1. Alphaxolone is an induction agent like propofol and thiopentone. It is a useful titrable induction agent but no studies are available about its effects on cerebral blood flow or intracranial pressure in anaesthesing animals with intracranial disease.
propofol and thiopentone are recommended. Propofol has advantage over thiopentone as it can be titrated slowly in minimally premedicated animals and shorter acting.
2. Azotaemia means an increased concentration of urea and creatinine in the blood. USG (urine specific gravity), or urine osmolality or fractional excreion of sodium are needed to evaluate renal function. USG is the most available.
Pre-renal azotaemia and renal azotaemia differentiation may not be easy.
Pre-renal is associated with low output states such as dehydraion, decreased cardiac output
Renal azotaemia may lead to acute renal failure.
Post renal azotaemia
Pre-renal azotaemia USG >1.030/35 in dog and cat
Fractional clearance Na <1%
Urine creatinine: serum creatinine ration >20:1
Acute Renal Failure (renal azotaemia) USG >1.007-1.015 or minimally concentrated in dog and cat
Fractional clearance Na >2%
Urine creatinine: serum creatinine ration <10:1
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
11. Hamster anaesthesia query from South Korea
E-MAIL TO DR SING DATED JAN 5, 2010
Hello Dr Sing Kong Yuen,
Happy new year!
I'm very impressed "be kind to pet" of your homepage and operating small animal clinic in South Korea.
I have poor experience about exotic pets and especially anesthesia of them.
May I(as begginer) ask favor of you about pre-eminent experience at exotic medicine?
I have pyometra patient in hedgehog and scalp laceration at font head in hamster.
Could you recommend anesthesia protocol(inhalant and injectable) each.
Hamster with amputated leg by cage had been experienced irratic and deep breath, and death in anesthetic chamber. Other hamster was not maintained enough to do surgery with ketamine 40-120mg/kg only.
How do you evaluate anesthesia depth and deal with problems.
I have general patient monitor for heart rate with alligator clips and pulse oximeter.
Could I use it in rodent?
Do you usually use absorbable suture at skin and why ?
I appreciate you in advance!
Be happy and wealthy!
Keep Healthy!
Sincerely yours,
Name of Vet
E-
E-MAIL FROM DR SING DATED MAR 6, 2010
Thank you for your email. Now, I have time to reply to you. See below.
How long can you maintain hamster with Zoletil 0.01ml im ?
LESS THAN 2 MINUTES
At recovering anesthesia, how do hamsters act ?
SMOOTH QUIET RECOVERY AS IF THEY JUST WAKE UP
At gas anesthesia, if depth of anesthesia is decreased and hamster could move, you put hamster in plastic container again.
YES, I PUT INTO PLASTIC CONTAINER AND GIVE ISOFLURANE GAS FOR A FEW SECONDS.
Did you use continously anesthetic machine with nose cone described Saunder's manual of small animal practice?
NO
What's there merit or demerit of continous or intermittent gas anesthesia.
I THINK CONTINUOUS GAS ANAESTHESIA IS TOO RISKY FOR HAMSTER. DEPENDS ON YOUR DOSAGE.
Do you prefer intermittent gas anesthesia because of some reason or not ?
INTERMITTENT PREFERRED FOR ME. NEED CLOSE OBSERVATION OF HAMSTER'S STAGE OF ANAESTHESIA AND SHORT DURATION.
I considered aceromazine sedation, ketamie sedation, ketamine/xylazine anesthesia, zoletil anesthesia, and gas anesthesia
but I didn't successfully experience them.
DO YOU YOU USE ZOLETIL ANAESTHESIA?
I'd appreciate once more you in advance!
E-MAIL TO DR SING DATED MAR 6, 2010
Thanks you very very much !
P.S. Singapore government prohibits exotic pets. So, I don't get hedgehogs or reptiles. 99% of my hamster cases are dwarf hamsters nowadays!
