"Pure stupidity," Julia said when I asked her what she thought about the case of a Singaporean man who purchased and smuggled a Golden Retriever puppy from Malaysia to Singapore. The case was reported in the Straits Times. A Dr Boon told this man to confess to the Singapore Government in 7 days or so or else the doctor would do it. The man did not. So, the doctor did. The AVA punished him and he lost "Princess".
I wonder what happened to the Golden Retriever puppy now. It was never mentioned in the newspapers.
Some pet shops are said to sell smuggled dogs. One man told me that he could get any breed of dog I wanted from Thailand. I told him I was not interested. Smuggling of dogs is an offence as rabies may be introduced to Singapore which has been rabies free for over 50 years.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
347. A German Shepherd licks his foot pad
"He will never permit a barricade fencing to prevent the dog from leaping down to the car porch," the mother said to me. "When we put up fencing, Dad will take it down," the daughter in her undergraduate studies reinforced her mum's statement to me.
The mother phoned me because the dog had been licking his Right Fore foot pad for the past 2 days. "It is common," I said as the mum wondered whether I knew what she was talking about. She is an old friend of over 30 years but she would consult other vets as I don't charge.
"The dog will lick the big foot pad under the foot till the black covering becomes white," I replied. "Usually it is due to some wooden splinters or sand stuck inside the cut pad and the dog tries to get it out by licking vigorously."
"Yes," she confirmed that the pad was indeed white but she disputed that there were any foreign bodies inside as she could not see any.
"You can't see the small foreign body because it may be embedded horizontally or at an angle inside the pad, but the dog can feel its irritating presence."
Indeed this was the picture. "How does it happen?" the mum asked.
"Well, the dog could be pawing the garden."
"No," she replied. The domestic worker was present and she said yes, the dog did paw at certain patches of the garden.
"Maybe it is due to the dog leaping down from the higher garden to the car porch (a height of around 3 feet) and cut his pad. The bricked edge of the tiled border of the garden at the edge might have cut his pad."
There was a 0.5cm cut in the pad and this could support her hypothesis. Now, I advised fencing up this area to prevent the dog from leaping.
"Thomas will not permit it. He just takes down any raffia string fencing we put up as it makes the house looks untidy."
"Can you talk to him again?" I asked the mum and daughter. They shook their heads. It was none of my business too. I gave a steroid injection IM in the back muscles while the maid held the dog who was now muzzled and was also wearing an e-collar. "So quick?" the mum was surprised.
"I need to be fast or I will get bitten," I know of Singapore vets being badly bitten by German Shepherds during house calls.
I had this sadness in visiting this house as the eldest daughter had passed away in a car accident some months ago. She would have become a good veterinary surgeon as that was her passion. That was her dog. He had been X-rayed recently by another vet as the family had not consulted me about their dog's health care for many years as the mum would not want free veterinary services from me.
Should I phone the father to advise putting up the fencing? The wife and 3rd sister in the house had been much negative and I ought to leave family matters alone. For the sake of the dog, I phoned the father to let him know I had treated his family dog. "Your wife had spent $500 on X-rays and veterinary consultation for the dog's problem," I said to him. "If you continue to let him leap, you will need to spend thousands of dollars in veterinary fees for his injuries to his back or hips and that is a lot of money to be spent."
The father replied in a serious tone and I thought there was no hope. However, the wife happily told me that her husband had put up some fencing when I phoned the next day. I asked the wife whether the dog was still licking his right paw. She said, "No, he is wearing the e-collar."
I said, "It is not the e-collar. It is due to the steroid injection I gave. You can take away the e-collar."
Sometimes, the vet has to be proactive in contacting the other spouse to advise in the interest of the dog and this takes courage and time. In this no-hope case, the husband accepted the advice with great reluctance I am sure as he does not phone me back to let me know.
The mother phoned me because the dog had been licking his Right Fore foot pad for the past 2 days. "It is common," I said as the mum wondered whether I knew what she was talking about. She is an old friend of over 30 years but she would consult other vets as I don't charge.
"The dog will lick the big foot pad under the foot till the black covering becomes white," I replied. "Usually it is due to some wooden splinters or sand stuck inside the cut pad and the dog tries to get it out by licking vigorously."
