It is best to seek prompt treatment for your pets when they have small tumours or swellings as their health deteriorates when there is delay in treatments or seek treatments from other vets as illustrated in the following cases:
Case 1. Syrian hamster with a massively swollen right hind limb showing only toes much bigger than her head. Abandoned in a bottle with wood shavings. The old mother and son brought the hamster for consultation.
"Very slim chance of survival as removal of the whole right hind limb to the hip level - amputation involved a big loss of blood. The hamster is likely to die on the op table." The mum was very sad as the hamster was eating and adorable. "Spend a few days with her," I said. "This operation has very slim chances of survival."
"Is there other ways?" the son asked.
"No medication will resolve this problem. The leg is becoming gangrenously black."
The man left without the surgery.
Case 2. Rabbit with left upper jaw abscess below the left eye. Thick pus clog the left nostril when I started to dig and clear the pus.
"The other vet did some test and said the rabbit was not fit for surgery. So we cleared the pus. But in the last 2 weeks, she became very thin, though she is eating."
"It is likely that the rabbit is poisoned by the bacterial toxins inside the jaw abscess. The thick creamy pus flowed into the nose and got breathed into the lungs. That is why the rabbit cannot breathe normally."
I got the pus dug out from the jaw abscess. Some rotten pieces of teeth were extracted out too and the big hole thoroughly flushed. The thick pus inside the left nostril was cleared when it seeped out later.
I took an image to educate and show the owner the presenting pus in the left nostril when she came for the rabbit.
"You don't need anaesthesia?" the lady asked me later.
"The rabbit is so weak and is at death's door. So, she did not respond much to pain."
In this case the rabbit was alive and went home to intensive nursing.
The first vet had said that the rabbit was not fit for anaesthesia and would die. So the owner did self treatment which was ineffective. The jaw abscess is usually a curable condition esp. when in its early stages and the rabbit is strong but it requires veterinary treatment rather than home treatment to suck out the thick pus.
Case 3. Dwarf hamster 2.5 years old, male with big chin tumour. "The hamster is at the end of life. He is so thin although he can eat. The chin tumour 8 mm x 8 mm involved the lower lip. So, it is not possible for the hamster to eat normally after excision of such a large area. No surgery was done.
Case 4. However Case 3 has a daughter of one year. On her right side, the skin ballooned out softly. "It is one sided," I said and so it may be a cyst.
The owner was warned of high anaesthetic risk as the hamster was very thin but young. "She is not fit for anaesthesia," I said. However the wife decided on surgery. The hamster bit anyone who touched her and was not moving much although she ate. "She looked fat," the wife said. In the op room, the whole swelling ruptured spilling over 20 ml of unclotted blood. A haematoma. The hamster was barely breathing one hour later. "Chances of survival are very slim," I warned the father and wife and 2 young daughters. . "There is a big loss of blood. Where it came from, is a mystery. Probably some ruptured big blood vessel." The hamster was not active and the breathing movements were barely visible when the owner brought her home. Usually the hamster is awake and running 30 minutes after anaesthesia and surgery.
Saturday, October 26, 2013
5680. Vet Case Study. The 13-year-old Bichon Frise has difficulty in urination
SCRIPT FOR VIDEO
1. Timeline
2006
AUSTRALIA Perth
A bichon frise puppy was purchased by a young vet student studying in Murdoch University
5 years of stay in Perth. Dry food convenient.
2010
SINGAPORE. Back. Now the young vet student has graduated.
Dry dog food. Lots of treats from family members. Go outdoors in the evening and mornings. urine marking.
2013 October. 22. Cannot pee. Obstructed
Oct 25, 2013 video
Bichon frise, male, neutered, 7 years
difficulty in peeing
obstruction of urethra - vet catherised and bandaged to hold cathether. E-collar to prevent the dog from pulling the catheter out.
Urinalysis: pH alkaline + bacteria + triple phosphate crystals
X-rays
Lateral view shows two urinary stones. Kidneys OK.
