Each dog owner has his or her own favourite vet and so I did not want to interfere in this case as this 70-year-old man may view me as soliciting for business. He is a general trader by profession and yesterday he invited me to his apartment to collect some multi-vitamins and calcium which he had bought at a discount from a China trade fair last week. "The company officers at the fair did not want to take the bottles back and sold them at huge discounts on the last day of the fair. If you don't want them, I will offer them to James. He will surely buy them."
I am personally not keen on taking multivitamins and calcium from unknown drug companies as there had been horror stories from one company in Australia producing poor quality multi-vitamins marketed by health shops in Singapore some years ago. There was no quality control but a desire to make money.
I accepted his invitation to visit him as a friend. He had two dogs. One 17-year-old cross had died recently and suddenly of a bloated stomach and he was still grieving over the loss.
"He killed the dog with too much vitamins and glucosamine," the wife told me.
"Based on the history of sudden swelling of the abdomen, I think the dog had a ruptured big blood vessel due to old age. The dog's abdomen started to swell as the bleeding filled the abdomen. The dog lives to a ripe old age of 17 years and it is inevitable that the big blood vessel would break down. The only way to find the definite cause of death is a post-mortem."
"No point in having a post-mortem," the husband said that the dog had been cremated.
"When I die, I have asked my children to scatter my ashes in the sea," the wife said. "That will save them the trouble of having them to maintain my grave or urn. The later generations may forget about doing any maintenance."
The husband shocked me by saying: "Your ashes in the sea will kill all the fishes!" What a surprising thing to say. This was the first time I met the wife, a silver-haired trim lady.
"Well," I said to the husband to defuse the awkwardness of his comments, "Your ashes in the sea will kill all the whales."
The wife kept picking out the ticks from her Silkie Terrier. "The ticks keep appearing on the dog. Small dotted ones."
"Did you use spot-on insecticides like Frontline?" I asked.
"Not effective."
So this 7-year-old Silkie had been biting her back area till they were almost bald. "This could be a tick-bite allergy," I said to the wife. The dog was on prednisolone tablets and anti-ringworm tablets for many weeks.
I had to intervene for the sake of this poor dog. "I cannot guarantee, but this dog may have a full coat of hair if you can get rid of the ticks in the apartment and on this dog."
"Really?" the wife was interested as to what she should do.
"I cannot guarantee anything," I said. "The first step is to get the dog clipped bald, de-ticked and given a different type of spot-on insecticide. De-contaminate the apartment area where the dog stays usually. Best of all, after de-ticking put the dog in another part of the apartment so that the baby ticks cannot jump onto her.
"Will the dog have a full coat during Christmas?"
"I cannot guarantee it. Do you have a good groomer who can clip the dog bald and de-ticked? Ask your vet for a different spot-on insecticide."
Ticks in a dog can be difficult to be rid of due to the re-infestation from the surroundings. Apparently this dog does not go outdoors and therefore the ticks must be from inside the apartment. "My vet advised Bagon spray onto the walls," the wife said. "It does not work."
"It is hard to get rid of ticks if you don't isolate the de-ticked dog from the contaminated area," I said. "In any case, there are so many cracks in the wall and you need to do it thoroughly. Some vets and pest control companies advise 'bombs'. You close all the windows. Release the gas from the bombs to fumigate and kill all the ticks. It does not work in practice for many reasons."
"You have two dogs. Get both of them clipped bald and de-ticked by your groomer or your vet."
Many owners have their preferred vets and so I just give some free advices.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
252. The itchy 15-year-old & the 10-year old female dogs
CASE 1. RINGWORM AND POSSIBLY OPEN PYOMETRA
"Can you remember this dog?" the man in his late 20s put the Maltese X with fully formed cataracts in her eyes on the consultation table.
"No," I said. "It is not easy to identify Malteses or their crosses as they look almost alike."
"In June, you extracted her right tooth which you said was infected with pus," the man said as I referred to the medical records.
"Yes," I said. "This 15-year-old must be the oldest dog in Singapore to suffer from an oro-nasal fistula. How is she now?"
"No more problem," the man showed me the right side of the face. Hair had fully grown and as I tried to open the dog's mouth, she turned her head away. The owner tried but was not successful. The old dog remembered the pain and was avoiding the pain.
"What's her problem today?" I asked.