"Yes," she confirmed that the pad was indeed white but she disputed that there were any foreign bodies inside as she could not see any.
"You can't see the small foreign body because it may be embedded horizontally or at an angle inside the pad, but the dog can feel its irritating presence."
Indeed this was the picture. "How does it happen?" the mum asked.
"Well, the dog could be pawing the garden."
"No," she replied. The domestic worker was present and she said yes, the dog did paw at certain patches of the garden.
"Maybe it is due to the dog leaping down from the higher garden to the car porch (a height of around 3 feet) and cut his pad. The bricked edge of the tiled border of the garden at the edge might have cut his pad."
There was a 0.5cm cut in the pad and this could support her hypothesis. Now, I advised fencing up this area to prevent the dog from leaping.
"Thomas will not permit it. He just takes down any raffia string fencing we put up as it makes the house looks untidy."
"Can you talk to him again?" I asked the mum and daughter. They shook their heads. It was none of my business too. I gave a steroid injection IM in the back muscles while the maid held the dog who was now muzzled and was also wearing an e-collar. "So quick?" the mum was surprised.
"I need to be fast or I will get bitten," I know of Singapore vets being badly bitten by German Shepherds during house calls.
I had this sadness in visiting this house as the eldest daughter had passed away in a car accident some months ago. She would have become a good veterinary surgeon as that was her passion. That was her dog. He had been X-rayed recently by another vet as the family had not consulted me about their dog's health care for many years as the mum would not want free veterinary services from me.
Should I phone the father to advise putting up the fencing? The wife and 3rd sister in the house had been much negative and I ought to leave family matters alone. For the sake of the dog, I phoned the father to let him know I had treated his family dog. "Your wife had spent $500 on X-rays and veterinary consultation for the dog's problem," I said to him. "If you continue to let him leap, you will need to spend thousands of dollars in veterinary fees for his injuries to his back or hips and that is a lot of money to be spent."
The father replied in a serious tone and I thought there was no hope. However, the wife happily told me that her husband had put up some fencing when I phoned the next day. I asked the wife whether the dog was still licking his right paw. She said, "No, he is wearing the e-collar."
I said, "It is not the e-collar. It is due to the steroid injection I gave. You can take away the e-collar."
Sometimes, the vet has to be proactive in contacting the other spouse to advise in the interest of the dog and this takes courage and time. In this no-hope case, the husband accepted the advice with great reluctance I am sure as he does not phone me back to let me know.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
346. Cost of spaying a cat at Toa Payoh Vets, Singapore
On Wed, Feb 23, 2011 at 4:59 PM, ... wrote:
E-MAIL TO DR SING DATED FEB 23, 2011
Hi
I would like to enquire how much will be the cost for sterilise a cat?
COST IS AROUND S$150 WITH PAIN-KILLER AND ANTIBIOTIC MEDICATION AND E-COLLAR. LOWER FEES IF YOU DON'T WANT E-COLLAR WHICH PREVENTS LICKING.
How am i to go about it?
Do i need to make an appointment?
APPOINTMENT PREFERRED. TEL 6254-3326
Lastly where is your clinic located?
It is located at Blk 1002, Toa Payoh Lor 8, 01-1477, near the Golf Driving Range. See www.toapayohvets.com, click LOCATION or goto: Location of Toa Payoh Vets
|
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Toa+Payoh+Vets,+Singapore&sll=1.352083,103.819836&sspn=0.631535,0.884399&ie=UTF8&ll=1.365265,103.850842&spn=0.078942,0.11055&z=13&iwloc=A
E-MAIL TO DR SING DATED FEB 23, 2011
Hi
I would like to enquire how much will be the cost for sterilise a cat?
COST IS AROUND S$150 WITH PAIN-KILLER AND ANTIBIOTIC MEDICATION AND E-COLLAR. LOWER FEES IF YOU DON'T WANT E-COLLAR WHICH PREVENTS LICKING.
How am i to go about it?
Do i need to make an appointment?
APPOINTMENT PREFERRED. TEL 6254-3326
Lastly where is your clinic located?
