"My friend's Japanese Spitz has a tail wound," the man with the two ear rings said. "He bites my friend and so I dare not muzzle him."
This Spitz is 10 kg and well groomed. My assistant and I tried to muzzle him but he would turn his head away. He did not growl or show any warning signs of going to bite. For safety of the handlers and staff, I gave him an IM injection of Domitor and Ketamine at 0.2 ml and 0.25 ml. It was effective.
My assistant clipped the right side of the tail which looked bruised from self-inflicted bite wounds. "This is usually due to anal sac disease," I said. "The anal sacs get blocked with lots of anal sac oil and this is itchy to the dog. The dog bites the tail area, runs round in circles, chase the tail or scooter the backside on the floor."
"I don't see any of this," the man with the ear rings said.
"How often you spend time with the Spitz?" I asked as he was working.
"I will ask my friend."
My assistant expressed the anal sacs and several thick plugs of brown oil shot past him onto the wall. So, there was anal sac impaction.
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
2459. A cat lost 4 days, will not eat - traumatic peritonitis?
A 3-year-old male neutered cat disappeared for 4 days. He came home not eating and weak.
Cloudy abdominal fluid could be blood. The cat was severely dehydrated but is now eating 2 days after the IV drips. The first vet examined him to be severely dehydrated and the bladder was tense on palpation. His blood test showed high serum urea. The cat had fever of 40C. The cat was warded 3 days and given antibiotic injection but the vet was not able to ascertain the cause of the high fever.
The owner took the cat to Toa Payoh Vets. I asked permission for an abdominal X-ray. Surprisingly, it showed radio-dense peritoneum ("X "on X-ray images). A haemo-peritoneum where there are blood clots blanketing the intestines such that they could not be visible as in normal cases. This bleeding could be due to the cat falling down from a high rise or thrown or kicked in the stomach area?
Sometimes an X-ray is deemed not necessary since the cat is not lame. After 2 days of IV drip, the cat eats the canned food provided by the owner. He is still defensive but not wildly ferocious.
Monday, June 8, 2015
2458. The rat has stitch breakdown on Day 5
Jun 8, 2015
The young lady brought her rat for check up as she is worried about the big wound.
"It is very hard to put an e-collar on the rat as well as the hamster," I said. "They will try to pull it out and get stressed."
The rat weighed 306 grams on 6 days after mastectomy but weighed 385 grams with the tumour of 78 grams before mastectomy. Pre-op weight of 385 - 78 was 307 grams. So, it was good news as the rat was back to normal. Otherwise she would lose weight.
The career lady showed me a video of a swelling where the stitches had been one day ago. It would be a haematoma. Some pink plasma seeped out. Now it is a gap as the two stitches had been bitten off.
Over 20 pieces of big round stools were in the carrier indicating that the rat was normal as she would not eat if she was infected. This was good news.
What are my advices?
1. There was no need to re-stitch as the rat may bite the stitches off. The rat may die under anaesthesia as she is older being 2.5 years old. A rat is said to live around 3-5 years.
2. An Elizabeth collar is not acceptable to the rat. She will be stressed getting it off. In any case, the wound will heal by granulation.
3. Get a bigger plaster dressing to cover the wound instead of two smaller ones.
4. Clean the wound twice a day with chlorhexidine but rinse off the wash with clean warm water and dry the wound.
5. Antibiotics oral - baytril and painkiller meloxicam for 2 days. Wait 4 days and repeat if needed.
TIME LINE
Day 1 Jun 2, 2015 mastectomy
FOLLOW UP BY SMS
Jun 3, 2015 6.30 pm
Dr Sing: Is you pet rat ok after op?
6.34pm
Owner: Yes, she is okay now. Started eating since this early morning and now running places.
7.54pm
Dr Sing: Thanks.
Jun 4, 2015 7.44am
Dr Sing: Give medicine for the next 4 days
8.17am
Owner: Thanks Dr. Will continue to give her medicine for another 2 days. The wound is quite dry. But she does chew a bit of the stitches off
8.21am
Dr Sing: Need to make an elizabeth collar with thin cardboard paper to wear around the neck for 7 days at least. No running around. E-collar similar to what dogs wear. Do it before you go to work.
8.22am
Owner: Will keep her in the tank and won't let her out.
8.22am
Dr Sing: Or bring her to office.
8.22am
Owner: Oh yah I saw that in the internet. Will make her one.
8.22 am
Dr Sing: Or tape wound with human dressing for wound protection. Urgent to do it before you go out.
8.23am
That's what we did yesterday with a plaster but it came off this morning.
8.24 am
Dr Sing: Need to keep replacing it for 10 days. Pl email video of stitched area. 99pups@gmail.com
8.46am
Owner: Sure I will.
Sat Jun 6, 2015 5.22 pm
Dr Sing: How is the patient?
Sunday Jun 7, 2015 10.57 am
O: Hi. Pixie has a lump just to the left of the incision. She eats and drinks okay and still very active. Am wondering if it's water retention or internal bleeding. Will send you the video of it via email now.