"She is itchy and keeps rubbing her back on the floor."
The dog's back was losing hair compared to the fullness of hair on the face.
I put some of the back hairs under the microscope. "There is ringworm in the hairs," I asked the young man to view the hairs.
"Does the dog lick her private parts?" I asked. "See the vulval area. It is swollen and is 10 times larger than normal."
"I don't think so. She only licks her thighs," he said.
"To you, it appears that the thighs are itchy as well." I said. "She has some infections, either in the womb as she is not spayed or in the bladder. As she is so old, I would not advise spaying. If spaying had been done at a young age, we could be sure that the dog would not be suffering from infections of the womb or have ovarian cysts or tumours."
Due to economic reasons, I did not advocate more tests. The owner wanted to clip the dog himself as he had bought a clipper. "It is not that easy for you to shave her completely bald," I said. "You can't even open her mouth for me to examine her teeth." I had not forced this old dog to open her mouth this time as her main problem was the skin. It would be prudent to check the mouth but then she had her dental work and scaling just 6 months ago and had no bad breath. So, I spared her the agony.
What's the cause of the skin itchiness? Although ringworm is a primary cause in the back skin, there may be a more serious problem. It is likely that this 15-year-old dog has open pyometra. She keeps leaking out pus from her vagina. She licks off the discharge to be clean. So the irritated vulval lips become swollen 10X over the past few days or weeks. To the owner, she is just having itchy thighs and back area.
TIPS: Spay your female dog when she is young. If she lives to 15 years, she will not be having pyometra.
Her oro-nasal fistula case is recorded at:
http://www.bekindtopets.com/dogs/20100615oro_nasal_fistula_carnaissal_tooth_abscess_old_dog_ToaPayohVets.htm
CASE 2.
"What are those bluish lumps?" the young lady asked me. "I check my dog daily and saw them last week." The soft lumps under the skin were present between MG4 and MG5 on the left side. MG = Mammary Gland (breasts).
"They are breast tumours," I said. "The lumps may be cancerous if they grow fast."
"What to do?"
"Surgery to remove them while they are small in size," I said. "If they are cancerous, they will spread to the other breasts or grow to big sizes like ping-pong balls.
As the lady was worried about anaesthesia, she chose to have a complete blood test done to check whether her dog was healthy. "Whether she is healthy or not," I said. "Your dog needs surgery if the breast tumours grow big and fast. It will be too late if you wait another few weeks."
TIPS
Early spay will usually not result in breast tumours in the female dog in the majority of cases.
"Can you remember this dog?" the man in his late 20s put the Maltese X with fully formed cataracts in her eyes on the consultation table.
"No," I said. "It is not easy to identify Malteses or their crosses as they look almost alike."
"In June, you extracted her right tooth which you said was infected with pus," the man said as I referred to the medical records.
"Yes," I said. "This 15-year-old must be the oldest dog in Singapore to suffer from an oro-nasal fistula. How is she now?"
"No more problem," the man showed me the right side of the face. Hair had fully grown and as I tried to open the dog's mouth, she turned her head away. The owner tried but was not successful. The old dog remembered the pain and was avoiding the pain.
"What's her problem today?" I asked.
"She is itchy and keeps rubbing her back on the floor."
The dog's back was losing hair compared to the fullness of hair on the face.
I put some of the back hairs under the microscope. "There is ringworm in the hairs," I asked the young man to view the hairs.
"Does the dog lick her private parts?" I asked. "See the vulval area. It is swollen and is 10 times larger than normal."
"I don't think so. She only licks her thighs," he said.
"To you, it appears that the thighs are itchy as well." I said. "She has some infections, either in the womb as she is not spayed or in the bladder. As she is so old, I would not advise spaying. If spaying had been done at a young age, we could be sure that the dog would not be suffering from infections of the womb or have ovarian cysts or tumours."
Due to economic reasons, I did not advocate more tests. The owner wanted to clip the dog himself as he had bought a clipper. "It is not that easy for you to shave her completely bald," I said. "You can't even open her mouth for me to examine her teeth." I had not forced this old dog to open her mouth this time as her main problem was the skin. It would be prudent to check the mouth but then she had her dental work and scaling just 6 months ago and had no bad breath. So, I spared her the agony.
