538. Z-plasty for a Syrian hamster?

This Syrian hamster was bitten through the vertical grate which separated two hamsters. A rotten-flesh smell leaked from a big black abscess on the left elbow. The abscess was drained by Vet 1 and the wound stitched up.

Two days later, the hamster came back as the stitches had broken down.

MY COMMENTS
1. Contaminated wounds are best not stitched. Give the hamster antibiotics for 3-7 days to get rid of the bacteria and to let the skin return to normal.

2. In this hamster, stitching the lower end to the upper end of the big wound will not permit healing as there is a high skin tension. This will lead to stitch breakdown.

3. Z-plasty and stitching up small areas in front of the elbow is one option.

4. I advised surgery but the owner did not accept. The chances of full cover of the skin wound are not 100% and the owner must be informed properly.

In dog bite wounds around this elbow, Z-plasty ought to be done as such big exposed areas are easily infected and itchy. It takes more than 3 months and does not heal as can be seen in one case handled by Vet 1 and observed by me earlier. In this case, the owner did not give permission for surgery and prefer simple nursing and treatment and that is where the vet's hands are tied.

It is not wise to keep such dogs for over 3 months inside the veterinary surgery to do simple nursing and treatment if owners do not want to permit surgery because keeping a dog hospitalised for such a long time is not good for the poor dog. The owner has to bear the responsibility of caring for the dog.

5. As for this Syrian hamster, I don't know what happen as the owner did not return for follow up. I prescribed antibiotics and anti-inflammatory oral and advised daily cleaning of the wound. I will be most surprised if this hamster survived the bacterial infection from the environment. But miracles do happen and the wound may close by granulation.


MORE DETAILS AND A DOG Z-PLASTY CASE IS AT:
http://www.sinpets.com/hamsters/201108012syrian-hamster-z-plasty-surgery-advised_singapore_ToaPayohVets.htm

537. Follow-up on the cat having urination difficulty - FLUTD again

I spoke to your husband and fax copies of blood and urine test results to him yesterday.

1. Significant finding of the blood test is the low platelet count and the high glucose level. The low platelet count is probably due to the cat ingesting some toxic chemicals via grooming his coat. There was some "fur vomited" too. Abdominal pain was present.

2. For the urine test, there are bacteria, epithelial cells, white cells and red blood cells and a trace of protein present. This indicated a urinary tract infection involving primarily the bladder. A trace of protein may not be serious at this stage.

3. There is no kidney disease based on the blood and urine tests. No urinary crystals are detected. As for the high glucose level, a 2nd test is needed in 2 months' time to assess whether he has diabetes.

4. A test 2 months later is advised.

5 Advice: Keep the cat indoors and away from eating grass and soil. He has lost weight and this may be due to the ingestion of toxic chemicals tainting his coat and paws when he plays in the garden outdoors. Toxic chemicals may include insecticide and fertilisers and mosquito fogging chemicals. Some cats love to nap under the car, staining themselves with engine oil etc. So, it is best to keep this cat indoors all the time.

536. Text-message from a FLUTD cat owner

Yesterday, August 10, 2011, I met the FLUTD cat owner, a knowledgeable lady in her 30s. She had texted the following message to me the day before.

August 9, 2011 6.02 pm
Hi Dr Sing

TOMMY'S NOT PEEING AGAIN?!

It's been a few months since I updated you about Tommy. He was doing fine up till 2 days ago. Straining to pee and now vomiting after straining. Some fur in his vomit too. Very limtied appetite too, as if he's scared to eat lest he throws it up. I'll bring him to the clinic tomorrow morning. Hope you can see him and advise what's troubling him.

Happy National Day!

Names of husband and wife


I called her a knowledgeable lady as she had read all about FLUTD from the internet. She requested blood and urine tests, not just an injection and some antibiotics to go home. As vets, I would like to do the tests but some owners don't want to spend the money and so I try to give the basic treatment first and "wait-and-see" just to save the owner some money. This may not be a good way to practise veterinary medicine but Singapore owners go for the cheapest vet in town. All these tests add up to the costs and make me an "expensive" vet. However, to sophisticated and knowledgeable owners, failure to do tests indicate a vet not up to the mark! So, there must be a balance somewhere.

