3459. A pair of kingfishers appeared together today. A rare sight. Fri Mar 8, 2019

Fri Mar 8, 2019

I decided to buy fruits from Fatty and left at 6.30am. He sold 28 Korean pears in a box for S$50.
Some 6 large sweet apples at $15

So I went to the 2nd exercise earlier at 7.45am today. Surprise appearance of 2 kingfishers on the tree. One appear to be mounting the other as I video this rare appearance of a pair. . The flightly one disappears.

Yesterday, a pair of pink-necked green pigeons were on a branch for several minutes (video) and today, a rare appearance of a pair of kingfishers for a minute or two. No more occasions.

3358. Kingfisher arrived late after the black-naped Oriole, Sat Mar 9, 2019

Sat Mar 9, 2019

Kingfisher arrived late after the black-naped Oriole, Sat Mar 9, 2019

As I reached the 2nd exercise area, the two trees were bare of birds. No kingfisher this time at around 8.15 am. "Can't expect the kingfisher to come every morning," I lamented as he had diligently been present for at least a week or so.

After a few minutes, a black-naped Oriole landed on the bare tree to my left. I took photos. Suddenly, the kingfisher rushed in and landed. I was able to capture him on the first video (below)! As if he was late for a very important appointment.

I continued photographing the Oriole. The kingfisher flew off to the tree on my right but I could not film him as I could not see him. He was there as I could hear his "ki-ki-ki" calls. (2nd video has no kingfisher).

3rd video showed the pair of pink-necked green pigeons again on the same tree as 2 days ago. The kingfisher remained perched and hidden to the upper right of the 2nd tree! He was there calling for some one and was still there when I left at 9 am.

3457. A 14-year-old Miniature Schnauzer has a swollen throat

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ANOTHER CASE OF SWOLLEN THROAT

It is very important that old dogs get their dental work done and all rotten smelly loose teeth extracted. In this dog, in March 2014, I was consulted about a big lump on the dorsal part of the tail end. "It is a sebaceious gland tumour," I said. Surgery removed the tumour and no more visit from the dog.

Today, the old dog came in gasping for breath and crying. Panting a lot. "The dog cannot stand for the past 2 days. Not eating. He has a large swelling under the chin, also diarrhoea," the mum said. The daughter was working and so she brought the dog down.

A soft firm swelling across the neck below the chin. Around 3 inches x 4 inches x 3 inches. I got an X-ray done as I suspected an abscess. Lanced and reddish-brown pus flowed out. Around 100 ml collected.

No anaesthesia is given as the dog's tongue turned deep purple when restrained for examination. The dog had great difficulty breathing. Rotten teeth spread bacteria into the heart valves.

BLOOD TEST ON ADMISSION ON AUG 19, 2016
Glucose 2.6  (3.9 - 6.0). Dog was not able to stand up.

Liver enzymes   ALT/SGPT    117  (less than 59)
                           AST/SGOT    133 ( less than 81)                   
Urea                   15.3 (4.2-6.3) but creatinine is within normal range. Kidneys are normal in this case.
Total white cell count  39.8  (6-17)
Neutrophils  90%  (60-70%), Absolute 35.8  (3-11.5%)
Lymphocytes 10%  Absolute 3.98
Monocytes, eosinophils and basophils are zero.
Platelets 431 (200-500)



CONCLUSION
What the owner wants is a dog alive. Therefore, the diagnosis must be correct and X-rays are needed to provide the evidence of neck abscess. Aspiration of the neck swelling confirms pus. Incision of 2 cm drains out most pus. The next day, syringing the abscess and removal of the gelatinous pus which is formed due to the medication of baytril and a low dose of dexamethasone.

As you can see the video, the dog is much comfortable on Day 2 after treatment and no longer pants in great pain.  The outcome is good and the dog will go home on Day 3, after another IV drip today.Teeth scaling and check up every year for a senior dog would have had prevented such a condition of neck abscess and great pain in the neck. Owners need to spare some time to bring dogs older than 5 years old for yearly dental check up and vaccination.  However, a majority do not do it.
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3456. A 13-year-old Maltipoo could not breathe as he had a swollen throat (gigantic submandibular swelling). What to do?

A gigantic submandibular abscess caused great breathing difficulty. This 13-year-old Maltipoo had pus in the right ear for many weeks.The bacteria inside this area finally penetrated into the right neck area, forming a very painful right submandibular abscess.

 

See lateral view of X-ray as evidence. The dog's abscess was lanced and drained under general anaesthesia. The dog is normal now. 

This is a case where ear canal infections can lead to right neck abscess. The owner had consulted a vet earlier for the ear infections but had not followed up when the infections had not gone away. The bacteria went into the neck via the eustachian tube and multipied, form a gigantic abscess.

BLOOD TEST on Dec 9, 2014 revealed septicaemia and bacterial infections of the blood cireculation.

Total white cell count 68.5 (6-17)

N 98%  (60-70%)       N absolute 67.13  (3-11.5)

L  1.6%    L Absolute 1.10
M 0.1%  Absolute 0.07
E  0.3%   Absolute 0.21
B  0%

Platelets  142  (200-500). 

Several abnormal lecuocytes seen. Occasional nucleated red blood cells seen. Large platelets present. 

HISTOLOGY report from 2 biopsy punches on side of submandibular swelling.

No malignancy

 

VIDEO OF CASE STUDY INCLUDING POST-OP

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A normal dog does not have a swollen throat. He can breathe normally and hence does not gasp for breath.

X-rays of the normal throat and neck of other dogs and cat. The normal throat and neck has no swellings.  Normal oropharynx (No. 4) is not swollen

3455. A couple of kingfishers appeared twice , Mar 8, 2019

As if posing for me to take video and then photo on the 2nd visit.

3454. A 19-year-old female red-eared slider started eating on Day 12 of inpatient treatment

A red-eared slider that has lost appetite over 2 months is a challenging medical case to treat. The outcome wanted is to get her to eat normally. After 12 days of syringe feeding and medication, I decided on trying cold Hill's Canine A/D diet with the pellets hidden inside. She gobbled the meat as seen in the video. She could flip upright in less than 60 seconds and was active walking on dry land. So it was an excellent outcome and she can go home.

Video at:
https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=C7s

3453. A couple of pink-necked green pigeons close together - Mar 7, 2019

March 7, 2019
Overcast sky

At 8.15am, I walked to the 2nd exercise area which is a 3-minute walk from the first.

I was thinking that I would see the usual pink-necked green pigeons separately and the white throated kingfisher would not be present. In the past few days, I thought I saw 3 pigeons with one male threatening another that perched on the same tree. But I had not seen the couple together on the tree for over 10 minutes as that happened today. Sometimes they fly off one after another.

Instead I was surprised to see the male and female pigeons as a couple, preening and relaxing high up on a tree, for over 10 minutes. When I left at 9 am, the couple and the kingfisher were on each tree.

This could be the 3rd solitary pink-neccked reen pigeon. A male.

The kingfisher perches like a statute on the tree, hopping up from one branch to another once. Then he flew off suddenly. I thought that was the end of his visit. Soon he returned and perched on the tree again (see video).