What's the cause of the skin itchiness? Although ringworm is a primary cause in the back skin, there may be a more serious problem. It is likely that this 15-year-old dog has open pyometra. She keeps leaking out pus from her vagina. She licks off the discharge to be clean. So the irritated vulval lips become swollen 10X over the past few days or weeks. To the owner, she is just having itchy thighs and back area.
TIPS: Spay your female dog when she is young. If she lives to 15 years, she will not be having pyometra.
Her oro-nasal fistula case is recorded at:
http://www.bekindtopets.com/dogs/20100615oro_nasal_fistula_carnaissal_tooth_abscess_old_dog_ToaPayohVets.htm
CASE 2.
"What are those bluish lumps?" the young lady asked me. "I check my dog daily and saw them last week." The soft lumps under the skin were present between MG4 and MG5 on the left side. MG = Mammary Gland (breasts).
"They are breast tumours," I said. "The lumps may be cancerous if they grow fast."
"What to do?"
"Surgery to remove them while they are small in size," I said. "If they are cancerous, they will spread to the other breasts or grow to big sizes like ping-pong balls.
As the lady was worried about anaesthesia, she chose to have a complete blood test done to check whether her dog was healthy. "Whether she is healthy or not," I said. "Your dog needs surgery if the breast tumours grow big and fast. It will be too late if you wait another few weeks."
TIPS
Early spay will usually not result in breast tumours in the female dog in the majority of cases.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
252. Misperceptions
"You must have a rich father to be able to study veterinary medicine in Scotland?" the project officer of similar age to mine, said. 30 years ago, one British pound was 8 Singapore dollars and those who studied overseas were from wealthy families.
"No," I said. "I was fortunate that the British Government gave the Colombo Plan Scholarship to enable me to study veterinary medicine in Glasgow University, Scotland. Now, Singapore has become a developed country and is in a position to offer ASEAN scholarships to students so that they can go home to help their country people."
I met him and his boss (a younger man in the family business) yesterday Nov 22, 2010 as my friend Khin Khin, asked me to be present to help her in her discussions about export Myanmar sand to Singapore. The Singapore English, thinking and culture of business is clearer to me than to her and so I was useful to her. The JTC would be tendering to buy sand on Dec 3, 2010 and Khin Khin was anxious to close a deal as an agent. If successful in getting 5 million cubic tonnes of sand for 18 months, she could get a commission of some $200,000/cubic tonne or some large figures. It sure beats spaying a dog for $200.00 as I will need to spay every dog in Singapore, probably.
Personally, I am not interested in this wheeling and dealing as it waste a lot of time. But I do attend some of Khin Khin's meetings and I do meet interesting characters for my stories. At the meeting, I will write notes for Khin Khin as she listens and learns the tricks of the commodity agency trade. For the past two years, she has not closed a deal. Well, I better stick to veterinary medicine.
After the meeting, the project officer invited us to have some coffee. Khin Khin had to go and I stayed behind to socialise with him and his boss. This boss is a young man and I said: "You must be driving a Lamborghini or a Ferrari," I had the impression that he was the type who would be doing it since his business must be successful. Supplying sand to the JTC is big business and if he can think of doing it, he must have the financial backup as there are financial performance bonds and penalties. He said that the freight cost of importing the sand from Myanmar to Singapore would cost more than the sales price of sand, which if rejected by the JTC would cost him a lot of money. That meant that he has the sufficient funds to undertake this venture.
"No, no," the young man said. "I drive a BMW."
The project officer said: "He would be buying a Lamborghini soon."
I was impressed.
"Well, I put in a bid when the LTA auctions the car," the young man said. "The LTA (Land Transport Authority) caught its senior manager milking it millions of dollars and is trying to recover some monies back by selling this senior manager's Lamborghini soon."
As a car depreciates in value, the LTA can't wait till the end of the court case to sell this car. This young man may be lucky to get a Lamborghini at below market price!
"No," I said. "I was fortunate that the British Government gave the Colombo Plan Scholarship to enable me to study veterinary medicine in Glasgow University, Scotland. Now, Singapore has become a developed country and is in a position to offer ASEAN scholarships to students so that they can go home to help their country people."
