Thursday, July 25, 2013

1042. Glagow University Vet Degree is in Latin in 1974 - translated to English

From 1969-1974, I studied veterinary medicine in Glasgow University. I was surprised that the degree is in Latin. The Singapore Government accepted it. However, if I want to work in Yangon, I will need to get it translated and notarised. The translation into English costs $78.00!



TO ALL WHO WILL READ THIS DIPLOMA


THE SENATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW

SENDS GREETINGS.

May it be known to all that the Nourishing University of Glasgow has
thus designated and declared her pupil,

Kong Yuen Sing

after his successful completion of that which is required of him both
by the laws of the kingdom and by the statutes of the University, a
Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, with the privileges,
rights, and freedoms, in all and in singular, that are to be granted
to graduates of this kind either through apostolic authority or
through royal missives and the kingdom's statutes or through any other
means whatsoever;
In proof whereof we have caused the common seal of the University to
be affixed to this    diploma.
We delivered it in the academic halls at Glasgow on the ninth day of
the month of July in the year of our salvation 1974.

[signature]

Principal

[signature]

Clerk of University Senate

[signature]
Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

1041. Sri Vairavimada Kaliamman Temple, Toa Payoh Lor 8 - near Toa Payoh Vets

It is extremely difficult to take a good interesting picture of the Hindu temple. For those going to Toa Payoh Vets by bus 238 from the HDB Hub, alight at the Hindu temple on Toa Payoh Lor 8. Let the bus driver know that you wish to alight opposite the Hindu temple and polyclinic.

For car drivers from Braddell Road, you need to proceed towards the right of the image, turn left. At the first traffic light, turn left and enter Toa Payoh Industrial Park. You will pass the Kim Keat Community Centre on your left. Keep left and goto Block 1002. \




 
 

 

Monday, July 22, 2013

1040. Sunday's interesting cases - A whimpering old dwarf hamster

Sun Jul 21, 2013

A bright and sunny haze-free Sunday. I thought this would be a relaxing Sunday but it was the busiest of all Sundays requiring two vets to prevent long waiting times of more than 10 minutes per client. Dr Daniel would be operating (dwarf hamster with ear tumour, dental scaling of one Bengal cat and one old Schnauzer with back pain) or doing blood collection on two aggressive dogs and clipping by the groomer. All these take time. The groomer had 4 dogs with skin diseases and one with tick infestation to clip bald and bathe.

So I was busy attending to consultations, phone queries and discharge of the cases to be completed before 5 pm. We all skipped lunch.

Today I had planned to visit my first nephew who would be nearing one month of age. So there was a bit of a rush. 

The outstanding case was that of a 2-year-old dwarf hamster. She just fell asleep in the weighing bowl after examination. As if she had a very late night. "In my 40 years of practice, I have yet to see a dwarf hamster falling asleep at 10 am in a new surrounding! Your hamster must be sick. She would freeze up when I held her for examination." 

The large ear tumour kept growing bigger and bigger and the hamster started making squeaky noises. "She has been whimpering for the past week and scratching her left ear lump," the young lady finally brought her to me for treatment.  Some time ago, she had another hamster with a larger lump but the vet said he would not operate. So she did not seek any vet with this hamster's tumour.
 If you have got the tumour excised when it is smaller," I said. "There is very little chance of this hamster dying during anaesthesia."

Such a gigantic lump. Such a weak old hamster. The owner consented to the surgery.
"No injection," I said to Dr Daniel. "Just isofurane gas. She may not survive."
In the midst of surgery, the hamster stopped breathing.





       

1032. Update: Follow up a Maltese passing black & turbid urine in 2011

July 22, 2013

To review this unique case, I used the Google Custom Search in my website for "maltese urinary tract infection".
I found the relevant article at:

http://2010vets.blogspot.sg/2011/10/678-male-maltese-pees-thick-dark-red.html. The Maltese in 2011 had pass black and turbid urine and I had asked the Temasek Polytechnic students to produce a  "Urinary Tract Infection: video.
They did a good job as you can see the video at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvV-00dDRg4

I also recorded the case with X-rays as it was a unique case of black and turbid urine which could not be analysed biochemically due to it being too turbid.

Recently, the 10-year-old Maltese passed blood in the urine for 2 days and I reviewed his medical records. will continue later.



Sunday, July 21, 2013

1031. Eye corneal ulcers - early detection saves money

If your dog has eye irritation and keeps rubbing his eyes, early detection of corneal ulcers by your vet will save his eye-sight and money as shown in the case below:



An e-collar and early veterinary treatment saves the vision of this dog. The Jack Russell's eye ulcer healed without problems of itchiness.