HISTORY-TAKING
"My cat can pee today!" the lady said.
"If your cat can pee," I replied. "There is no need to treat him."
Yet, on closer history-taking, the cat had difficulties peeing during the past 5 days, not 2 days.
"How do you know that your cat can pee normally?" I asked the lady.
"Well, he does it in front of me. He urinates a full stream of urine every morning in my presence."
An exhibitionist? I dared not say this loudly. Instead I asked when was the last time the cat could urinate without difficulty, namely a full stream of urine. It was 5 days ago, not 2 days as in her text message.

EXAMINATION
The significant finding was a painful abdomen and a weight loss of 1 kg compared to 2 months ago when I saw the cat (case report written, will get the URL). I could not palpate the left kidney. So, it would not be enlarged. His bladder was slightly full and contained some urine.

This is a 7-year-old male neutered cat that had FLUTD (feline lower urinary tract disease) some 2 months ago and had been on feline S/D diet for the past 2 months.

"Nobody tells me when I should stop the S/D diet. So two weeks ago, I had run out of S/D canned food and offered him ... (a commercial canned food).

"It is hard to say when the S/D canned food ought to be stopped. 2 months should be OK in some cases." I said. S/D is more expensive. This cat has been eating dry cat food over his past 7 years and just dislike canned food.

"Well, he has no choice, but to eat the S/D," the owner said when I asked her. The cat was losing weight.

"Could she be suffering from thyroid disease?" the owner asked me. This showed she had done her research in the internet. It is possible but the presenting sign is that of the urinary tract. So, I have to focus to check whether the cat has kidney disease or not first.

BLOOD TEST AND URINE TEST under sedation. I gave this 5kg cat xylazine 0.1 ml + ketamine 0.4 ml IM. With a few seconds whiff of isoflurane gas, he could be asleep with eyes open. The blood was collected from the big leg vein and his urine was collected from catherisation. About 20 ml of dark coloured thick urine. Claws were trimmed. No mouth ulcers or gingivitis. Pink tongue and mucous membranes. Some tartar on the teeth was scaled off.

After sedation injection, the cat vomited grass and dark yellow fluid (water and cat food likely, maybe some soil?). So the cat was not confined to inside the house as I presumed as he was supposed to me. He had access to the garden! To pee and be stressed out by neighbouring strays. This cat had lived in an apartment for the past 7 years till the shift to the parents' house temporarily. The cat had never seen other territorial cats before and now in this house, he met many. No wonder he was stressed out. He might be urine-marking too.

I will update readers soon as the case is being investigated. Like a detective story. Blood test and urine test results from the Lab will be in today.

535. My three dwarf hamster patients - body odour, amputee, breast tumours

Today, August 11, 2011, I post my summary case report of my 3 dwarf hamster patients as I had written smaller case reports in the past weeks on the follow-up nursing care by the owners after surgeries.

The website for hamster lovers is:
http://www.sinpets.com/F5/20110733three-hamster-surgery-follow-up-Singapore-ToaPayohVets.htm

We all love happy endings. Owners who diligently observe their older hamsters for lumps and bumps will be less stressed out and save money if they get such lumps and bumps excised by their vets early. If their vet says: "Wait-and-see", then it is wise to seek a second and third opinion. In my experience, tumours don't disappear spontaneously. I did have a report from a hamster owner that the big tumour on her hamster (one of my hamster reports) disappeared after dieting or change of food. That was the feedback. In reality, tumours don't disappear and need to be excised early.

534. Sunday's interesting cases

Aug 7, 2011
Tea cup poodle 3 months had diarrhoea. Young couple fed it something new after purchase. Started to vomit and became comatose on Saturday despite treatment. On Sunday, I switched to IV dextrose saline. He stood up, looked OK. Later in the evening he passed away. Stick to what the seller advised. No new food. Stresses


Aug 9, 2011 National Day
Maltese could not stop scratching frequently for the past month. "Shampoos, I used all types. What's the best?"