I met him and his boss (a younger man in the family business) yesterday Nov 22, 2010 as my friend Khin Khin, asked me to be present to help her in her discussions about export Myanmar sand to Singapore. The Singapore English, thinking and culture of business is clearer to me than to her and so I was useful to her. The JTC would be tendering to buy sand on Dec 3, 2010 and Khin Khin was anxious to close a deal as an agent. If successful in getting 5 million cubic tonnes of sand for 18 months, she could get a commission of some $200,000/cubic tonne or some large figures. It sure beats spaying a dog for $200.00 as I will need to spay every dog in Singapore, probably.
Personally, I am not interested in this wheeling and dealing as it waste a lot of time. But I do attend some of Khin Khin's meetings and I do meet interesting characters for my stories. At the meeting, I will write notes for Khin Khin as she listens and learns the tricks of the commodity agency trade. For the past two years, she has not closed a deal. Well, I better stick to veterinary medicine.
After the meeting, the project officer invited us to have some coffee. Khin Khin had to go and I stayed behind to socialise with him and his boss. This boss is a young man and I said: "You must be driving a Lamborghini or a Ferrari," I had the impression that he was the type who would be doing it since his business must be successful. Supplying sand to the JTC is big business and if he can think of doing it, he must have the financial backup as there are financial performance bonds and penalties. He said that the freight cost of importing the sand from Myanmar to Singapore would cost more than the sales price of sand, which if rejected by the JTC would cost him a lot of money. That meant that he has the sufficient funds to undertake this venture.
"No, no," the young man said. "I drive a BMW."
The project officer said: "He would be buying a Lamborghini soon."
I was impressed.
"Well, I put in a bid when the LTA auctions the car," the young man said. "The LTA (Land Transport Authority) caught its senior manager milking it millions of dollars and is trying to recover some monies back by selling this senior manager's Lamborghini soon."
As a car depreciates in value, the LTA can't wait till the end of the court case to sell this car. This young man may be lucky to get a Lamborghini at below market price!
Monday, November 22, 2010
242. Art entrepeneurship
Singapore has so many events that it is impossible to keep track of them when one is inside the surgery attending to cases. There is simply no time. Apart from veterinary medicine and surgery, I am interested in art and read many of the art magazines in the public libraries. It is just too expensive to subscribe to them.
One day, I was at the HDB Hub and there was "Global Entrepreneurship Week 2010" held by ACE - Action community for entrepreneurship and NUS - National University of Singapore.
I was surprised to see a booth about to close shop for the day. It is Artyii (www.artyii.com). The founders of this start up (incorporated in 2009) market artists and Asian art.
It helps artists to market their works online and manage framing, shipping and payment. Marketing is important as many emerging or unknown artists seldom can afford to do their own marketing and distribution. They rely on the support of art gallery owners who may not be interested in their arts. It is like new authors, e.g. Harry Potter, having great difficulty in finding a publisher when he or she is unknown.
Artyii focuses on Asian artists (not photographers, I was told). The company targets global buyers and have received strong European interest. "Do you have any marketplace art of Myanmar artists?" I asked Ms Ng Cai Lin, one of 3 founders. "No," she said. "There is a lady doing this." She was quite good in e-mailing to me some market artwork from Vietnam. Following up and keeping in contact with prospect is one of the factors of success in an enterprise.
I remember this young Myanmar lady whose concept is to market Myanmar artwork at the Art House in Singapore in 2008 and 2009. It is very expensive to do it. Now this must be the lady Ms Ng mentioned. I bought one small piece of artwork from her. I am looking for marketplace artwork but she has not many.
Being an art gallery offline is very expensive due to the high rentals in Singapore and therefore an online art gallery such as Artyii is a good concept. Ar5tyii's website was launched in August 2010 and has around 100 artists from Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia and India showcasing over 400 original artworks.
From what I read in an Arts magazine, there is a similar concept in New York or California. It is like a co-operative for artists and helps them to sell art online. It helps them by storing some of their artwork so that they don't sell them at a great loss when they need morning. I can't remember this website.
CONCLUSION
1. Is there an online concept for photographers? I think there are but don't know any of them.
2. Is there an online concept for educational photographs in veterinary medicine and surgery? I know there a beautiful and expert textbook illustrators in medicine but am not aware of any online art gallery for this topic. Readers who know, please e-mail to me. Textbook illustrations don't reach a global audience and the beautiful textbooks are quite expensive and hard to find. I found one Singapore publisher printing such books but they are for the University and are very costly.