INFO FROM SOUTH KOREA VET
Saunder's manual of small animal practice and exotic animal formulary
INJECTABLE ANAESTHETIC DRUGS FOR POCKET PETS
For hamsters
1. Acepromazine sedation 0.5 to 1.0mg/kg IM
2. Ketamine/xylazine anaesthesia 50-100mg/kg (ketamine) and 10mg/kg (xylazine) IP.
Wide dosage ranges are due to marked individual variations. Use lower dosages first.
3. Zoletil (tiletamine and zolazepam) anaesthesia 20-40mg/kg IM for chinchilla and rats. No mention about use in the hamster.
4. Zoletil/xylazine combination. 30mg/kg (Zoeltil) and 10mg/kg(xylazine) IM or IP
5. Isoflurane. Anaesthesia of choice for all pocket pets. 2.5% induction. 0.25% - 4% for maintenance.
I don't have experience using the above in my dwarf hamster anaesthesia and therefore am unable to comment except for isolfurane. All these formulae about 2.5% induction and maintenance are not much help. The vet has to go back to the fundamentals of the stages of anaesthesia and that is quite difficult for the hamster unlike the dog and cat. Be vigilant and be very careful even if you use isoflurane gas via mask. I don't do it.
ZOLETIL ANAESTHESIA FOR DWARF HAMSTERS AT TOA PAYOH VETS.
Over the last 5 years, around 100 dwarf hamsters had been operated using the following dosage of Zoletil 50.
For 4th year vet students, the details are as follows:
An adult dwarf hamster weighs around 40g.
Using the above, paragraph 3 --- Zoletil (tiletamine and zolazepam) anaesthesia 20-40mg/kg IM for chinchilla and rats. No mention about use in the hamster.
Let's calculate the dosage for the hamster weighing 40g.
The dosage should be (using lowest dosage of 20mg/kg) 20mg/1000g. This will be 0.8mg for 40g. Zoletil 50 is 50 mg/ml. Therefore, the volume of Zoletil 50 will be calculated as 0.01 ml at 0.5mg. For the 40g dwarf hamster, the volume should be a bit more than 0.01 ml at 0.015ml. However, 0.01ml was effective for less than 2 minutes of anaesthesia. For Syrian hamster, this volume was insufficient. I use 0.02 ml IM. In my practice, no anaesthetic deaths occur at this dosage. Isoflurane gas maintenance (intermittent) may be necessary when surgery exceeds 2 minutes.
Obviously the vet will not get any referral from hamster owners if he or she gets anaesthetic deaths frequently, unless the owner has no choices. Dwarf hamster anaesthesia is a particularly heart-breaking worrisome time but if the vet produces good clinical outcomes, it can be very satisfying to see the little creature alive with no more nasty tumours or wounds from bites. What the owner wants is a hamster alive from the vet. No excuses. Don't use a variety of drugs for hamster anaesthesia as you don't become competent. That is why I use Zoletil 50 or 100 only.
MAIL REPLY FROM DR SING DATED JAN 6, 2010
보낸 시간: 2010년 1월 6일 (수), 5:31:38 AM
제목: Re: Hamster and Hedgehog anesthesia in Korea
I am Dr Sing from Singapore, not from South Korea. My surgery is www.toapayohvets.com. I don't have hedgehog patient. The following applies to dwarf hamsters mainly. For Syrian hamsters, the same principles of close observation apply.
For sick dwarf hamsters needing surgery, I use isoflurane gas anaesthesia (plastic container) at 5% for around 1 minute, but close observation of the hamster is the key to success.
In other cases of healthy hamsters for tumour removal, I use Zoletil 50 as little as 0.01 ml IM as sedation. Then I use 5% isoflurane gas for less than 20 seconds and take out the hamster from the gas container to operate. If the hamster moves, I repeat the gas anaesthesia. Then I take it out to operate. Operation room must be warm to prevent hypothermia. If you have a cold operating room, you need to reduce the temperature or switch off the air conditioning during surgery. Hamster should be as dry as possible.