Ventral dorsal view - no stones visible
Syringed 20 ml air into bladder via catheter.
Different vets have their own views for and against this procedure. Pumping air may cause bacterial infection of the bladder and so two vets I spoke to don't want to do it.
My view is that air contrast radiography is useful to show bladder wall tumours as this is an older dog. Urine of this dog has bacteria. Antibiotic is given
TREATMENT
Therapeutic food to dissolve the struvite stone by acidification of the urine. Hills' S/D dry food was fed for the next few years. No complaint of urinary difficulty to old age.
CONCLUSION
Any breed of dog can be affected. This Bichon Frise lived to a ripe old age past 12 - 15 years life-span. He passed away in his sleep in 2023 at the age of 17 years.
---------------------
20 MAR 2024.
PHOTOGRAPHY TIP: I used P Mode in 2010 to take this image.
Now I don't use it, but was advised to use P Mode in my younger days
as I was not used to doing Manual Mode, AV or TV Modes.
AP
Mode is often advised by photographers in magazine articles. TV Mode
is used for moving animals. Manual speed is favoured by some
photographers. No magazine recommends P Mode. I am no longer using it
nowadays.
Image of Gatsby, the 4-year-old male Bichon Frise,
Perth, Australia. 2 Apr 2010. 5.26pm. He is active and playful during
his evening exercise in a Perth park. He came to stay in Singapore
from 2010 to his passing away in 2023.
His diet was
Hills' S/D in his later years as he had one or two phosphate stones
leading to difficulty in urination. On this therapeutic diet, his
stones were dissolved as he had normal urination and was not obese
since the first episode of dysuria in 2013 at the age of 7. He had
been on a dry diet since young.
The life span of a Bichon
Frise is 12-15 years. He lived 17 years, passing away in his sleep on
23 May 2023.
Canon EOS 40D, 70-300mm lens, P Mode, 214mm,
1/800sec, f/5.0, IS0 400.
AUSTRALIA - 2 APR 2010: 5.26pm. A
young male Bichon Frise enjoys his evening run in a Perth park
with his master. Exercising a pet dog boosts an owner's mental
and physical wellness.
#youngbichonfrise
#perthaustralia
#bichonfrise
#exercisingdog
#singapore
#toapayohvets
#kongyuensing
#singkongyuen
#shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets
TO
BUY PHOTO:
www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets
UPDATE:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-vets-bichon-frise-has-difficulty-in.html
Good morning. Gatsby the Bichon Frise as a 4-year-old enjoying his evening exercise in a Perth park in Australia with my son. My wife and I were visiting him in his final year undergraduate vet studies and we were joyful that he did not stray off his studies. My photography skills were minimal as I used the P mode to take all photos, as that was recommended by a friend. P mode is like Automatic mode. Just shoot and hope for the best.
Gatsby lived to a ripe old age of 17. The life span of Bichon Frise is 12 - 15 years. He passed away in his sleep on 23 May 2023.
ORIGINAL IMAGES X3 BELOW
1127. My Jack Russell has a "fistula" - oro-chin fistulas?
Friday Oct 25, 2013
As there was no need for 2 vets on this Friday evening, I asked Dr Daniel to brief his client about the treatment and medication and to go home early at around 7.15 pm. We close at 8 pm. One of his clients came in a white Mercedes at around 7.45 pm to pick up his Jack Russell that had dental scaling.
I thought it was an ordinary case of dental scaling. He pointed to an open wound of around 8 mm x68 mm on the right lower jaw below the right lower premolar tooth.
"I was so happy when I saw similar cases of fistulas in your website," he pointed to this sore. "Now I know that my Jack Russell has a fistula".
"Why do you say that?" I doubted he knows what a fistula is but many Singapore dog owners are much more knowledgeable and informed nowadays.
"This wound has pus. It takes a long time to heal. It disappears and then appears. I have 6 Jack Russells and only this one has the problem. Sometimes the wound appears on the left side and also in the back side."