One day, I was at the HDB Hub and there was "Global Entrepreneurship Week 2010" held by ACE - Action community for entrepreneurship and NUS - National University of Singapore.
I was surprised to see a booth about to close shop for the day. It is Artyii (www.artyii.com). The founders of this start up (incorporated in 2009) market artists and Asian art.
It helps artists to market their works online and manage framing, shipping and payment. Marketing is important as many emerging or unknown artists seldom can afford to do their own marketing and distribution. They rely on the support of art gallery owners who may not be interested in their arts. It is like new authors, e.g. Harry Potter, having great difficulty in finding a publisher when he or she is unknown.
Artyii focuses on Asian artists (not photographers, I was told). The company targets global buyers and have received strong European interest. "Do you have any marketplace art of Myanmar artists?" I asked Ms Ng Cai Lin, one of 3 founders. "No," she said. "There is a lady doing this." She was quite good in e-mailing to me some market artwork from Vietnam. Following up and keeping in contact with prospect is one of the factors of success in an enterprise.
I remember this young Myanmar lady whose concept is to market Myanmar artwork at the Art House in Singapore in 2008 and 2009. It is very expensive to do it. Now this must be the lady Ms Ng mentioned. I bought one small piece of artwork from her. I am looking for marketplace artwork but she has not many.
Being an art gallery offline is very expensive due to the high rentals in Singapore and therefore an online art gallery such as Artyii is a good concept. Ar5tyii's website was launched in August 2010 and has around 100 artists from Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia and India showcasing over 400 original artworks.
From what I read in an Arts magazine, there is a similar concept in New York or California. It is like a co-operative for artists and helps them to sell art online. It helps them by storing some of their artwork so that they don't sell them at a great loss when they need morning. I can't remember this website.
CONCLUSION
1. Is there an online concept for photographers? I think there are but don't know any of them.
2. Is there an online concept for educational photographs in veterinary medicine and surgery? I know there a beautiful and expert textbook illustrators in medicine but am not aware of any online art gallery for this topic. Readers who know, please e-mail to me. Textbook illustrations don't reach a global audience and the beautiful textbooks are quite expensive and hard to find. I found one Singapore publisher printing such books but they are for the University and are very costly.
250. An English Literature graduate
I felt that this English literature graduate in her 30s must have loved literature in order to study this subject in her university. A vet must love veterinary medicine to study this subject and then become a real vet. However this literature graduate did not practise her craft in the sense that I would expect her to write and author books. She has no children and so would have much more time than those successful authors. I guess she has no motivation or passion.
Passion is important but will not sustain you in being successful. Without passion, you will not need be successful.
I refer to an article written by Mr Ho Kwon Ping, Executive Chairman, Banyan Tree Holdings Limited in the Straits Times, Nov 15, 2010 Page B11 - Our new generation of entrepreneurs - can they make it big?
He said that passion is necessary but will not be a sufficient attribute for success. Cash flow is the highest priority in an enterprise and that comes from long hours of hard work if the start up does not fail. If it succeeds, how do you scale up your business to become global?
FACTS OF BUSINESS
It is well known that less than 20% of start ups will succeed. This failure rate of 80% is especially true in a free and competitive economy of Singapore. Nobody can predict which start up will succeed or fail. First ventures are seldom successful and the entrepreneur needs to use this failure as a learning lesson.
SUSTAINABILITY
1. Does sustainability when successful depend on scalability? "The search for scalability is the holy grail of entrepreneurs," Mr Ho wrote. Therefore successful small business must leave Singapore which is a very small domestic market and into the streets.
2. Street-smarts - whatever they mean, is another important attribute for sustainability. IPC, a computer company and Creative Technology are 2 examples of early successes which could not be sustained overseas. Yeo Hiap Seng and Osim acquired a seafood canning company and consumer gifts chain respectively but had written off their investment. Niche markets may be successful as in Coffeemix in West Asia, Breadtalk and some foodcourt operators in China and Asian shopping malls. Olam is being a bridge using their supply chain expertise in commodity processing to bring commodities from the developing world to developed markets.
CONCLUSION
Find a niche to excel and focus on innovations as product life spans are short in information technology or consumer products which are dominated by global giants where scale is critical.
To globalise, change your mindset by not comparing things done in Singapore. Respect and promote a culture of diversity to be resilient when you manage externai businesses.