It is located at Blk 1002, Toa Payoh Lor 8, 01-1477, near the Golf Driving Range. See www.toapayohvets.com, click LOCATION or goto: Location of Toa Payoh Vets
|
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Toa+Payoh+Vets,+Singapore&sll=1.352083,103.819836&sspn=0.631535,0.884399&ie=UTF8&ll=1.365265,103.850842&spn=0.078942,0.11055&z=13&iwloc=A
345. Teaching interns rabbit medicine
My assistant Mr Saw views interns as pests as he has to take time to teach them. He would never tell me directly but I hear this from Khin Khin. I don't blame him as not everybody cares about teaching interns as it really takes lots of time.
Being busy, he does not want to waste time on interns. Interns who are helpful will of course, be appreciated by him. However, there will be vets and vet assistants who don't want to waste their precious and busy time on interns.
Rabbit medicine - In this case of a rabbit not eating, I got the two interns to learn how to bathe a rabbit with stained feet. This thin 7-year-old rabbit had been de-matted yesterday and had some bath. However, his feet were all stained greenish-black and he tried to lick the stains off.
As the vet in charge, I inspected warded animals and checked the treatment. This rabbit's feet had not been cleaned. After bathing by the 2 interns under Mr Saw, the rabbit appeared to have excellent appetite. Intern Nathaniel Gay took 5 pictures with his latest iPhone 4 presented by his father. I showed him the craft of taking photos by zooming and using correct points of views.
He uploaded on Microsoft Silverlight and emailed to me the link to see. I thought it was youtube.com as he had given me the impression. It was a slide show and probably lasted for 5 days. Well, it was a learning experience for him.
This case of the skin-and-bone rabbit could be due to a lack of grooming care as the rabbit had excellent appetite after de-matting. Only that his feet were not washed by the groomer and I had to intervene by asking Mr Saw to show the interns how to bathe a rabbit. The intern first got the big blue tub for Golden Retriever puppies and switched on the hot water shower. Just as small plastic container sufficient to confine the rabbit and warm water from the boiling kettle would do. Sometimes, one must think about the situation and not bathe pets blindly, using big tubs and wasting lots of warm water.
Pic is shown here.
Being busy, he does not want to waste time on interns. Interns who are helpful will of course, be appreciated by him. However, there will be vets and vet assistants who don't want to waste their precious and busy time on interns.
Rabbit medicine - In this case of a rabbit not eating, I got the two interns to learn how to bathe a rabbit with stained feet. This thin 7-year-old rabbit had been de-matted yesterday and had some bath. However, his feet were all stained greenish-black and he tried to lick the stains off.
As the vet in charge, I inspected warded animals and checked the treatment. This rabbit's feet had not been cleaned. After bathing by the 2 interns under Mr Saw, the rabbit appeared to have excellent appetite. Intern Nathaniel Gay took 5 pictures with his latest iPhone 4 presented by his father. I showed him the craft of taking photos by zooming and using correct points of views.
He uploaded on Microsoft Silverlight and emailed to me the link to see. I thought it was youtube.com as he had given me the impression. It was a slide show and probably lasted for 5 days. Well, it was a learning experience for him.
This case of the skin-and-bone rabbit could be due to a lack of grooming care as the rabbit had excellent appetite after de-matting. Only that his feet were not washed by the groomer and I had to intervene by asking Mr Saw to show the interns how to bathe a rabbit. The intern first got the big blue tub for Golden Retriever puppies and switched on the hot water shower. Just as small plastic container sufficient to confine the rabbit and warm water from the boiling kettle would do. Sometimes, one must think about the situation and not bathe pets blindly, using big tubs and wasting lots of warm water.
Pic is shown here.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
On Thu, Feb 17, 2011 at 11:11 PM, ... wrote:
Dear Doctor Sing,
I've previously brought 2 of my dwarf hamsters to your clinic for treatment (removal of tumor & ear growth).
I've another dwarf hamster turning 2yrs 4mths at the end of February. Just yesterday night I noticed there was some blood stain on the left side of her ear. Today, it got worst due to excessive scratching.
I've attached 2 pics for your review. As she's getting old, I wonder if there's any external medication/application that I can apply on her to stop her itch.