In this way, I maintain the surgical anaesthesia to operate. Most surgeries are less than 10 minutes. I have not used ketamine or other injectable anaesthesia except Zoletil on dwarf hamsters, so, I cannot share my experience with you.
Surgical anaesthesia levels are very difficult to assess in the dwarf hamster unlike in the dog and cat. Close observation of starting eyelid closure, movement and breathing rate is extremely important as there is a very high risk of anasthetic death if the vet does not know what he should observe or being too busy doing surgery.
You may need to have a very good veterinary assistant to help you observe the anaesthesia while you do surgery. But you should be able to know too when the hamster moves.
I don't know whether you can use pulse oximeter on dwarf hamsters. I use absorbable 6/0 or 7/0 sutures to stitch the hamster's skin so that owners don't need to come back for suture removal.
I hope this e-mail answers your questions.
In this way, I maintain the surgical anaesthesia to operate. Most surgeries are less than 10 minutes. I have not used ketamine or other injectable anaesthesia except Zoletil on dwarf hamsters, so, I cannot share my experience with you.
Surgical anaesthesia levels are very difficult to assess in the dwarf hamster unlike in the dog and cat. Close observation of starting eyelid closure, movement and breathing rate is extremely important as there is a very high risk of anasthetic death if the vet does not know what he should observe or being too busy doing surgery.
You may need to have a very good veterinary assistant to help you observe the anaesthesia while you do surgery. But you should be able to know too when the hamster moves.
I don't know whether you can use pulse oximeter on dwarf hamsters. I use absorbable 6/0 or 7/0 sutures to stitch the hamster's skin so that owners don't need to come back for suture removal.
I hope this e-mail answers your questions.
E-MAIL TO DR SING DATED JAN 6, 2010
Subject: 답장: Hamster and Hedgehog anesthesia in Korea
To: "David Sing"
Dear Dr David Sing,
Thank you so much for your help!
How long can you maintain hamster with Zoletil 0.01ml im ?
At recovering anesthesia, how do hamsters act ?
At gas anesthesia, if depth of anesthesia is decreased and hamster could move, you put hamster in plastic container again.
Did you use continously anesthetic machine with nose cone described Saunder's manual of small animal practice?
What's there merit or demerit of continous or intermittent gas anesthesia.
Do you prefer intermittent gas anesthesia because of some reason or not ?
I considered aceromazine sedation, ketamie sedation, ketamine/xylazine anesthesia, zoletil anesthesia, and gas anesthesia
but I didn't successfully experience them.
I'd appreciate once more you in advance!
PS) I added photocopy of Saunder's manual of small animal praqctice and exotic animal formulary.
Best regards,
10. Outer ear infections in people and dogs - comparison
Otitis externa is an outer ear infecion leading to severe pain. This condition is common in people and in dogs. The walls of the ear canal are swollen, red and blocked with fluid. Dogs can't complain about hearing loss but they scratch their infected ear and shake their head a lot.
OTITIS EXTERNA IN PEOPLE
CAUSES
1. Commonest cause is water or fluid entering the ear. For example, during swimming. Dampness inside the ear canal encourages bacterial growth. The canal skin lining breaks and get infected. Pain and swelling occur.
2. Narrowed ear canal in some people due to a different angle narrowing the canal and retaining fluid and dampness. No ventilation. Bacterial growth.
3. Eczema means an allergic skin problem in the ear canal. Scaly and flaky skin.
4. Humid tropical climate in Singapore leads to wet ears. Recurrent ear infections.
TREATMENT BY EAR SPECIALIST
FOR ACUTE OUTER EAR INFECTIONS
1. Strong pain-killer to relieve the pain.
2. Suction instrument to clear the ear canal of secretion one hour later.
3. After cleaning, a tiny cylindrical sponge soaked with antibiotic drops is inserted into the ear canal. This ensures that the deeper swollen end of the ear canal receives the antibiotics. Patient goes home.