"Are you sure it is not due to a dog bite or self-inflicted scratching from the paws?"
"No, I am sure of that. My two female Jack Russells do fight with each other. Over him, I suppose."
"Do you have a video camera switched on 24 hours to monitor them since you are frequently overseas on business?"
"I am sure the sore is a fistula, as in your cases. I have consulted two other vets in the past 4 years but the sores below the side come back now and then. Now, it is the right side. It is a fistula!"
"What did the other vets recommend?" I asked.
"They said nothing is wrong and prescribe some mouth wash. But it is a fistula!"
I was skeptical.
But vet medicine is full of surprises. An oro-chin fistula is possible in theory.
"I have not seen fisulas on the lower jaw," I replied. "Almost 100% are from the upper jaw below the eye! They are oro-nasal fistulas. But it is possible."
I asked if the dog bites and since he appeared docile, I opened the mouth to examine the white teeth scaled by Dr Daniel in the afternoon. The teeth were sound in this 6-year-old dog. Except for 4 canine teeth which had decayed brown as their sharp tips had been cut off by somebody to prevent this Jack Russell from inflicting deep bite wounds on family members. This was done some 5 years ago.
Decay had set inside the four canine teeth. The lower right had a cracked side of 3 mm x 2 mm brown exposed dentine.
It is just possible that the infection had gone inside the pulp cavity of the lower canines and into the side of the gums. I asked my assistant Naing to flash his phone light onto the right lower gum. There was a small hole with blood. This hole was 3 mm x 2 mm and was bleeding.
"Check the other left lower gum as well," I said to Naing. "This is for comparison."
There was also a much smaller hole also below the first lower premolar. So, it is possible that infection had gone into the roots and seeped out through the gums laterally.
The owner would return 10 days later and get X-rays done. He was a busy man in his 50s but he loves the dog very much and is confidently sure he has a fistula! An oro-chin fistula due to decay in the fractured canine. Their pulp cavity in the long root became infected and the bacterial infection seeped downwards to the tip of the roots over the last 4 years. The infection leaked out from the long root and into the skin causing open sores with pus.
It is a hypothesis. The treatment is to extract the whole planed canine teeth of the left and right and there should be no oro-chin fistulas. Does it sound logical to readers? .
As there was no need for 2 vets on this Friday evening, I asked Dr Daniel to brief his client about the treatment and medication and to go home early at around 7.15 pm. We close at 8 pm. One of his clients came in a white Mercedes at around 7.45 pm to pick up his Jack Russell that had dental scaling.
I thought it was an ordinary case of dental scaling. He pointed to an open wound of around 8 mm x68 mm on the right lower jaw below the right lower premolar tooth.
"I was so happy when I saw similar cases of fistulas in your website," he pointed to this sore. "Now I know that my Jack Russell has a fistula".
"Why do you say that?" I doubted he knows what a fistula is but many Singapore dog owners are much more knowledgeable and informed nowadays.
"This wound has pus. It takes a long time to heal. It disappears and then appears. I have 6 Jack Russells and only this one has the problem. Sometimes the wound appears on the left side and also in the back side."
"Are you sure it is not due to a dog bite or self-inflicted scratching from the paws?"
"No, I am sure of that. My two female Jack Russells do fight with each other. Over him, I suppose."
"Do you have a video camera switched on 24 hours to monitor them since you are frequently overseas on business?"
"I am sure the sore is a fistula, as in your cases. I have consulted two other vets in the past 4 years but the sores below the side come back now and then. Now, it is the right side. It is a fistula!"
"What did the other vets recommend?" I asked.
"They said nothing is wrong and prescribe some mouth wash. But it is a fistula!"
I was skeptical.
But vet medicine is full of surprises. An oro-chin fistula is possible in theory.
"I have not seen fisulas on the lower jaw," I replied. "Almost 100% are from the upper jaw below the eye! They are oro-nasal fistulas. But it is possible."