No destination but a journey. Size and success in a business can dissppear quickly due to lak of attention and hubris. One-trick companies don't succeed in the long term.
In reply to the question in the essay, Mr Ho said that our entrepreneurs can make it big but only a few of them. Practice makes perfect and failure begets sucess.
Sometimes, it may just be better to be an employee, in my opinion as enterprises have a high failure rate even though they are successful. A small number of vet surgeries have had closed down but more than 40 have been opened in recent years. It will take a long time to succeed. There is no short cut in any enterprise.
Passion is important but will not sustain you in being successful. Without passion, you will not need be successful.
I refer to an article written by Mr Ho Kwon Ping, Executive Chairman, Banyan Tree Holdings Limited in the Straits Times, Nov 15, 2010 Page B11 - Our new generation of entrepreneurs - can they make it big?
He said that passion is necessary but will not be a sufficient attribute for success. Cash flow is the highest priority in an enterprise and that comes from long hours of hard work if the start up does not fail. If it succeeds, how do you scale up your business to become global?
FACTS OF BUSINESS
It is well known that less than 20% of start ups will succeed. This failure rate of 80% is especially true in a free and competitive economy of Singapore. Nobody can predict which start up will succeed or fail. First ventures are seldom successful and the entrepreneur needs to use this failure as a learning lesson.
SUSTAINABILITY
1. Does sustainability when successful depend on scalability? "The search for scalability is the holy grail of entrepreneurs," Mr Ho wrote. Therefore successful small business must leave Singapore which is a very small domestic market and into the streets.
2. Street-smarts - whatever they mean, is another important attribute for sustainability. IPC, a computer company and Creative Technology are 2 examples of early successes which could not be sustained overseas. Yeo Hiap Seng and Osim acquired a seafood canning company and consumer gifts chain respectively but had written off their investment. Niche markets may be successful as in Coffeemix in West Asia, Breadtalk and some foodcourt operators in China and Asian shopping malls. Olam is being a bridge using their supply chain expertise in commodity processing to bring commodities from the developing world to developed markets.
CONCLUSION
Find a niche to excel and focus on innovations as product life spans are short in information technology or consumer products which are dominated by global giants where scale is critical.
To globalise, change your mindset by not comparing things done in Singapore. Respect and promote a culture of diversity to be resilient when you manage externai businesses.
No destination but a journey. Size and success in a business can dissppear quickly due to lak of attention and hubris. One-trick companies don't succeed in the long term.
In reply to the question in the essay, Mr Ho said that our entrepreneurs can make it big but only a few of them. Practice makes perfect and failure begets sucess.
Sometimes, it may just be better to be an employee, in my opinion as enterprises have a high failure rate even though they are successful. A small number of vet surgeries have had closed down but more than 40 have been opened in recent years. It will take a long time to succeed. There is no short cut in any enterprise.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
The dog with white gums
In January 2010, I wrote an article on a case of Closed Pyometra in a female dog. The blood test shows anaemia and toxaemia in a female dog with pyometra. See the webpage at Pyometra - very low platelet count due to toxic blood.
URL is at:
http://www.bekindtopets.com/dogs/20100135Video_Education
_Closed_Pyometra_ToaPayohVets.htm
In November 2010, I had a very interesting case of a spayed female Miniature Schnauzer, 10 years old, losing 25% weight and not eating much for the last 3 months. When I saw the dog's gums, tongue and oral mucous membranes as white as snow, I predicted that this dog would not live past the next 7 days. I gave her intensive IV drip including glucose, saline, protein drip, multi-vitamins and Vit K1. An iron and Vit B complex injection SC was given. Baytril and metronidazole were given IV.
I took blood for analysis before and 24 hours after the IV and injections. The platelet count had dropped much further from 68 to 1. Yet 24 hours after the IV drip, the dog's gums and tongue were purplish pink in colour. I showed the colour to the lady owner. She was not impressed as she could not recall the snow-white colour 24 hours ago. I did not take a picture but I do remember telling her that the dog was very pale and anaemic.
She had been too stressed out by a bereavement in her family and now this dog was going to die.