4. Return 2 days later to get the sponge taken out and review that the ear drum is intact and normal.
For RECURRENT OUTER EAR INFECTIONS
1. Dry the ear by using swimmer's ear drops bought from the pharmacy. They contain alcohol which dries up the moisture.
2. Ear plugs, custom-made if the problem is due to ear perforation. This is to prevent fluid getting into the middle ear causing infections.
WHAT ABOUT OTITIS EXTERNA IN DOGS IN SINGAPORE?
The dog has a vertical and a horizontal outer ear canal, unlike people. People's ear outer canal is a horizontal one. Therefore the dog's canal traps water from bathing or swimming.
CAUSES
1. POOR VENTILATION. In hairy-eared dogs like the Miniature Schnauzer, the hairs prevents ventilation. Dampness lead to bacterial growth and ulcerations from infections. Head shaking and ear rubbing or scratching are commonly seen.
2. FOREIGN BODIES inside the ear canal. Owner's digging of the ear canal. Groomer's ear powder plugging the canal.
3. EAR MITES infestation. Quite common in puppies and kittens in Singapore. Anti-mite injection.
TREATMENT FOR ACUTE OUTER EAR CANAL INFECTIONS. Similar for people. Painkillers and ear canal cleaning. The dog may be tranquilised and the ear canal is irrigated to clear the pus and debri. No cylindrical sponge for ear canals as dogs don't tolerate objects inside the ear. Ear ointments are prescribed 3x per week. Antibiotics for 14 days. Generally, no more problems. Seldom do owners come back for review.
CHRONIC OTITIS EXTERNA
The owner is asked to come back 7 days later for ear irrigation esp. if the problem still persists. Many of my owners don't come back after the initial treatment. SURGERY - Lateral ear canal resection is the solution if the owner can see the long-term benefits. The surgery costs around $600. Visiting groomer to clean the ears and short grooming may cost $30. So, the owner feels that $30.00 is cheap and he or she has 20 visits in lieu of surgery. If the problem is hairy ears, the costs definitely is much lower. In addition, the time taken to go to the groomer and for the owner to clean the ears, the severe pain and head shaking, the discoloration and swelling of the outer ears and sometimes, ear haematomas requiring surgery are not considered by the owner.
OTITIS EXTERNA IN PEOPLE
CAUSES
1. Commonest cause is water or fluid entering the ear. For example, during swimming. Dampness inside the ear canal encourages bacterial growth. The canal skin lining breaks and get infected. Pain and swelling occur.
2. Narrowed ear canal in some people due to a different angle narrowing the canal and retaining fluid and dampness. No ventilation. Bacterial growth.
3. Eczema means an allergic skin problem in the ear canal. Scaly and flaky skin.
4. Humid tropical climate in Singapore leads to wet ears. Recurrent ear infections.
TREATMENT BY EAR SPECIALIST
FOR ACUTE OUTER EAR INFECTIONS
1. Strong pain-killer to relieve the pain.
2. Suction instrument to clear the ear canal of secretion one hour later.
3. After cleaning, a tiny cylindrical sponge soaked with antibiotic drops is inserted into the ear canal. This ensures that the deeper swollen end of the ear canal receives the antibiotics. Patient goes home.
4. Return 2 days later to get the sponge taken out and review that the ear drum is intact and normal.
For RECURRENT OUTER EAR INFECTIONS
1. Dry the ear by using swimmer's ear drops bought from the pharmacy. They contain alcohol which dries up the moisture.
2. Ear plugs, custom-made if the problem is due to ear perforation. This is to prevent fluid getting into the middle ear causing infections.
WHAT ABOUT OTITIS EXTERNA IN DOGS IN SINGAPORE?
The dog has a vertical and a horizontal outer ear canal, unlike people. People's ear outer canal is a horizontal one. Therefore the dog's canal traps water from bathing or swimming.