May I also check with you on the earliest slot that I can bring her over for your review @ your clinic.
Looking forward to hearing from you as soon as possible.
Thanks & regards,
Hi
I just came back from Myanmar. Please accept my apologies for the late reply as it is practically impossible to access the internet in Myanmar or it takes a long time. So, I did not access the internet.
Your pictures of the hamster shows an ear infection deep inside the ear canal and on the surface of the ear and may require ear irrigation and cleaning under anaesthesia.
Pl make appointment at 6254 3326 and let the receptionist know that you will be making appointment with me as there are 3 vets at Toa Payoh Vets.
BEST TO TELEPHONE 6254-3326 but young generation prefers email or text!
Dear Doctor Sing,
I've previously brought 2 of my dwarf hamsters to your clinic for treatment (removal of tumor & ear growth).
I've another dwarf hamster turning 2yrs 4mths at the end of February. Just yesterday night I noticed there was some blood stain on the left side of her ear. Today, it got worst due to excessive scratching.
I've attached 2 pics for your review. As she's getting old, I wonder if there's any external medication/application that I can apply on her to stop her itch.
May I also check with you on the earliest slot that I can bring her over for your review @ your clinic.
Looking forward to hearing from you as soon as possible.
Thanks & regards,
Hi
I just came back from Myanmar. Please accept my apologies for the late reply as it is practically impossible to access the internet in Myanmar or it takes a long time. So, I did not access the internet.
Your pictures of the hamster shows an ear infection deep inside the ear canal and on the surface of the ear and may require ear irrigation and cleaning under anaesthesia.
Pl make appointment at 6254 3326 and let the receptionist know that you will be making appointment with me as there are 3 vets at Toa Payoh Vets.
BEST TO TELEPHONE 6254-3326 but young generation prefers email or text!
342. Educating and entertaining Vet Undergraduates Project
Feb 23, 2011
I am back from a trip to Myanmar to hike a trail and see the schools near Lake Inle and visit a village in the Ayeyawaddy Division to see the Future Foundation's primary school construction in progress. I met an 81-year-old artist in his Art Gallery. I was looking for an oil painting of a flower vendor in Myanmar. He did have one that was sold long ago. The next best thing was a painting of flowers and market. Will display in the Toa Payoh Vets later.
AUDIO-VIDEO veterinary education project is being done with the volunteer and help of 2nd year vet student Ms Daphne Low. This 2nd video really took me by surprise as i did not expect much from her (being a busy multi-tasking distracted young generation with many things to do). My comments are recorded as follows:
OVERVIEW. Ms Daphne Low has to create the video based on the outline. I should have said "Audio-Visual" Production as the creation had music but no voice over!
Video Production
1. Define condition
2. Diagnosis
3. Treatment
Topics
1. Anaesthesia (TPVets)
2. Surgery (what is involved)
3. Puppy Toilet Training in Singapore
4. Disease conditions
- Bladder stones
- FUS (Feline Urinary Syndrome) / CUS (Canine Urologic Syndrome)
- Ear problems
- Heartworm
- Periodental Disease
- Skin abscess: ringworm(fungal), dermatitis (bacteria), mites
5. Vomiting/Diarrhoea
6. Cesearian
7. Corneal Ulceration - esp in Shih Tzu
8. Spaying/Neutering
Vomiting/Diarrhoea
- if many times = emergency as possible death due to dehydration/bacteria intoxication
- blood test, check stools for parvovirus/foreign body, x-ray
- treatment: no food/water for intestines to recover, iv drip + medicine to control infection for 2-3days
Infection of Ear Canal
-non-stop scratching
-head scratching
-affect immune system
-groomer will treat but unsuccessful
-if unsuccessful for 2 times, lateral ear resection will be required
E-MAIL FROM MS LOW dated Feb 18, 2011
Hi Dr Sing,
Sorry i took so long to get back to you! I was so busy with cny and stuff. How was your cny? (: I just managed to do a video on cesarean which i have attached in this email. Please take a look and tell me if this is what you are looking for. I saw that you are overseas from 17feb to 22feb. Have a safe trip! I will send to you more videos once I have the time to do them!