11.38 am
Dr Sing: Some bleeding in the area.
11.39am
O: There was some pink trace of blood but the wound looks dry and neat.
12.17pm
Dr Sing: The rat should be Ok.
11.09pm
O: Hi, she pulled off the stitches. There's an open wound now. But not bleeding though. Will bring her in the morning
------------------------------------
Monday Jun 8, 2015. Inspection of the rat at Toa Payoh Vets
The fancy rat had an open wound as two stitches were taken out by the rat. Not serious. Advised bigger plaster and cleaning wound daily. No need to re-stitch. The wound will heal by granulation.
UPDATE Sunday Jun 14, 2015 6.18 am
As I write this report, no news from the owner is good news.
The young lady brought her rat for check up as she is worried about the big wound.
"It is very hard to put an e-collar on the rat as well as the hamster," I said. "They will try to pull it out and get stressed."
The rat weighed 306 grams on 6 days after mastectomy but weighed 385 grams with the tumour of 78 grams before mastectomy. Pre-op weight of 385 - 78 was 307 grams. So, it was good news as the rat was back to normal. Otherwise she would lose weight.
The career lady showed me a video of a swelling where the stitches had been one day ago. It would be a haematoma. Some pink plasma seeped out. Now it is a gap as the two stitches had been bitten off.
Over 20 pieces of big round stools were in the carrier indicating that the rat was normal as she would not eat if she was infected. This was good news.
What are my advices?
1. There was no need to re-stitch as the rat may bite the stitches off. The rat may die under anaesthesia as she is older being 2.5 years old. A rat is said to live around 3-5 years.
2. An Elizabeth collar is not acceptable to the rat. She will be stressed getting it off. In any case, the wound will heal by granulation.
3. Get a bigger plaster dressing to cover the wound instead of two smaller ones.
4. Clean the wound twice a day with chlorhexidine but rinse off the wash with clean warm water and dry the wound.
5. Antibiotics oral - baytril and painkiller meloxicam for 2 days. Wait 4 days and repeat if needed.
TIME LINE
Day 1 Jun 2, 2015 mastectomy
FOLLOW UP BY SMS
Jun 3, 2015 6.30 pm
Dr Sing: Is you pet rat ok after op?
6.34pm
Owner: Yes, she is okay now. Started eating since this early morning and now running places.
7.54pm
Dr Sing: Thanks.
Jun 4, 2015 7.44am
Dr Sing: Give medicine for the next 4 days
8.17am
Owner: Thanks Dr. Will continue to give her medicine for another 2 days. The wound is quite dry. But she does chew a bit of the stitches off
8.21am
Dr Sing: Need to make an elizabeth collar with thin cardboard paper to wear around the neck for 7 days at least. No running around. E-collar similar to what dogs wear. Do it before you go to work.
8.22am
Owner: Will keep her in the tank and won't let her out.
8.22am
Dr Sing: Or bring her to office.
8.22am
Owner: Oh yah I saw that in the internet. Will make her one.
8.22 am
Dr Sing: Or tape wound with human dressing for wound protection. Urgent to do it before you go out.
8.23am
That's what we did yesterday with a plaster but it came off this morning.
8.24 am
Dr Sing: Need to keep replacing it for 10 days. Pl email video of stitched area. 99pups@gmail.com
8.46am
Owner: Sure I will.
Sat Jun 6, 2015 5.22 pm
Dr Sing: How is the patient?
Sunday Jun 7, 2015 10.57 am
O: Hi. Pixie has a lump just to the left of the incision. She eats and drinks okay and still very active. Am wondering if it's water retention or internal bleeding. Will send you the video of it via email now.
11.38 am
Dr Sing: Some bleeding in the area.
11.39am
O: There was some pink trace of blood but the wound looks dry and neat.
12.17pm
Dr Sing: The rat should be Ok.
11.09pm
O: Hi, she pulled off the stitches. There's an open wound now. But not bleeding though. Will bring her in the morning
------------------------------------
Monday Jun 8, 2015. Inspection of the rat at Toa Payoh Vets
The fancy rat had an open wound as two stitches were taken out by the rat. Not serious. Advised bigger plaster and cleaning wound daily. No need to re-stitch. The wound will heal by granulation.
UPDATE Sunday Jun 14, 2015 6.18 am
As I write this report, no news from the owner is good news.
2457. Two 8-year-old terrapins fought when transferred to bigger tank
Sunday, Jun 7, 2015
One of the 2 terrapins, 8 years old, was lethargic at home and was breathing fast. When he came to the clinic, he was most active while the other was quiet and had closed eyes. So what was wrong?
Both was housed separated by a barrier in a bigger tank as they bit each other when recently transferred to a bigger tank. "They are male terrapins and want their own territory," I said. "They pooped a lot and the water in a small tank needs to be changed at least once in 2 days. They need a bigger drying area to dry instead of being submerged 90% in water."