CAUSES
1. POOR VENTILATION. In hairy-eared dogs like the Miniature Schnauzer, the hairs prevents ventilation. Dampness lead to bacterial growth and ulcerations from infections. Head shaking and ear rubbing or scratching are commonly seen.
2. FOREIGN BODIES inside the ear canal. Owner's digging of the ear canal. Groomer's ear powder plugging the canal.
3. EAR MITES infestation. Quite common in puppies and kittens in Singapore. Anti-mite injection.
TREATMENT FOR ACUTE OUTER EAR CANAL INFECTIONS. Similar for people. Painkillers and ear canal cleaning. The dog may be tranquilised and the ear canal is irrigated to clear the pus and debri. No cylindrical sponge for ear canals as dogs don't tolerate objects inside the ear. Ear ointments are prescribed 3x per week. Antibiotics for 14 days. Generally, no more problems. Seldom do owners come back for review.
CHRONIC OTITIS EXTERNA
The owner is asked to come back 7 days later for ear irrigation esp. if the problem still persists. Many of my owners don't come back after the initial treatment. SURGERY - Lateral ear canal resection is the solution if the owner can see the long-term benefits. The surgery costs around $600. Visiting groomer to clean the ears and short grooming may cost $30. So, the owner feels that $30.00 is cheap and he or she has 20 visits in lieu of surgery. If the problem is hairy ears, the costs definitely is much lower. In addition, the time taken to go to the groomer and for the owner to clean the ears, the severe pain and head shaking, the discoloration and swelling of the outer ears and sometimes, ear haematomas requiring surgery are not considered by the owner.
9. Enucleation of the eye in a high anaesthetic risk Chihuahua
The mother and teenaged daughter adopted the abandoned Chihuahua. For the past 2 weeks, the dog was rubbing her eyes. Dirt and bacteria got trapped inside the eyes, irritating the dog. So, she rubbed more. When I was consulted, the eye cornea was deeply ulcerated. A 3rd eyelid flap would be the recommended surgery.
But the dog had a serious heart disease and was panting a lot. Therefore, I did not proceed with the surgery as she would likely just die on the operating table. A 90% chance of dying. The dog went home with heart disease medication, antibiotics, eye ointment and an e-collar. It was better to have a live pet than to attempt general anaesthesia leading to a dead dog on the operating table. The teenaged daughter was attached to her. No vet wants a dead dog as a result of anaesthesia. No owner wants that too. So, I decided not to take the risk.
One week later, the eye ulcer had perforated. A gelatinous plug protruded out from the eye. What to do now? Bacteria would get inside the eye causing enopthalmitis. Uveitis was controlled by antibiotics eye drops. There was one solution. Surgery to remove the whole eyeball (enucleation). The dog was not panting now as the heart drugs had helped considerably.
Performance counts. In this case, a good surgical outcome is a live dog at the end of the surgery. The following is my management of this case:
1. The dog was already on Fortekor and frusemide tablets and was no longer panting.
2. Pre-anaesthetic dextrose saline 20 ml SC and antibiotics were given.
3. The dog was thin, weighing was 2.5 kg.
4. Pre-anaesthetic dose of Zoletil 100 @ 0.1 ml IM.
Atropine 0.65mg/ml @ 0.2 ml IM. Isoflurane gas mask and then intubate.
5. The dog's eyelids were shaved fast. The eyeball was taken out in <10 minutes.
6. The teeth were scaled. 4 loose ones extracted.
7. The dog was on <1% isoflurane gas and was anaesthesized without problems.
8. Post-op 5% dextrose saline 20 ml SC and tolfedine painkillers were given.
9. The Chihuahua went home on Day 2. No problems. Everybody is happy when a dog is alive at the end of surgery and anaesthesia.
