
Urea 12 (4.2-6.3)      
Creatiniine 117 (89-177). No kidney failure when first consulted in Dec 2017. To take a blood test in June - Dec 2018.                                         

3014. A 3-year-old cat cannot pee. Vet advised owner to seek a vet for urethrostomy operation.

Mar 22, 2018. Review of case.

The owner contacted me via internet surfing to ask for quotation as his vet does not do the urethrostomy surgery.  X-ray was one view as follows:

Blood test on Mar 14, 2018 by Toa Payoh Vets

Urea  21.7 (7.2-10.8)
Creatinine 232 (71-160)
Platelets  157 (300-800)

Red and white blood cells normal.Surgery is done.
Prompt vet treatment gave good clinical outcomes.

Owner is knowledgeable about urethrostomy and wanted the operation to prevent recurrences.

3013. $4,000 for a bladder stone surgery

Mar 22, 2018

"It was simply too expensive and so I did not do it," the man in his late 50s told me. "$4,000 fee to remove a large kidney stone some 2 years ago."

The owner wanted euthanasia now as the 14-year-old dog was crying in pain the whole night.
"Nobody could sleep at all."
"Are you sure it is a large kidney stone or is it a large bladder stone?" I asked. "You could have sought second opinions about the surgical costs as some vets charge around $1,500 for urinary stone removal surgery."
"The vet I went to was highly recommended by my neighbours. It is a very crowded practice. I had to wait more than one hour for consultation."

The owner was not sure whether his female dog had a urinary stone or kidney stone. The skinny dog was euthanased.