The filter was clogged and so was not functioning. The best is to change water daily as the tank is not very big, around 6 feet x 6 feet. A variety of diet, rather than just pellets from one brand from Taiwan had been fed for the past 8 years. "They don't eat vegetables," the mum said.
I advised smearing the pellets with medicine, put them into a small amount of water and let them eat 25% first. Same with dried shrimps and meat. It will be difficult for the boy to open the terrapin's mouth to feed medicine as he was not even able to pull the tail to examine the terrapin. Both terrapins curled their tails inside the shell strongly. They were kept together in the blue basin and must have had been biting each other's tail although the mother said "they never bite" when house in the smaller blue basin. Normally, terrapins don't curl their tails tightly.
One of the 2 terrapins, 8 years old, was lethargic at home and was breathing fast. When he came to the clinic, he was most active while the other was quiet and had closed eyes. So what was wrong?
Both was housed separated by a barrier in a bigger tank as they bit each other when recently transferred to a bigger tank. "They are male terrapins and want their own territory," I said. "They pooped a lot and the water in a small tank needs to be changed at least once in 2 days. They need a bigger drying area to dry instead of being submerged 90% in water."
The filter was clogged and so was not functioning. The best is to change water daily as the tank is not very big, around 6 feet x 6 feet. A variety of diet, rather than just pellets from one brand from Taiwan had been fed for the past 8 years. "They don't eat vegetables," the mum said.
I advised smearing the pellets with medicine, put them into a small amount of water and let them eat 25% first. Same with dried shrimps and meat. It will be difficult for the boy to open the terrapin's mouth to feed medicine as he was not even able to pull the tail to examine the terrapin. Both terrapins curled their tails inside the shell strongly. They were kept together in the blue basin and must have had been biting each other's tail although the mother said "they never bite" when house in the smaller blue basin. Normally, terrapins don't curl their tails tightly.
Sunday, June 7, 2015
2456. Sunday Jun 7, 2015 - A cat with a painful enlarged right submandibular lymph node
A bright blue sky white cloud Sunday. Pregger, an old cat with a few teeth left, was brought in for anorexia 2 days. She was not drinking.
A very painful enlarged right submandibular lymph nodes and throat. Anorexia 2 days. Not drinking. What is the cause?
X rays show some opacity in the right tympanic bulla. Is there a tumour?
Anaesthesia no ulcers or decayed teeth
http://www.kongyuensing.com/laws/TP41051WWPreggar_VD_painful_throat_Jun705.jpg
A very painful enlarged right submandibular lymph nodes and throat. Anorexia 2 days. Not drinking. What is the cause?
X rays show some opacity in the right tympanic bulla. Is there a tumour?
Anaesthesia no ulcers or decayed teeth
http://www.kongyuensing.com/laws/TP41051WWPreggar_VD_painful_throat_Jun705.jpg
2189. An old cat is anorexic and has weakened purring
UPDATE
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2188. Bad breath and gum tumour in an 8-year-old Schnauzer
Sunday Jun 7, 2015
Miniature Schnauzer, Male, entire, 8 years
The consultation room stank of bad breath from this dog that had "dental scaling" 3 times by the dog groomer. Yet the bad breath did not go away. The owner came because the dog kept licking his front paws and the bad odour permeated into the hairs of the paws. The dog drooled and vomited yellow stuff sometimes, esp. after eating.
"This dog has a fever," I checked the rectal temperature as 40.1C. "Has he lost appetite?"
"He has not been eating and drinking for the past 2 weeks."
"What is the cause of the fever?" the man asked.
"Bacterial infection."
An IV drip with medication will be given today. Blood test. Then, tomorrow, anaesthesia and dental work. Many exposed teeth and loose ones. The gums were reddish instead of pinkish.
Always get a yearly vet check up and do dental brushing if you want your dog to keep his teeth to old age. Poor oral hygiene can also cause gum tumours to develop as in this case of a round gum tumour on the right upper jaw behind the right upper canine tooth.
Miniature Schnauzer, Male, entire, 8 years
The consultation room stank of bad breath from this dog that had "dental scaling" 3 times by the dog groomer. Yet the bad breath did not go away. The owner came because the dog kept licking his front paws and the bad odour permeated into the hairs of the paws. The dog drooled and vomited yellow stuff sometimes, esp. after eating.
"This dog has a fever," I checked the rectal temperature as 40.1C. "Has he lost appetite?"
"He has not been eating and drinking for the past 2 weeks."
"What is the cause of the fever?" the man asked.
"Bacterial infection."
An IV drip with medication will be given today. Blood test. Then, tomorrow, anaesthesia and dental work. Many exposed teeth and loose ones. The gums were reddish instead of pinkish.
Always get a yearly vet check up and do dental brushing if you want your dog to keep his teeth to old age. Poor oral hygiene can also cause gum tumours to develop as in this case of a round gum tumour on the right upper jaw behind the right upper canine tooth.
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