Conclusion:
Never anaesthesize a dog with severe panting as this is extremely risky. You will get a dead dog and a very unhappy owner. Stablise the heart condition with medication for 2 weeks. Unfortunately, the deep ulcer perforated and surgery to remove the infected eyeball was necessary. A short surgery would lead to a higher chance of survival. Know what to do pre and during surgery. In this case, a live dog was what the owner wanted. In any industry, results count. You may be the best veterinary surgeon in the country, but if you produce a dead dog on the operating table, you are the worst doctor as far as the affected family is concerned. Just don't take unnecessary risks in anaesthesia.
But the dog had a serious heart disease and was panting a lot. Therefore, I did not proceed with the surgery as she would likely just die on the operating table. A 90% chance of dying. The dog went home with heart disease medication, antibiotics, eye ointment and an e-collar. It was better to have a live pet than to attempt general anaesthesia leading to a dead dog on the operating table. The teenaged daughter was attached to her. No vet wants a dead dog as a result of anaesthesia. No owner wants that too. So, I decided not to take the risk.
One week later, the eye ulcer had perforated. A gelatinous plug protruded out from the eye. What to do now? Bacteria would get inside the eye causing enopthalmitis. Uveitis was controlled by antibiotics eye drops. There was one solution. Surgery to remove the whole eyeball (enucleation). The dog was not panting now as the heart drugs had helped considerably.
Performance counts. In this case, a good surgical outcome is a live dog at the end of the surgery. The following is my management of this case:
1. The dog was already on Fortekor and frusemide tablets and was no longer panting.
2. Pre-anaesthetic dextrose saline 20 ml SC and antibiotics were given.
3. The dog was thin, weighing was 2.5 kg.
4. Pre-anaesthetic dose of Zoletil 100 @ 0.1 ml IM.
Atropine 0.65mg/ml @ 0.2 ml IM. Isoflurane gas mask and then intubate.
5. The dog's eyelids were shaved fast. The eyeball was taken out in <10 minutes.
6. The teeth were scaled. 4 loose ones extracted.
7. The dog was on <1% isoflurane gas and was anaesthesized without problems.
8. Post-op 5% dextrose saline 20 ml SC and tolfedine painkillers were given.
9. The Chihuahua went home on Day 2. No problems. Everybody is happy when a dog is alive at the end of surgery and anaesthesia.
Conclusion:
Never anaesthesize a dog with severe panting as this is extremely risky. You will get a dead dog and a very unhappy owner. Stablise the heart condition with medication for 2 weeks. Unfortunately, the deep ulcer perforated and surgery to remove the infected eyeball was necessary. A short surgery would lead to a higher chance of survival. Know what to do pre and during surgery. In this case, a live dog was what the owner wanted. In any industry, results count. You may be the best veterinary surgeon in the country, but if you produce a dead dog on the operating table, you are the worst doctor as far as the affected family is concerned. Just don't take unnecessary risks in anaesthesia.
Monday, April 5, 2010
8. Paper-train an outdoor adopted 4-year-old Schnauzer in an apartment
Hi Dr Sing,
I would like to seek your advice on how I can paper-train my 4 yr old male miniature schnauzer whom I just adopted last Friday. He used to stay in landed property and was trained to pee and poo in grass only. Now at my HDB flat, he'll hold his pee and poo and only eliminate when we bring him down to the park.
Though we don't mind bringing him down to the park before we go to work in the morning and when we are back in the evening, we still hope to paper train him as we do not want him to hold his bladder in case we are home late from any functions.
We have tried a few methods :
(a) Confined him to the kitchen balcony with clean pee pads. He refused to pee or poo there. Whined and became very depressed. Only pee and poo when we brought him to the park.
(b) Since he hates to be confined, we let him sleep in the living room with pee pads laid out. This time, we placed a few pieces of tissue soiled with his pee on the pee pads, hoping that he will associate the place for peeing and pooing. He again held his pee and poo till we bring him down to the park.