July 31, 2011
My assistant Min got his right thumb bitten by an old cat with kidney disease. He was transferring the cat out of the cage. As Dr Vanessa and I did not see him doing it, we were puzzled as to why the old cat sunk its canine deep into his right thumb. Dr Vanessa took him to a doctor. He said: "No need". But it is important as cat bites can be infectious.
He went and got 3 stitches to stop the bleeding.

533. Break a leg? Break a ear?

"Break a leg" is used to mean "Good Luck" to a theatre performer. You don't say "good luck" to a theatre performer. Well, in two sibling hamsters I operated upon, I was surprised that I had to "break a leg" and "break a ear" literally!

See pictures below.

"Break a leg" is used to mean "Good Luck" to a theatre performer. You don't say "good luck" to a theatre performer. Well, in the two sibling hamsters I operated upon recently, I was reminded of the theatrical term "break a leg". Well, I really had to break a leg to save her life. Her sibling with foul smelly ear? I had to "break a ear" literally to save her life! Their lady owner now has no more worry lines since the two squeaky hamsters have behaved normally now and one does not have body odour anymore

See pictures of my follow-up of two sibling hamsters operated 14 days ago and reported in My 3 dwarf hamsters post-operation as follows:

BREAK A LEG

14 days ago, an explosive bony growth on her left hind leg



Leg amputation surgery



BREAK A EAR

14 days ago, bad body odour
Ear canal ablation surgery



4415- 4423. Two older sibling hamsters are normal and active 14 days after surgery. A much earlier veterinary treatment would have saved a lot of worries and reduced risks. But Singaporeans live in a hectic world and it is difficult to advise "early detection saves lives"! It so happens that there are two happy endings for the siblings. It is not a given that hamsters will survive the anaesthesias and handling surgical stresses.

More pictures are at:
http://www.sinpets.com/hamsters/20110808dwarf-hamster-break-a-leg-a-ear-Singapore-ToaPayohVets.htm

532. My 3 dwarf hamster post-operation follow up

Surprisingly, I got two phone calls regarding 3 dwarf hamsters this Monday morning Jul 25, 2011 after the hamsters had survived a high-risk surgery and had gone home for over 2 days.

1. Hamster 1 and 2, Female, 2 years old. The lady owner phoned up. Day 3 of surgery. Hamster 2 (amputee) attempted to bite stitches. What to do? Plaster? Not practical.
Hamster 1 - Ear canal ablation. Hamster eating. Objected strongly to cleaning off blood from ear. So done once only. Advised to do more cleaning. Isoflurane gas anaesthesia only but very stressful ear canal removal. Took 2 days to recover.


The ear canal was full of white "sand" particles as well as tumours (irritation due to sand?), pus and dead cells






Hamster 1. A rare ear canal ablation surgery completed in this dwarf hamster. This surgery is common in the dog. See: The "reasonable" man test in a court of law
Hamster 2 (amputee). The lady owner confirmed that the leg tumour was only 5 mm diameter 6 weeks ago. "Like a face pimple," she said. But it grew furiously big to 1.5 cm. I had to amputate the leg above the knee. The hamster started exercise wheeling. 30 g before surgery. After surgery, her weight was 19 g. There was a lot of blood loss









Hamster 2 - The leg had to be amputated as the tumour involved the bone below the knee and above the hock.

Feedback from owner who noted the following.
1. Lowered water bottle. Can't drink as only one hind leg.
2. Food bowl too high now. Hard to climb out. Use bowl from those used in Chinese household for chilli and soya sauce. A bit of spillage but hamster could eat.
3. Tempted with favourite bean sprouts. Then give baytril oral.
This hamster needed sedation IM. First day, one drop Zoletil 50 IM. No effect. Just looked at me. So, suspend all operation till 24 hours later. 2nd day, 3 drops OK. Leg bone tumour extended to inguinal. Amputated. Quite active within 1 hour.