I asked if the dog bites and since he appeared docile, I opened the mouth to examine the white teeth scaled by Dr Daniel in the afternoon. The teeth were sound in this 6-year-old dog. Except for 4 canine teeth which had decayed brown as their sharp tips had been cut off by somebody to prevent this Jack Russell from inflicting deep bite wounds on family members. This was done some 5 years ago.
Decay had set inside the four canine teeth. The lower right had a cracked side of 3 mm x 2 mm brown exposed dentine.
It is just possible that the infection had gone inside the pulp cavity of the lower canines and into the side of the gums. I asked my assistant Naing to flash his phone light onto the right lower gum. There was a small hole with blood. This hole was 3 mm x 2 mm and was bleeding.
"Check the other left lower gum as well," I said to Naing. "This is for comparison."
There was also a much smaller hole also below the first lower premolar. So, it is possible that infection had gone into the roots and seeped out through the gums laterally.
The owner would return 10 days later and get X-rays done. He was a busy man in his 50s but he loves the dog very much and is confidently sure he has a fistula! An oro-chin fistula due to decay in the fractured canine. Their pulp cavity in the long root became infected and the bacterial infection seeped downwards to the tip of the roots over the last 4 years. The infection leaked out from the long root and into the skin causing open sores with pus.
It is a hypothesis. The treatment is to extract the whole planed canine teeth of the left and right and there should be no oro-chin fistulas. Does it sound logical to readers? .
1126. Protected by "Ah Pek"
On my return to Singapore on Oct 24, 2013, after a tiring 14-day packaged tour to visit the Niagara Falls and New York, my first client was the man who believes in "Ah Pek". He parked his shiny blue car and came in to buy the 2nd bag of H/D dry food for his 10-year-old Chihuahua with heart disease.
"How's the old dog?" I asked.
"Much more active and energetic," he had given the furosemide tablets regularly nowadays.
He had just returned from Thailand and had donated some money for 30 coffins for the poor. I introduced him to Dr Daniel to open his mind. I asked him to relate his personal stories of "Ah Pek", such stories being unbelievable as compared to hard science, facts and empirical evidence of training of Dr Daniel. I had written some of his encounters in an earlier report.
He was an excellent story teller using hands to illustrate and Hokkien slangs to emphasize his experiences and spoke for over 15 minutes. I doubt Dr Daniel believed in his testimonials of being protected by "Ah Pek" and so I switched his focus to talking about Porsches, Maseratis, Lamborghinis, Ferraris and BMWs, a subject of interest to young men particularly. This was his niche as he was into advising rich car owners who want to buy those sports cars, boost them, modify them and race them in Johor. He was a sports car consultant as he had in-depth knowledge and was owning one Japanese brand modified to give off those "voom" sounds from the exhaust pipe and attracting LTA and Traffic Police cops on bikes.
THE GREEN PAPER GIVES PROTECTION
There were 2 instances when the green paper given by his medium protected him. He would have to burn the paper, mix the ashes with water and drink it.
1. After a severe bike accident in Bugis in which his forehead hit the road, his doctor had told him that his head needed to be opened up to access and repair his fractured facial bones below both his eyes. He asked his friend to consult the medium and was given the green paper with its chops and was asked to drink the ashes.
"Bro," he said to Dr Daniel. "In the early hours of the morning on the day of the surgery, I was asleep in the hospital. I heard loud foot-steps outside my room, as if there was dragging of chains. I closed my eyes tightly and prayed that my brain would not be opened up for the surgery. After the surgery, the doctor told me that I did not need my forehead to be cut open and my facial fractures were repaired!"
Since he was normal now, I don't know whether Dr Daniel was skeptical or believed in him.
"Bro," he said to Dr Daniel. "My chest was injured and I was coughing blood often. After drinking the green paper ashes, there was no more blood. Just unbelievable." We did not comment. It is hard for Singapore mediums to validate and have great credentials as there is no research done unlike some counterparts in the Western world as in an example of Debra Martin at www.goldenmiracles.com.