Cheers,
Daphne
E-MAIL TO MS LOW dated Feb 23, 2011
Feb 23, 2011
Dear Daphne,
I just came back from Myanmar yesterday and expected to see a similar video production as the first video production you did for me. Thank you for spending time and effort to produce a beautiful "movie" which will help to educate and hopefully to entertain veterinary undergraduates in developing countries where there are no computers and facilities in the schools and where internet access is slow and expensive.
I just can't believe that you have had progressed to making a professional-looking video with music. Everything was well timed and clear. It is as if a rose bud has started to blossom, when I compared to your previous video production for me. Pl do not infringe on music copyright.
COMMENTS
1. No audio in this production unlike your first video you produced for me . Please make some comments about surgical techniques (the text is inside the pictures) so that the viewer does not need to strain to read the "subtitles" inside the images. Hearing is best. Reading subtitles deprives much of the fun in viewing as the viewer must focus on reading the small text. That is why foreign language non-English movies don't do well with the English-educated audience in Singapore.
2. For credits, just provide text as follows:
This is a "Be Kind To Pets" Audio-Visual Production with the objective to educate and entertain, thus making Veterinary Medicine & Surgery Alive for Veterinary Undergraduates in developing countries. This is Dr Sing Kong Yuen's Community Education Project made possible with the collaboration of veterinarians at Toa Payoh Vets. We thank the sponsors - Design Travel Pte Ltd and Asia USA Realty (S) asiahomes.com Pte Ltd, Singapore.
More information is at the respective websites:
bekindtopets.com, toapayohvets.com, designtravelpl.com and asiahomes.com.
Produced by Dr Sing Kong Yuen, BVMS (Glasgow), MRCVS
Videography by: Ms Daphne Low, 2nd year, Veterinary Student, Sydney University, Australia. Feb 2011. All rights reserved.
3. Please upload this first draft to youtube.com as it is a pioneer batch.
4. I am glad that you are not wasting time on Farmville in Facebook and that it was a family member using your facebook account. Create beautiful educational "movies". Make a difference - make the world a better place for pets and children.
I am back from a trip to Myanmar to hike a trail and see the schools near Lake Inle and visit a village in the Ayeyawaddy Division to see the Future Foundation's primary school construction in progress. I met an 81-year-old artist in his Art Gallery. I was looking for an oil painting of a flower vendor in Myanmar. He did have one that was sold long ago. The next best thing was a painting of flowers and market. Will display in the Toa Payoh Vets later.
AUDIO-VIDEO veterinary education project is being done with the volunteer and help of 2nd year vet student Ms Daphne Low. This 2nd video really took me by surprise as i did not expect much from her (being a busy multi-tasking distracted young generation with many things to do). My comments are recorded as follows:
OVERVIEW. Ms Daphne Low has to create the video based on the outline. I should have said "Audio-Visual" Production as the creation had music but no voice over!
Video Production
1. Define condition
2. Diagnosis
3. Treatment
Topics
1. Anaesthesia (TPVets)
2. Surgery (what is involved)
3. Puppy Toilet Training in Singapore
4. Disease conditions
- Bladder stones
- FUS (Feline Urinary Syndrome) / CUS (Canine Urologic Syndrome)
- Ear problems
- Heartworm
- Periodental Disease
- Skin abscess: ringworm(fungal), dermatitis (bacteria), mites
5. Vomiting/Diarrhoea
6. Cesearian
7. Corneal Ulceration - esp in Shih Tzu
8. Spaying/Neutering
Vomiting/Diarrhoea
- if many times = emergency as possible death due to dehydration/bacteria intoxication
- blood test, check stools for parvovirus/foreign body, x-ray
- treatment: no food/water for intestines to recover, iv drip + medicine to control infection for 2-3days
Infection of Ear Canal
-non-stop scratching
-head scratching
-affect immune system
-groomer will treat but unsuccessful
-if unsuccessful for 2 times, lateral ear resection will be required
E-MAIL FROM MS LOW dated Feb 18, 2011
Hi Dr Sing,
Sorry i took so long to get back to you! I was so busy with cny and stuff. How was your cny? (: I just managed to do a video on cesarean which i have attached in this email. Please take a look and tell me if this is what you are looking for. I saw that you are overseas from 17feb to 22feb. Have a safe trip! I will send to you more videos once I have the time to do them!