Nov 11, 10 First consultation
Nov 12 24, 10 hours after IV
Ref Range
Unit
Total White Cells
12.8
6.6
6 - 17
x10>9/L
Total Red Cells
4
3.9
5.5 - 8.5
X10>12/L
Haemoglobin
9.7
9.6
12-18
g/dL
Platelets
68
1
200-500
x10>9/L
The dog survived and is well nursed by the lady owner as at Nov 21, 2010. As to the cause, I told her it was difficult to say. The cause would likely be a viral and bacterial cause. The dog had not been vaccinated since she was a puppy and was brought for walks in the past year whereas previously the dog was home most of the time.
BACKGROUND HISTORY OF THIS DOG RECORDED BY ME IN NOV 15, 2010
AT DEATH'S DOOR. THE DOG WITH WHITE GUMS
The thin, hunch-backed 10-year-old Miniature Schnauzer with white gums would not eat. She had been treated 4 times by Vet 1. ACTH tests were normal. Ultrasound indicated possible tumours of the liver, pancreas and spleen. So, the owner was very worried and wanted surgery.
"The dog is not fit for surgery," I advised. "She will just die on the operating table. Look at the white gums. She has severe anaemia. I will do a blood test."
The anaemia was due to low red cell count, low haemoglobin and very low platelet count. She was attended to by Vet 1 from August to November for 4 times and was not eating when the owner consulted me, being referred to by one of my clients.
Incredibly, after an intensive IV drip of saline, glucose, protein, Vit K1, antibiotics including baytril and metronidazole, B complex and iron injections s/c, the dog that lost 1 kg (25% of her weight in the last 4 weeks) was thriving. "She ate a lot and pooped a lot for the last 2 days," the young lady said. "Today, she is not eating. Shall I give her the Re... from Vet 1? It is said to improve her appetite."
What was the cause of this severe anaemia and the low platelet count? I suspect it was either some drugs or septic infection (from virus or bacteria) when the dog was brought downstairs in recent weeks.
During the first consultation with me, the dog screamed when I pressed the very painful disc pain at T/L area and bit me when I palpated the moderately enlarged left submandibular and popliteal lymph node. Her bladder was painful on palpation. Her left kidney was slightly painful. Her left tongue had some ulcers at the back and I took digital pictures to show the owner.
So what was happening to this dog? The lady had only one wish - that this dog would not die on her as she had a recent family bereavement. Yet, the dog's gums were as white as snow when I saw her at first. I did not take a picture then but her gums became a bit pinker 24 hours after the intensive care and injections. So, this dog had come back from death's door. But she is not out of the woods yet. Only time will tell.
UPDATE: No complaints from the young lady. I phoned her twice and the dog was getting better. Short episodes of panting which I attributed to pain in the spinal area. I asked her to give pred 2.5 mg two times per day. No more news from her. No news is good news, usually.
URL is at:
http://www.bekindtopets.com/dogs/20100135Video_Education
_Closed_Pyometra_ToaPayohVets.htm
In November 2010, I had a very interesting case of a spayed female Miniature Schnauzer, 10 years old, losing 25% weight and not eating much for the last 3 months. When I saw the dog's gums, tongue and oral mucous membranes as white as snow, I predicted that this dog would not live past the next 7 days. I gave her intensive IV drip including glucose, saline, protein drip, multi-vitamins and Vit K1. An iron and Vit B complex injection SC was given. Baytril and metronidazole were given IV.
I took blood for analysis before and 24 hours after the IV and injections. The platelet count had dropped much further from 68 to 1. Yet 24 hours after the IV drip, the dog's gums and tongue were purplish pink in colour. I showed the colour to the lady owner. She was not impressed as she could not recall the snow-white colour 24 hours ago. I did not take a picture but I do remember telling her that the dog was very pale and anaemic.
She had been too stressed out by a bereavement in her family and now this dog was going to die.
Nov 11, 10 First consultation
Nov 12 24, 10 hours after IV
Ref Range
Unit
Total White Cells
12.8
6.6
6 - 17
x10>9/L
Total Red Cells
4
3.9
5.5 - 8.5
X10>12/L
Haemoglobin
9.7
9.6
12-18
g/dL
Platelets
68
1
200-500
x10>9/L
The dog survived and is well nursed by the lady owner as at Nov 21, 2010. As to the cause, I told her it was difficult to say. The cause would likely be a viral and bacterial cause. The dog had not been vaccinated since she was a puppy and was brought for walks in the past year whereas previously the dog was home most of the time.