Advices
No exercise wheel. Stitches quite many. Blue nylon 5/0
Continue on paper litter. Not so rough. But hamsters loved to shred them.

2. Hamster 3 - 81 g. Operated to remove two large breast tumours.
She loves bread and so the wife fed her more bread. She put on lots of weight. An average dwarf hamster weighs around 30-40 g. I doubt she could survive the anaesthesia and surgery. But she proved me wrong.






spleen seen




4326 - 4336. Surgery itself does have complications sometimes. The spleen pops out unexpectedly!  
Hamster 3. The two large breast tumours were excised. The spleen came out from the abdomen but was put back. The abdominal defect was stitched. The hamster survived as at Day 14 after surgery.
The husband rushed down to the Surgery. Two 5/0 nylon stitches bitten off today on Day 8. Bleeding. Wife phoned. OK at clinic. No bleeding. Cut off two entangled nylon stitches. 1 remaining. The husband did not want it cut off. To observe. To reduce weight further. 79 g now. The tangled transparent 5/0 nylon stitches were taken out

Feedback, fully active and normal on Day 3 but would eat after operation. Daily exercise on wheel. Owner quite happy.


Pictures and details are at:
http://www.sinpets.com/F5/20110733three-hamster-surgery-follow-up-Singapore-ToaPayohVets.htm

531. A 14-year-old Chihuahua has a big breast tumour - IV anaesthesia

It is a difficult decision for the mother and daughter when the beloved 14-year-old Chihuahua had a big breast tumour. To operate and risk her dying on the operating table from anaesthesia or not to operate?

Or just wait and see. But the tumour on the left side of the mammary area had grown bigger. The other tumour on the right side had been excised by me just 2 months ago. The Chihuahua had survived the anaesthesia. Now, another tumour had popped up.

They came on a Saturday morning. Dr Jason Teo was on duty as I don't work on Saturdays. I happened to pop into the Surgery to check on a dwarf hamster with a very itchy face and they saw me. As the dog had eaten, Dr Teo could not operate on the same day and so I scheduled to operate on Sunday after the owners were well advised. "Must sign the form," Dr Teo reminded me quietly. This is the informed consent for surgery. I didn't ask them to sign a form although my associate vets do. I usually speak at length on the dangers of anaesthesia to make sure the owners are aware of what they are doing. Their pet may die under anaesthesia and will not be alive once they go to the operating room. Many times they understand. Some don't want to proceed with the surgery and go home.

Much depends on trust built up over the years but getting the owners to sign an informed consent for surgery and anaesthesia is wise and is practised by surgeons in the Singapore hospitals. To avoid nasty allegations of not being informed of the risks and alternative options by unhappy owners.

So, on a fine Sunday morning of July 31, 2011, I operated with much fear of anaesthetic death for this old companion who would be having her 3rd anaesthesia in 3 months. The second one was for the swollen right breast. The same one. Brown liquid dripped out from the nipple of this breast and the whole length of 5 cm was swollen. Antibiotics were taken and now the breast tumour had consolidated.

This time I used IV anaesthesia. Just sufficient to last for the surgery of less than 30 minutes and no more dosage. Just what is an adequate dosage of domitor and ketamine for IV anaesthesia for a very old dog? This is based on intuition and experience.

I have a domitor and ketamine IV dosage chart on my operating room cabinet which I refer to. This chart is shown in this webpage for the benefit of vets who need an alternative to isoflurane and oxygen anaesthesia.

MY CHART HAS THIS GUIDELINE
DOSAGE OF DOMITOR AND KETAMINE FOR A NORMAL HEALTHY YOUNG DOG 10 KG
FOR 30 MINUTES OF SURGERY

DOSAGE GUIDELINE
CALCULATED DOSAGE
10 kg, healthy young dog
Domitor 0.4 ml. Ketamine 0.5 ml = 0.9 ml in one syringe IV. No need isoflurane gas top up.
This Chihuahua is 4 kg. If she is young and healthy, the formula should be: Domitor around 0.15 ml + Ketamine 0.20 ml IV = 0.35 ml

DOSAGE GIVEN

Very old dog. Dosage should be much reduced. I gave the following much lower dosage:
Domitor 0.05 ml + Ketamine 0.15 ml = 0.20 ml in one syringe to be given via IV drip. I gave atropine 0.3 ml IM.