Cheers,
Daphne
E-MAIL TO MS LOW dated Feb 23, 2011
Feb 23, 2011
Dear Daphne,
I just came back from Myanmar yesterday and expected to see a similar video production as the first video production you did for me. Thank you for spending time and effort to produce a beautiful "movie" which will help to educate and hopefully to entertain veterinary undergraduates in developing countries where there are no computers and facilities in the schools and where internet access is slow and expensive.
I just can't believe that you have had progressed to making a professional-looking video with music. Everything was well timed and clear. It is as if a rose bud has started to blossom, when I compared to your previous video production for me. Pl do not infringe on music copyright.
COMMENTS
1. No audio in this production unlike your first video you produced for me . Please make some comments about surgical techniques (the text is inside the pictures) so that the viewer does not need to strain to read the "subtitles" inside the images. Hearing is best. Reading subtitles deprives much of the fun in viewing as the viewer must focus on reading the small text. That is why foreign language non-English movies don't do well with the English-educated audience in Singapore.
2. For credits, just provide text as follows:
This is a "Be Kind To Pets" Audio-Visual Production with the objective to educate and entertain, thus making Veterinary Medicine & Surgery Alive for Veterinary Undergraduates in developing countries. This is Dr Sing Kong Yuen's Community Education Project made possible with the collaboration of veterinarians at Toa Payoh Vets. We thank the sponsors - Design Travel Pte Ltd and Asia USA Realty (S) asiahomes.com Pte Ltd, Singapore.
More information is at the respective websites:
bekindtopets.com, toapayohvets.com, designtravelpl.com and asiahomes.com.
Produced by Dr Sing Kong Yuen, BVMS (Glasgow), MRCVS
Videography by: Ms Daphne Low, 2nd year, Veterinary Student, Sydney University, Australia. Feb 2011. All rights reserved.
3. Please upload this first draft to youtube.com as it is a pioneer batch.
4. I am glad that you are not wasting time on Farmville in Facebook and that it was a family member using your facebook account. Create beautiful educational "movies". Make a difference - make the world a better place for pets and children.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
341. Follow up on the skin-and-bones megaoesophagus dog
On Feb 16 evening, I phoned the owner of the skin and bones dogs. I had proposed feeding every hourly from 7.30 am to midnight with small amounts of food (6 pellets and 1 tablespoonful of k/d diet) to get the dog to put on more weight and survive. In the past week, it was two-hourly and there was no more vomiting. Prior to consulting me, the lady owner fed small amounts of rice, cereal and other things like asparagus and multi-vitamin B's were fed by the husband 3x/day. The dog would "vomit" every day but not all the time. There was persistence in "vomiting". This was actually regurgitation of food eaten some minutes ago and finally, since the dog was depressed and unable to eat anymore and was tired out, the couple sought veterinary consultation, thinking the dog was suffering from stomach cancer.
"Didn't my wife phone you?" the husband said. "No," I said. She passed the phone to her wife. "My dog vomited at midnight after the last meal," she said. "I think every 2-hourly feeding would be fine," she suggested.
"It is a matter of trial and error in this case of megaoesophagus," I replied. "The gullet can't hold too much a large quantity of food and water and that is why I asked to feed every hourly to ensure she puts on weight."
The happy owner reiterated, "Now my dog does not have the pus discharge in her eyes every day and so I don't need to wipe off the eye discharge. She does not tire so easily and looked eagerly for her food when she hears the noise of crunching of her 6 pellets." The prescription d/d pellets are crushed into powder and mixed with the canned k/d diet so that they will not irritate the mucosa of the gullet and will pass into the stomach. 2.5 mg prednisolone was given daily too and would be stopped after 3 weeks. It reduced inflammation and promotes appetite effectively in this case. Trimaxazole antibiotics had been given and would be stopped after 3 weeks. We would wait and see.
"Is the dog putting on weight?" I asked.
"I can feel she is heavier when I carry her," the lady owner said. "She passes well-formed solid stools."
"Is she shivering?"