(c) Once he peed in the living room as he can no longer hold it. We brought him to puddle of pee, made him look at it and sternly told him 'No'. We then brought him to the pee pad and told him pee there. I'm not sure if he registered cos he did looked very guilty when we brought him to the puddle of pee but he may think his fault lies in not holding it long enough to go down to the park instead of not using the pee pad.
Would appreciate your advice on how I can teach my mini schnauzer that it is ok to pee on the pee pads. Thanks!
Name of Owner
E-MAIL REPLY FROM DR SING, PERTH APR 5, 2010
Thank you for your e-mail. Your problem is common amongst apartment owners who want their dogs to eliminate outdoors, only that your situation is the reverse. The following guidelines may or may not work for you as each dog has a different personality:
1. Continue to bring him to the grass at around the same time to eliminate. Use the same the grassy patch spot for his elimination area for the next 14 days while you execute the following suggestions:
2. Bring your big pee pad with his urine smell and grass soil mixture outdoors to his elimination area . Place it on the grassy patch where he eliminates. He will avoid it initially. Persevere the next time. Don't scold him or beat him. He needs your patient training rather than loud scoldings or spanking as he does not know what you want.
3. Put him on the pee pad patiently and say "Pee here" firmly just before he pees. You will need to monitor his signs of starting to pee. Reward him with food treats and praises when he finally does it. This will work if the male dog do not lift his legs to pee. If not, you may need to improvise when you are outdoors. How? I don't know your dog's habit or situation and am unable to advise on this situation outdoors. Does he use the bushes as a vertical surface? However, inside the apartment, many apartment owners do what is described for male dog urination, in paragraph 4.
4. Vertical surfaces for peeing in male dogs. This may cause you problems as you assume that the male dog pees like a female dog. The average male dogs don't pee on top of the pee pad. In this case, you may need to structure a L-shaped pee pad (one placed vertically against the wall (backed by a pee pan, for example) in the bathroom in your apartment and one on the floor).
In conclusion, replicate his outdoor situation by using pee pad with his urine smell and grass and soil smeared onto his pee pad. If he pees vertically onto a bush, the big pee pad should be part of the elimination area. Use the same application onto the pee pad when you confine him in the bathroom to pee pad train him when you go to work. Monitor closely and use the pads just when he wants to pee. Food treat and plenty of praises. You will take 2-8 weeks. You will not succeed immediately. But you will, given time and positive reinforcement training.
Le me know if you have more questions and let me know your success.
I would like to seek your advice on how I can paper-train my 4 yr old male miniature schnauzer whom I just adopted last Friday. He used to stay in landed property and was trained to pee and poo in grass only. Now at my HDB flat, he'll hold his pee and poo and only eliminate when we bring him down to the park.
Though we don't mind bringing him down to the park before we go to work in the morning and when we are back in the evening, we still hope to paper train him as we do not want him to hold his bladder in case we are home late from any functions.
We have tried a few methods :
(a) Confined him to the kitchen balcony with clean pee pads. He refused to pee or poo there. Whined and became very depressed. Only pee and poo when we brought him to the park.
(b) Since he hates to be confined, we let him sleep in the living room with pee pads laid out. This time, we placed a few pieces of tissue soiled with his pee on the pee pads, hoping that he will associate the place for peeing and pooing. He again held his pee and poo till we bring him down to the park.
(c) Once he peed in the living room as he can no longer hold it. We brought him to puddle of pee, made him look at it and sternly told him 'No'. We then brought him to the pee pad and told him pee there. I'm not sure if he registered cos he did looked very guilty when we brought him to the puddle of pee but he may think his fault lies in not holding it long enough to go down to the park instead of not using the pee pad.
Would appreciate your advice on how I can teach my mini schnauzer that it is ok to pee on the pee pads. Thanks!