This formula worked effectively as it gave me around 30 minutes of surgical anaesthesia. The dog lifted her head just as I completed the last stitch. But she was drowsy. So, I gave her the antidote, Antisedan IM. She woke up within 2 minutes as fresh as a daisy. She went home 2 hours later. As the daughter now is an adult, she paid the bill. "No need to do histopathology if you don't want to," I said so as to reduce her cost. I had not asked for blood test. She did not want histopathology this time. The first time, the right breast grape-like tumours were benign adenomas and the blood test were normal for this old dog.



IV drip is advised for long surgeries. Domitor + Ketamine IV at the correct dosage and in healthy dogs give excellent analgesia without the need of isoflurane gas top up. Some countries may have difficulties getting isoflurane vaporisers and isoflurane and IV anaesthesia is an alternative option






Drowsy but is awake at the last stitch
Antisedan injection wakes the dog up fast
Surgery record for knowledge management
Although spayed dogs are said not to get breast tumours, there are a few that will get breast tumours after spay. There are some reports saying that female dogs spayed at less than one year of age will have lower chances of getting breast tumours but I don't find any scientific research to substantiate this. When was this dog spayed as I did not think it was done by me.

"When was this dog spayed?" I asked the daughter who has blossomed into a handsome looking tall lady.

"When I was in JC (junior college)," she put a finger on her chin to think. "It would be in 1998. She was 5 years old. Now, she is 14 years old. 8 years sure had breezed by and gone with the wind. The daughter now becomes the paymaster and the mother must listen to her. Still both bore the responsibility of giving the informed consent. The mum wanted me to operate although Dr Teo would be able to do it. So, that was how I landed with a surgery on a bright Sunday morning. It was a happy ending. But the more I do such risky surgeries, the more the minefields of deaths on the operating table will be stepped on.

So, I will prefer my younger associate vets to shoulder the heavy responsibilities of difficult surgeries and high-risk ones. That is the advantage of team work. There is just no escaping from the jaws of deaths for high-risk surgeries. It is a matter of statistics and probability when more of such cases are done.


updates and more images at:
http://www.sinpets.com/F5/20110806domitor-ketamine-dosage-Singapore-ToaPayohVets.htm

530. A dodgy doggy story from a flamboyant lady - Part 1

"I just can't believe her story," I said to my REA (Real Estate Agency) classmate, Mr Chua as we went into the subway train to go back to Novena after visiting another classmate at her office.
"She has no reasons to lie," he replied.
"No reasons at all," I said. "I mean that what she said was incredible. It is an unbelievable doggy story."
"A dodgy story," Mr Chua said.

Well, it was a fine Tuesday August 2, 2011 afternoon when we met up for lunch. A Caucasian agent who was marketing overseas properties, introduced to us by our REA lecturer met us for lunch to present his business. He had to take the REA examination although he does not sell or deal with Singapore properties and so that was how we met.

My lady classmate came late. "The most flamboyant lady in the class is here!" Mr Chua announced. I just can't understand why he said that. She was not offended nor make any comments.

Why did he say she was flamboyant? What does it mean? I googled "flamboyant" now. It said: "Being too showy or ornate, gaudy, flashy". This fair lady in her late 30s does dress up well. Today she was in plain grey with flowery high heels. I remember her as having well dressed in class in high quality clothing material and sporting tinted brownish red hair and showing red painted nail accessories. A bit on the big side. She was friendly and easy to converse. If flamboyance can make one stand out and be successful as well, you may also want to be flamboyant as she was certainly one of those successful estate agents with an office in downtown Singapore.