"No more, but she could be shivering due to your grooming clipping her bald to de-tick her last time," the lady owner was also getting the dog clothed and wrapped in a blanket at night in the air-conditioned room.
So far, no food regurgitation. The diagnosis of megaoesophagus was not a death sentence and this 8-year-old dog should live to an old age if there are no other health problems.
Earlier vet report about this "vomiting" skin-and-bone poodle is at http://www.toapayohvets.com/web1/20110204megaoesophagus-regurgitation-dog-toapayohvets-singapore.htm
This is NOT an easy case to diagnose. Regurgitation is often confused with vomiting by the owner and the owner often misled the vet by giving the incorrect complaint of "vomiting". I visited the apartment to see the dog in her natural environment and lifestyle. It is a rare case as most "vomiting" cases are really vomiting dogs!
P.S
Due to economic reasons, I did not ask the owner to X-ray the distal oesophagus with contrast medium as X-rays of the neck and abdomen had cost some money for these senior citizens. It would be good to do it, but at the owner's expense. In the X-ray, you can see that the oesophagus is dilated as gas and liquid filled up the dilated mid-oesophagus. The diagnosis is still megaoesophagus and the treatment depends on the cause. Feeding small amounts of food (powdered pellets and canned food) without regurgitation, the X-ray of mid-oesophagus and return to normal health supports the diagnosis of megaoesophagus. There appeared to be an area of granulation in the pharngeal area as the dog used to eat branches and grass for some years. It could be a granulation tissue. See the X-ray.
"Didn't my wife phone you?" the husband said. "No," I said. She passed the phone to her wife. "My dog vomited at midnight after the last meal," she said. "I think every 2-hourly feeding would be fine," she suggested.
"It is a matter of trial and error in this case of megaoesophagus," I replied. "The gullet can't hold too much a large quantity of food and water and that is why I asked to feed every hourly to ensure she puts on weight."
The happy owner reiterated, "Now my dog does not have the pus discharge in her eyes every day and so I don't need to wipe off the eye discharge. She does not tire so easily and looked eagerly for her food when she hears the noise of crunching of her 6 pellets." The prescription d/d pellets are crushed into powder and mixed with the canned k/d diet so that they will not irritate the mucosa of the gullet and will pass into the stomach. 2.5 mg prednisolone was given daily too and would be stopped after 3 weeks. It reduced inflammation and promotes appetite effectively in this case. Trimaxazole antibiotics had been given and would be stopped after 3 weeks. We would wait and see.
"Is the dog putting on weight?" I asked.
"I can feel she is heavier when I carry her," the lady owner said. "She passes well-formed solid stools."
"Is she shivering?"
"No more, but she could be shivering due to your grooming clipping her bald to de-tick her last time," the lady owner was also getting the dog clothed and wrapped in a blanket at night in the air-conditioned room.
So far, no food regurgitation. The diagnosis of megaoesophagus was not a death sentence and this 8-year-old dog should live to an old age if there are no other health problems.
Earlier vet report about this "vomiting" skin-and-bone poodle is at http://www.toapayohvets.com/web1/20110204megaoesophagus-regurgitation-dog-toapayohvets-singapore.htm
This is NOT an easy case to diagnose. Regurgitation is often confused with vomiting by the owner and the owner often misled the vet by giving the incorrect complaint of "vomiting". I visited the apartment to see the dog in her natural environment and lifestyle. It is a rare case as most "vomiting" cases are really vomiting dogs!
P.S
Due to economic reasons, I did not ask the owner to X-ray the distal oesophagus with contrast medium as X-rays of the neck and abdomen had cost some money for these senior citizens. It would be good to do it, but at the owner's expense. In the X-ray, you can see that the oesophagus is dilated as gas and liquid filled up the dilated mid-oesophagus. The diagnosis is still megaoesophagus and the treatment depends on the cause. Feeding small amounts of food (powdered pellets and canned food) without regurgitation, the X-ray of mid-oesophagus and return to normal health supports the diagnosis of megaoesophagus. There appeared to be an area of granulation in the pharngeal area as the dog used to eat branches and grass for some years. It could be a granulation tissue. See the X-ray.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)