Name of Owner
E-MAIL REPLY FROM DR SING, PERTH APR 5, 2010
Thank you for your e-mail. Your problem is common amongst apartment owners who want their dogs to eliminate outdoors, only that your situation is the reverse. The following guidelines may or may not work for you as each dog has a different personality:
1. Continue to bring him to the grass at around the same time to eliminate. Use the same the grassy patch spot for his elimination area for the next 14 days while you execute the following suggestions:
2. Bring your big pee pad with his urine smell and grass soil mixture outdoors to his elimination area . Place it on the grassy patch where he eliminates. He will avoid it initially. Persevere the next time. Don't scold him or beat him. He needs your patient training rather than loud scoldings or spanking as he does not know what you want.
3. Put him on the pee pad patiently and say "Pee here" firmly just before he pees. You will need to monitor his signs of starting to pee. Reward him with food treats and praises when he finally does it. This will work if the male dog do not lift his legs to pee. If not, you may need to improvise when you are outdoors. How? I don't know your dog's habit or situation and am unable to advise on this situation outdoors. Does he use the bushes as a vertical surface? However, inside the apartment, many apartment owners do what is described for male dog urination, in paragraph 4.
4. Vertical surfaces for peeing in male dogs. This may cause you problems as you assume that the male dog pees like a female dog. The average male dogs don't pee on top of the pee pad. In this case, you may need to structure a L-shaped pee pad (one placed vertically against the wall (backed by a pee pan, for example) in the bathroom in your apartment and one on the floor).
In conclusion, replicate his outdoor situation by using pee pad with his urine smell and grass and soil smeared onto his pee pad. If he pees vertically onto a bush, the big pee pad should be part of the elimination area. Use the same application onto the pee pad when you confine him in the bathroom to pee pad train him when you go to work. Monitor closely and use the pads just when he wants to pee. Food treat and plenty of praises. You will take 2-8 weeks. You will not succeed immediately. But you will, given time and positive reinforcement training.
Le me know if you have more questions and let me know your success.
7. Annual health examination for dogs and cats at Toa Payoh Vets
One year of a dog's or cat's life is around 5-7 years of a man's life. Therefore,annual health examinations are important for your companion animals. Annual health examinations are not just vaccinations and deworming.
More than 2 years old
1. General examination including skin, eyes, ears, appetite and water intake, weight gain or loss.
2. Dental scaling every year is best
3. Heart test to check for heart diseases
4. Blood test to check liver and kidney disorders and diabetes. This is important for dogs older than 5 years as early detection saves lives and money.
5. Heartworm test.
6. Vaccination review
7. Deworming
8. Skin diseases and skin tumours esp. for dogs over 5 years old.
9. Anal sac diseases and circum-anal tumours in older dogs
Keep your pet healthy and happy. Healthy pets live more act mive lives and cause less money on vet treatment for the ownerr.
More than 2 years old
1. General examination including skin, eyes, ears, appetite and water intake, weight gain or loss.
2. Dental scaling every year is best
3. Heart test to check for heart diseases
4. Blood test to check liver and kidney disorders and diabetes. This is important for dogs older than 5 years as early detection saves lives and money.
5. Heartworm test.
6. Vaccination review
7. Deworming
8. Skin diseases and skin tumours esp. for dogs over 5 years old.
9. Anal sac diseases and circum-anal tumours in older dogs
Keep your pet healthy and happy. Healthy pets live more act mive lives and cause less money on vet treatment for the ownerr.
6. Fluid therapy lecture notes from Murdoch Univ
1. Fluid therapy - routine anaesthesia
IV or SC. IV best as it is direct. use isotonCic polyionic fluids eg. Hartmann's at 10ml/kg/hour to maintain blood pressure in normal animals. Higher rates in shcok eg. hypotension due to haemorrhage or drug induced hypovalaemia. SC in mice and rats.
2. Gravity or Fluid pumps used.
IV or SC. IV best as it is direct. use isotonCic polyionic fluids eg. Hartmann's at 10ml/kg/hour to maintain blood pressure in normal animals. Higher rates in shcok eg. hypotension due to haemorrhage or drug induced hypovalaemia. SC in mice and rats.
2. Gravity or Fluid pumps used.
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