2. The other instance where the green paper ashes protected him was when he passed the driving test despite hitting the kerb. In Singapore, hitting the kerb means instant failure."
"Why?" I asked as I took my driving lessons and tests in the UK.
"f you hit the kerb, that eans you can kill people too!"
"Bro," he said to Dr Daniel. "The medium had told me that I would pass the test and now I hit the kerb. The instructor stopped the car and had some discussions with someone. Get on with it and tell me I have failed instead! I want to rush out to book another test. The instructor returned and said I should continue driving and passed me."
I doubted Dr Daniel believe his "Ah Pek" story although he did not say anything. Communication with the spirit world is extremely hard for many to believe. He seemed quite consistent in his recounting of his accident experiences with "Ah Pek" I had written some time ago.
The one instant he narrated about "Ah Pek" protecting him from being caught for speeding at Mandai Road was incredible.
"Bro," he said to Dr Daniel.
"Do you know the stretch of Mandai Road where it goes uphill? When your car speeds and goes downhill, the traffic cops would point their speed meter and book you as you can't see them!"
"How does Ah Pek help?" I asked.
"My heart became hotter and hotter and so I slowed down. The cops were downhill!"
My report does not do justification for his narration, his tones, gestures and use of Hokkien slangs to emphasize the points. His stories of survival from accidents are just incredible, as if there is a guardian angel healing him fast. Many of such incidents have no scientific explanations.
"How's the old dog?" I asked.
"Much more active and energetic," he had given the furosemide tablets regularly nowadays.
He had just returned from Thailand and had donated some money for 30 coffins for the poor. I introduced him to Dr Daniel to open his mind. I asked him to relate his personal stories of "Ah Pek", such stories being unbelievable as compared to hard science, facts and empirical evidence of training of Dr Daniel. I had written some of his encounters in an earlier report.
He was an excellent story teller using hands to illustrate and Hokkien slangs to emphasize his experiences and spoke for over 15 minutes. I doubt Dr Daniel believed in his testimonials of being protected by "Ah Pek" and so I switched his focus to talking about Porsches, Maseratis, Lamborghinis, Ferraris and BMWs, a subject of interest to young men particularly. This was his niche as he was into advising rich car owners who want to buy those sports cars, boost them, modify them and race them in Johor. He was a sports car consultant as he had in-depth knowledge and was owning one Japanese brand modified to give off those "voom" sounds from the exhaust pipe and attracting LTA and Traffic Police cops on bikes.
THE GREEN PAPER GIVES PROTECTION
There were 2 instances when the green paper given by his medium protected him. He would have to burn the paper, mix the ashes with water and drink it.
1. After a severe bike accident in Bugis in which his forehead hit the road, his doctor had told him that his head needed to be opened up to access and repair his fractured facial bones below both his eyes. He asked his friend to consult the medium and was given the green paper with its chops and was asked to drink the ashes.
"Bro," he said to Dr Daniel. "In the early hours of the morning on the day of the surgery, I was asleep in the hospital. I heard loud foot-steps outside my room, as if there was dragging of chains. I closed my eyes tightly and prayed that my brain would not be opened up for the surgery. After the surgery, the doctor told me that I did not need my forehead to be cut open and my facial fractures were repaired!"
Since he was normal now, I don't know whether Dr Daniel was skeptical or believed in him.
"Bro," he said to Dr Daniel. "My chest was injured and I was coughing blood often. After drinking the green paper ashes, there was no more blood. Just unbelievable." We did not comment. It is hard for Singapore mediums to validate and have great credentials as there is no research done unlike some counterparts in the Western world as in an example of Debra Martin at www.goldenmiracles.com.
2. The other instance where the green paper ashes protected him was when he passed the driving test despite hitting the kerb. In Singapore, hitting the kerb means instant failure."
"Why?" I asked as I took my driving lessons and tests in the UK.
"f you hit the kerb, that eans you can kill people too!"