BACKGROUND HISTORY OF THIS DOG RECORDED BY ME IN NOV 15, 2010
AT DEATH'S DOOR. THE DOG WITH WHITE GUMS
The thin, hunch-backed 10-year-old Miniature Schnauzer with white gums would not eat. She had been treated 4 times by Vet 1. ACTH tests were normal. Ultrasound indicated possible tumours of the liver, pancreas and spleen. So, the owner was very worried and wanted surgery.
"The dog is not fit for surgery," I advised. "She will just die on the operating table. Look at the white gums. She has severe anaemia. I will do a blood test."
The anaemia was due to low red cell count, low haemoglobin and very low platelet count. She was attended to by Vet 1 from August to November for 4 times and was not eating when the owner consulted me, being referred to by one of my clients.
Incredibly, after an intensive IV drip of saline, glucose, protein, Vit K1, antibiotics including baytril and metronidazole, B complex and iron injections s/c, the dog that lost 1 kg (25% of her weight in the last 4 weeks) was thriving. "She ate a lot and pooped a lot for the last 2 days," the young lady said. "Today, she is not eating. Shall I give her the Re... from Vet 1? It is said to improve her appetite."
What was the cause of this severe anaemia and the low platelet count? I suspect it was either some drugs or septic infection (from virus or bacteria) when the dog was brought downstairs in recent weeks.
During the first consultation with me, the dog screamed when I pressed the very painful disc pain at T/L area and bit me when I palpated the moderately enlarged left submandibular and popliteal lymph node. Her bladder was painful on palpation. Her left kidney was slightly painful. Her left tongue had some ulcers at the back and I took digital pictures to show the owner.
So what was happening to this dog? The lady had only one wish - that this dog would not die on her as she had a recent family bereavement. Yet, the dog's gums were as white as snow when I saw her at first. I did not take a picture then but her gums became a bit pinker 24 hours after the intensive care and injections. So, this dog had come back from death's door. But she is not out of the woods yet. Only time will tell.
UPDATE: No complaints from the young lady. I phoned her twice and the dog was getting better. Short episodes of panting which I attributed to pain in the spinal area. I asked her to give pred 2.5 mg two times per day. No more news from her. No news is good news, usually.
Miniature Schnauzer, Female, Spayed 10 years - White gums
11-Nov-10 Nov 12,10 Ref Range Unit
Total WBC 12.8 6.6 6 to 17 x10>9/L
Haemoglobin 9.7 9.6 12 to 18 g/dL
Red Cells 4 3.9 5.5 to 8.5 X10>12/L
Platelets 68 1 200 to 500 x10>9/L
No platelet clumps seen No platelet clumps seen
Few giant platelets present
Creatinine 47 62 89 to 177
Owner's complaint - poor appetite, lost weight 1 kg in 1 month lost appetite
Weight loss 25% in last month, now 4 kg
Presenting Signs: White gums and tongue
Rectal temp 38.5 C
Palpation: Enlarged left submandibular & popliteal lymph nodes 0.8 cm x 0.8 cm
Bites when left popliteal lymph node was palpated, pain in left kidney and bladder
Blood test results: Anaemia and toxaemia. Viral and/or bacterial cause likely
Platelet count dropped to 1 after 24 hours.
Any chance of survival?
11-Nov-10 Nov 12,10 Ref Range Unit
Total WBC 12.8 6.6 6 to 17 x10>9/L
Haemoglobin 9.7 9.6 12 to 18 g/dL
Red Cells 4 3.9 5.5 to 8.5 X10>12/L
Platelets 68 1 200 to 500 x10>9/L
No platelet clumps seen No platelet clumps seen
Few giant platelets present
Creatinine 47 62 89 to 177
Owner's complaint - poor appetite, lost weight 1 kg in 1 month lost appetite
Weight loss 25% in last month, now 4 kg
Presenting Signs: White gums and tongue
Rectal temp 38.5 C
Palpation: Enlarged left submandibular & popliteal lymph nodes 0.8 cm x 0.8 cm
Bites when left popliteal lymph node was palpated, pain in left kidney and bladder
Blood test results: Anaemia and toxaemia. Viral and/or bacterial cause likely
Platelet count dropped to 1 after 24 hours.
Any chance of survival?
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