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Update on testicular tumours in 2 dogs


tpvets_logo.jpg (2726 bytes)TOA PAYOH VETS
toapayohvets.com

Date:   20 July, 2013  
 
Focus: Small animals - dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, turtles & rabbits
One undescended testicle becomes cancerous   
Dr Sing Kong Yuen, BVMS (Glasgow), MRCVSDate:   20 July, 2013  
toapayohvets.com 
Be Kind To Pets
Veterinary Education
Project 2010-0129

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

1018. An undescended testicle becomes a large tumour

 
I was happy to see the two sisters again after over 5 years. One was taller and slimmer. Their male 10-year-old terrier X had one fast-growing large lump on the left inguinal area. The other undescended testicle was smaller and normal in size.

"Why didn't you get the dog neutered when he was young?" I asked. "Undescended testicles are known to become cancerous in older dogs and men, like the famous cyclist. Now it is a gigantic tumour. Since it grows so fast within a month to become bigger than a hen's egg, it is likely to be cancerous. There is a high anaesthetic risk when an old dog goes under general anaesthesia resulting in death on the operating table."

"We did not think about it," the elder sister said. "Is it OK to do the surgery now?"

"Take a blood test to screen his health," I advised. "In any case, you have no choice but to get the massive testicular tumour taken out because the cells will rot as they expand in size, causing much pain. The dog will lick the area till the skin becomes thin and the rotting tumour drops out. Now he is licking his penile tip which is red."

The owners brought the dog in because the dog kept licking his penile tip. A blood test showed abnormally high SGOT, around 8 X higher. The dog was scheduled for surgery after one day of antibiotics and painkillers. 

 
"How do you know it is a testicular tumour?" Dr Daniel asked me as part of a discussion on this case. He would be thinking of an inguinal hernia which is more common a condition in this belly location called "inguinal".

"It is hard and firm and does not go back into the abdomen unlike an inguinal hernia," I explained my diagnosis of the undescended testicle becoming a large tumour.

The dog was neutered by Dr Daniel and went home in the evening. The sisters agreed to get the large tumour analysed by the laboratory to check whether it is cancerous or not. As for the high SGOT levels, it is hard to say whether this increase in enzymes is due to the testicular tumour or that the liver is affected. A blood test one month later will be useful to check whether the cells have gone back to normal levels and this would indicate that the cause of the rise is due to the testicular tumour. An educational video is being produced.

UPDATE ON JUL 17, 2013. I phoned the owner. The mother replied saying the dog is OK and asked whether the testicular cancer has spread to other parts of the body. I told her it is not likely based on the histology report of the cancer being confined inside the tunica.  The epididymis is "unremarkable" according to the report. Sertoli cell tumours can metastasize but not all do so. This case appeared to be operated early and so there was no spread of the cancer cells to other parts of the testes esp. the epididymis and to the vas deferens. For the mother, I just told her that the cancer had not spread and this was good news for a family who loved this old dog.  

ANOTHER OLD MALE DOG HAS TESTICULAR TUMOUR

tpvets_logo.jpg (2726 bytes)6281 - 6282. Testicular tumour in an old Westie. After neutering, the Westie no longer licks the swollen belly area till it becomes black
CONCLUSION
Many Singapore dog owners do not wish to neuter their male dogs even if they have undescended testicles which have a high probablility of becoming cancerous.  Check your old male dogs weekly to ensure no testicular tumours develop. Early detection and neutering save the dog's life as the cancerous cells may kill your dog.
 
Updates will be on this webpage:
www.sinpets.com/F5/20130712testicular_tumour.htm


More info at: Dogs or Cats
To make an appointment: e-mail judy@toapayohvets.com
tel: +65 9668-6469, 6254-3326
tpvets_logo.jpg (2726 bytes)Toa Payoh Vets
Clinical Research
Copyright © Asiahomes
All rights reserved. Revised: July 20, 2013

Toa Payoh Vets

Friday, July 19, 2013

1036. Nephrolithiasis. Kidney stones in X-ray - blood in urine

Review. Rarely do we get kidney stones in dogs as compared to bladder stones. 

Maltese, M, 10 years
Ref: 40729
Blood in the urine 2 days.

Jul 17, 13  Urine Test
pH 8, SG 1.044, Protein +, Blood 4+, WBC 0, RBC >2250, Amorphous phosphate +

X-ray - kidney stones (small, a few).



Advise S/D 1-3 months, urine test monthly, X-ray 3rd month.





--------------------------

Interesting notes
Oct 3, 2011
Black & turbid urine sent for analysis.

Blood4+, WBC1620, RBC >2250
Sample is too turbid to perform biochemical tests
Associate vet advised X-ray and did urine test (above results).

On Sunday, the owner came for the Prescription S/D as advised by me to dissolve the small stones in the kidneys. The couple said: "My dog will never eat the S/D as he is eating kibbles. I will take one can of S/D to try."