"Bro," he said to Dr Daniel. "The medium had told me that I would pass the test and now I hit the kerb. The instructor stopped the car and had some discussions with someone. Get on with it and tell me I have failed instead! I want to rush out to book another test. The instructor returned and said I should continue driving and passed me."
I doubted Dr Daniel believe his "Ah Pek" story although he did not say anything. Communication with the spirit world is extremely hard for many to believe. He seemed quite consistent in his recounting of his accident experiences with "Ah Pek" I had written some time ago.
The one instant he narrated about "Ah Pek" protecting him from being caught for speeding at Mandai Road was incredible.
"Bro," he said to Dr Daniel.
"Do you know the stretch of Mandai Road where it goes uphill? When your car speeds and goes downhill, the traffic cops would point their speed meter and book you as you can't see them!"
"How does Ah Pek help?" I asked.
"My heart became hotter and hotter and so I slowed down. The cops were downhill!"
My report does not do justification for his narration, his tones, gestures and use of Hokkien slangs to emphasize the points. His stories of survival from accidents are just incredible, as if there is a guardian angel healing him fast. Many of such incidents have no scientific explanations.
1125. Listing of vet clinics on the SVA webpage
Oct 26, 2013
I am Dr Sing Kong Yuen from Toa Payoh Vets.If it is not too late, please bring up the subject of "Veterinary clinic" listings in the SVA webpage under AOB at the AGM tomorrow.
1124. Blood transfusion in dogs
EMAIL DATED OCT 26, 2013
Dear ToaPoyahVets,
Dear ToaPoyahVets,
My dog has contracted Babesiosis
and her HCT is only 15%. The vets that I went to recommended to perform a
blood transfusion for her. (I went to 2 different clinics to confirm
her illness.) However, she is blood type of DEA 1.1 negative, which I
had difficulty finding. Most donors are positive. Vet 1 said there would
be any severe problems for first timers if both are of different blood
type. Vet 2 advised me not to as negative and positive will cause more
problems. I would like to seek your opinion regarding this matter. I
would greatly appreciate any feedback you have.
Thank you and sorry for any inconvenience caused.
----------------------------
EMAIL REPLY FROM DR SING DATED OCT 26, 2013
Hi
I am Dr Sing Kong Yuen from Toa Payoh Vets. I apologise
for not being able to give you advices as I don't perform blood
transfusion in dogs. Monday, October 21, 2013
DoubleTree Hilton Somerset New Jersey
Rm 376
The coach took around 2 hours to go to New York's downtown as the hotel was in New Jersey.
---------------------------------------
Last of 3rd day to visit New York was Oct 23, 2013
Visited Times Square and had a good lunch there at Bubba Gum. Good service Walking tour to see the financial district including Wall Street & Stock Exchanges and the new World Trade Centre building. No time to visit Barnes & Noble on 18th at 5th Avenue (text books) but saw another one and bought a You Tube How to book.
Back to Singapore on Oct 24, 2013 at 6.57 am and back to work.
Tiring journey. I wasted one whole morning and afternoon at the Factory Outlet but the ladies were all for it. I should have visited the Barnes & Noble bookshops in 5th Ave and the Public Library. None of the 35 tourists from Singapore would be interested.
Rm 376
The coach took around 2 hours to go to New York's downtown as the hotel was in New Jersey.
---------------------------------------
Last of 3rd day to visit New York was Oct 23, 2013
Visited Times Square and had a good lunch there at Bubba Gum. Good service Walking tour to see the financial district including Wall Street & Stock Exchanges and the new World Trade Centre building. No time to visit Barnes & Noble on 18th at 5th Avenue (text books) but saw another one and bought a You Tube How to book.
Back to Singapore on Oct 24, 2013 at 6.57 am and back to work.
Tiring journey. I wasted one whole morning and afternoon at the Factory Outlet but the ladies were all for it. I should have visited the Barnes & Noble bookshops in 5th Ave and the Public Library. None of the 35 tourists from Singapore would be interested.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)