When she heard that I am a vet, my flamboyant classmate would consult me about her Siberian Husky getting thinner and thinner during lunch as she sat to my right at this oily Korean hotplate restaurant in Novena. "One day, my car had broken down. So I rented another," she said. "My Husky would howl all night long. The next morning, I wanted to drive the car to work. He would tug at my skirt," she said as she pulled her lower half of her grey dress outwards with her right hand. "He just would not permit me to get into the car."

"Do you think that the dog can see some spirits inside the car?" I tried to frighten her with demons and devils. "Once you drive the car, you will be possessed."

"I don't know," she said. "My dog just would not let his grip off my dress."

"Dogs have been known to warn their owners of impending dangers," I said. There was a story of a dog warning a Japanese lady of the impending tsunami wave and got her to move to higher ground. She was saved by her dog's action. So, was this a case of the dog sensing danger? A supernatural spirit or worse?

"So, did you brush away your dog?" I asked.
"No," she said. "I got the rental company to change the car."
"What happened after that?" I asked.
"My husky was just quiet and did not bother with me."
"Was there any bad odour or smell in the first car?" I asked. "A smell of blood from somebody who had died in the car? A smell masked by perfume? A fishy smell?

"Come to think of it," my classmate said. "There was a smell." She could not describe it.

Well, she is alive today and that was thanks to this dog she rescued from being abused by the previous owner.

And so, that was the end of the incredible doggy story, I thought. I asked Mr Chua to visit her office with me. To see a success story as she had an office in downtown Singapore. No realtor without success would open an office in this area.
Must be expensive, being downtown.

My classmate left first as she had to pick up a Japanese expatriate to buy condos. I could imagine her zooming in her 2-seater Maserati with this Japanese prospect in keeping up with her true image of success as a realtor. A lady realtor who knows Japanese, Mandarin and English plus flamboyance and high energy is a man-killer. The equivalent of the femme fatale. Backed up by protective canine spirits. Far fetched? Wait till you read her second incredible doggy story later in this article.

She had made time to network with us as the organiser had invited her to attend the lunch. She was not present during our first celebration lunch meeting. As she rushed off, I made an appointment to visit her. She said 4 pm and at 4 pm, Mr Chua and I were there. I hate being late for an appointment and so did Mr Chua. Mr Chua wanted to drink coffee badly but I told him to wait. Why pay for coffee when our flamboyant classmate has Nespresso coffee in her office? I don't drink coffee much but I know George Clooney was the face of Nespresso and therefore it must be good if one is susceptible to such advertisement. In any case, Nespresso is not cheap and therefore cannot be bad quality coffee. "Have you heard of George Clooney? He is the face of Nespresso in some advertisements." I asked Mr Chua who is a self-employed chemical trader. "No," he said.

So, we went to the office at 4 pm and had the Nespresso. That was where our classmate narrated her second doggy story. Being a vet, I get to hear doggy stories of the other parties but this second story was way beyond belief. I will continue in another time as it is 8.03 am and I have to go to work.

528. House-training a 6-week-old puppy in a Singapore apartment

Thank you for your email. Pl see reply in CAPITAL LETTERS below.

On Mon, Aug 1, 2011 at 10:24 AM, ...@gmail.com> wrote:

Dear Dr. Sing,

I have a 6 week old Japanese spitz puppy since 27th July, and have her for 5 days. I understand that 6 weeks is still to young for us to bring her back, but the Breeder, Uncle ...., allowed us to bring her back saying it's ok (Now i'm feel regretful for bring her back so early in her development.

I've attach a photo of the method you have been teaching for housebreaking in the apartment.

Her schedule is as follows: 7.30am - First Meal, 1pm - Second Meal, 7.30pm - Last Meal (All on eagle pro puppy kibble and mix a teaspoon of jerhigh can meat)
Playing time is 7 - 7.30pm

She has access to water for the whole day except after 7pm.

Her schedule is as follows: 7.30am - First Meal, 1pm - Second Meal, 7.30pm - Last Meal (All on eagle pro puppy kibble and mix a teaspoon of jerhigh can meat)
She has access to water for the whole morning except after 7pm.