"If you just want to try one can of S/D, then it is best not to do it since it takes 1-3 months of eating S/D to dissolve the small kidney stones which you saw on X-rays," I said. "You can return the cans if you decide not to feed the dog.

"No dog will eat the S/D canned food if you feed just S/D at the beginning. I have a client whose dog had a similar kidney and bladder stone problems. After the bladder stone removal, I advised S/D to dissolve the stones. He said his dog would not eat the S/D and therefore stop feeding it. Blood in the urine may recur again if you don't try to dissolve the stones in the kidney. The plan is to feed 10% of the S/D canned mixed with the kibbles and increase slowly to 100% after 2 weeks. Not to force the dog to eat the new food 100%."

"Is there beef inside the food?" the gentleman asked. I gave him the can of S/D to examine the contents. There was chicken and pork but no beef used in the manufacture. So the couple got 12 cans of the S/D.

This case will be followed up if the owner is keen on feed back to me.



1035. A 16-year-old cat drinks and pees a lot

"A house call will not be useful as the cat needs a blood test," I said to the lady who phoned for a house call as the 16-year-old cat drank and peed a lot. "The blood test will show whether the cat has diabetes, liver or  kidney disease. The heart needed to be checked too. I will recommend a pet transport man to bring the cat down to the Surgery. "

Evidence-based medicine is best practised. The cat was quite ferocious (does not like strangers) but Dr Daniel managed to give him isoflurane gas anaesthesia and collect blood from the jugular vein.


1. Triglycerides 50 (elevated) interferring with estimation of LDL cholesterol which can't be measured.

2. Glucose (Fasting) 25.5. Hyperglycaemia.    (normal 3.9-6.0)

3. Urea <1 .8="" 154="" br="" but="" creatinine="" is="" nbsp="" normal="">low, creatinine normal. No kidney disease.

4. Eosinophils 18%,  Absolute 1.22.  Platelets 286 (300-800).

Conclusion. Diabetes mellitus
  

1034. Health screening of newly purchased Rottweiler

Post-purchase examination. Seldom does the vet ask the owner to do a blood test after a general examination. This should be advised as the puppy seller gives the owner 24 hours to "return" the puppy if it is medically unsound.
In this case of an 8-month-old male Rottweiler, the significant finding is the kidney function.
Urea 3 (4.3-6.3). Creatinine 51 (89-177). I advised the owner to speak to the Seller as to whether he wants to return the puppy.  I what's app the report to him as 24 hours have passed but it is now 48 hours after purchase.

The red blood cells are slightly low. Platelets 560 (200-500) are high. Monocytes 9.9%, Absolute 1.58, Eosinophils 8.8%, Absolute 1.41. N 52% Aabsol 8.24.  L 30% Absolute 4.77, Basophil 0.
Total WCC 16 (6-17).

The main worry is the kidney profile. Is there a congenital renal disease?

Parvo and heartworm tests were done and negative.

1033. The retiree's two old dogs

Clinical Research.
Case study of two dogs well cared for to old age by a retire. I saw them starting from 2009.
1. Orphan. Maltese X. Male, Born 2002
Sep 25, 09. Teeth scaling and extraction. Left testicular tumour first. Right testicular tumour and circum-anal tumour. Now 16 years old.  Neutered & circum anal tumour excised
Aug 2, 10. Histology: Malignant tumour compatible with a seminoma
Apr 4, 13  Generalised ringworm both dogs. No follow up by owner. Buys Neoderm. Self-treatment.





2. Bam. Maltese X. Male. Born 2001

Oct 2, 2009. Dental and teeth extraction.
Jun 12, 2010. Left eye corneal ulcer. 3rd eyelid flap.  Ear itchy. Ear cleaning & grooming. Nov 14,10
Aug 14, 2012. Blood test, ear irrigation, teeth
Apr 4, 13. Drinks and pees a lot. Blood test. Liver disorder.
                 Generalised ringworm both dogs. No follow up by owner owing to financial constraints.
Jul 17, 2013. Right eye corneal ulcer & >5mm across (image). Ears itchy.



Paw must have scratched eye causing ulceration. Owner thought the dog had conjunctivitis but the eye drops didn't work. E-collar advised. Conservative treatment.



CONCLUSION
"Generalised ringworm is a very difficult disease to eliminate," I said to the retiree. "Some dogs need 60 days of medication and daily anti-ringworm washing and decontamination of the environment and brushes. The owner needs to bring the dog for review 3-4-weekly instead of buying the Neoderm cream. A very itchy disease. Dog scratches ear and could have injured his right eye now, causing eye ulcer. Clipping the dog bald revealed the ringworm patches. The dog went home on conservative eye ointment + e-collar treatment instead of surgery, to save on medical costs.