Whenever she has an accident (Poo/Pee) outside of the pee tray, we clean the entire grate with vinegar and water (1:3)

Questions
1. She can pee and poo on the pee tray 50% of the time, and sleep on the right side of the cage. Is this the correct procedure?
YES. IT IS ONLY 5 DAYS. THE PUPPY WILL NEED TIME TO ADJUST TO THE PEE TRAY WHICH "FEELS" DIFFERENT FROM HER PREVIOUS GRATE (ASSUMING THE BREEDER USES METALLIC FLOOR GRATE WHILE YOURS IS PLASTIC HOLES).
MOST SINGAPORE BREEDERS AND PET SHOPS USE THE METALLIC FLOOR GRATE WITH A PEE PAN BELOW. WHEN THEY SELL YOU THE PUPPY, YOU SWITCH TO THE BETTER LOOKING PLASTIC PEE PAN. THE PUPPY NEEDS TO GET USED TO THE NEW FLOORING.


2. Can we still praise her for being calm and quiet while she's in the grate?
GRATE REFERS TO THE PEE PAN. CRATE REFERS TO CAGE. IF SHE IS CALM AND QUIET IN THE CRATE, SHE MAY MISTAKE YOUR PRAISE FOR WANTING SOME ACTION FROM HER.

3. Her pooping and pee-ing timing has been very irregular, and it is very hard for us to catch her in the act in order for us to praise her. What ca we do about it?
TOO MUCH ATTENTION FROM FAMILY MEMBERS AND THE ADULTS TO THE PUPPY DURING FEEDING AND ONE HOUR AFTER FEEDING. THIS DISTRACTION CAUSES IRREGULAR POOPING. PEEING WILL BE HARDER TO CONTROL AS THE PUPPY AT THIS AGE PEES A LOT OF TIMES.

IF YOU DON'T DISTRACT THE PUPPY WITHIN ONE HOUR AFTER FEEDING, IT WILL POOP WITHIN 15 MINUTES GENERALLY. THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS. DISTRACTIONS INCLUDE CHILDREN, PARENTS AND YOU WANTING TO PLAY WITH THE PUPPY AFTER HIS MEAL INSTEAD OF LEAVING HER ALONE. SO SHE DOES NOT POOP ALL AT ONE TIME AND YOU SEE "ACCIDENTS" INSIDE THE CRATE.

CATCHING HER IN THE ACT MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE IF THERE ARE TOO MANY DISTRACTIONS. THIS WILL TAKE PATIENCE AND TIME.


4. She has been constantly nipping our hands and wanting to chew on our hands, and we're still trying to correct it, are there any advice for this behaviour?
GIVE COMMAND 'NO BITING' IN A FIRM TONE JUST AS SHE NIPS OR CHEW. SOME WRITERS ADVISE 'GRIPPING THE MUZZLE' WHILE SAYING 'NO BITING' AS AN EFFECTIVE METHOD. OTHERS SAY NOT TO SCREAM WHEN NIPPED TO DISCOURAGE ATTENTION-SEEKING. MUCH DEPENDS ON YOU.

REWARD WITH TREATS AND PRAISE FOR OBEDIENCE. THIS TAKES PATIENCE AND TIME AND CERTAINLY NOT WITHIN 7 DAYS OF PURCHASE.


5. For Play time, i only allow her to have supervised play in the kitchen with the door close, is this ok?
A BABY GATE OR FENCING FROM THE PLAYPEN TYPE AT THE KITCHEN DOOR WILL BE BEST AS THE PUPPY NEEDS TO BE SOCIALISED.

IT TAKES BETWEEN 2 - 12 WEEKS TO GRATE-TRAIN A PUPPY, DEPENDING ON THE OWNERS' METHODS AND PATIENCE. AND PROBABLY THE INTELLIGENCE OF THE PUPPY.


Thank you so much, and i hope i could get a reply.

Best regards,




Updates will be at:
http://www.sinpets.com/F5/20110734house-training-spitz-puppy-apartment-Singapore-ToaPayohVets.htm