3303. A lethargic, eyelid closed and rapid breathing dwarf hamster is not eating

The owner said that several neighbourhood vets do not treat hamsters. One referred him to a clinic in Ang Mo Kio but it was closed. His daughter googled and the couple came to Toa Payoh Vets.

The dwarf hamster was in excellent bodily condition but was very lethargic and breathing fast. His eyelids were shut tight. These are signs of a very serious infection via the blood stream. What is the cause? I examined the lower body. There were dampness near the umbilical area when the area should be dry. There could be a wound which became infected with rapidly spreading bacteria. Hence the sudden anorexia and lethargy within 2 days.   

Lethargy, eyelid closed and rapid breathing are poor prognostic signs in the dwarf hamster's health as it indicated a systemic blood-borne infection. He passed away two hours later despite treatment.

Video at consultation:

3302. A dwarf hamster has a bald back half of the body

Apr 20, 2019

The hamster had been chewing wooden toys and stone daily till his front teeth are very short. "I provide the wooden toys so that he would not chew himself," the owner said. "His hairs had grown back but is now hairless again in his back area."

He passed larger than normal hamster stools. He is thin, weighing 32g although the average weight for a dwarf hamster is 40g - 45g.

It is difficult to know the exact cause of this hamster developing a balding half of the body.

His ear canals were checked and were free of dirt. Infected ears can lead to itchy back flank areas in the dog. Anal sacculitis can lead to tail biting and hair loss in the backside. Hormonal imbalance can cause similar alopecias. Flea allergic dermatitis cause hair loss on the back half of the cat.  But little is known about the causes of back alopecia in the pet dwarf hamster in Singapore. One cause seen in Toa Payoh Vets is the back biting wound infections by another hamster when they live together.
An anti-fungal wash and medication and anti-inflammatory medicine are prescribed for 10 days. All wooden toys which may irritate his skin or cause allergy from ingestion or contact should be removed.

It is not practical to make him wear Elizabeth collars as he will try to pull it off, but I have success with some dwarf hamsters.

 

3301. A 15-year-old Golden Retriever has a fast-growing tumour.

Apr 19, 2019

The owner decided to wait and see for the next 2 months. The subcutaneousskin tumour, 5 cm x 5 cm x 3 cm, on the right side of the abdomen grew fast by doubling its size in the 2 months. So the owner decided on surgery. "It looks like a cancerous tumour as the growth rate is rapid, doubling in size in one month!", I advised sending to the Asia Veterinary Diagnostics laboratory for histopahology.



RESULTS
Mast cell tumour, high grade (Ref 1), Patniak grade III (Ref 2, 3).
Neoplastic cells had extended to the lateral margin. (A 2-cm margin was made during excision).

Prognosis -  Grade III mast cell tumours with a high mitotic rate (>5/10hpf) and/or prominent anisokaryosis and/or giant cell formation (high grade) have a poor outcome and have a median suvival time of under 2 months. Enlarged lymph nodes should be examined to check for metastasis.

3300. Apr 18, 2019. Pink-necked green pigeons in Ex Area 1

Thur Apr 18, 2019
Bright sunshine day.
A pair of pink-necked green pigeons perched high up on the trees in the Ex Area 1, making it difficult to take photos. Or they do not perch long. No pigeons in Ex Area 2 today.

Wed Apr 17, 2019
Bright sunshine day.
Pink-necked green pigeons flew from tree to tree in Ex Area 1. Hard to photograph them.


Tue Apr 16, 2019
Video of the PNGB at the same tree I saw in Apr 2018 - one year ago.
I took a video as they were much higher up and hidden by the leaves.

DIFFERENCE BET ORANGE BREASTED GREEN PIGEON AND PINK-NECKED GREEN PIGEON.

2007.  This is the first sighting of the Orange-breasted Green Pigeon (Treron bincinctus)  in Singapore, a male bird. The bird looks like the Pink-necked Green Pigeon (Treron vernans) except that the forehead, face and throat are greenish yellow. Also, the mauve-pink upper breast area is smaller and does not extend to the neck. The outer feathers of the tail is blackish, with a broad pale grey subterminal band.


 https://www.besgroup.org/2008/01/12/orange-breasted-green-pigeon-sighted-in-jurong/

3299. Tooth resorption in a 10-year-old cat

https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/feline-dental-disease

Tooth Resorption

Within each of a cat’s teeth is a chamber (root canal) that contains tissue made up of blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, and nerves. This tissue, which communicates with the rest of the animal’s body, is surrounded by a bony substance called dentin, which accounts for the bulk of the tooth’s structure.

In a condition known as a tooth resorption – formerly referred to as feline odontoclastic resorptive lesion (FORL) or cervical line lesion — the dentin in a single tooth (or several simultaneously) erodes and eventually becomes irreparably destroyed. Over time, all areas of an affected tooth, from root to crown, may become involved.

Tooth resorption is a common condition, affecting an estimated 20 percent to 60 percent of all cats and close to three-quarters of those five years of age and older. 

The cause, says Jennifer Rawlinson, DVM, chief of the dentistry and oral surgery section at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, is unknown. “There are a few theories,” she says, “but no one is sure about what really stimulates this condition. Some researchers, for example, theorize that an excess of vitamin D in commercial cat food might be to blame, but other researchers don’t necessarily agree. So, for now, we don’t have an answer.”

In most cases, Dr. Rawlinson explains, there will be various levels of resorption in affected teeth, and the destruction can occur at varying speeds until it progresses to a point at which it must be clinically addressed. “A cat may lose just one tooth in its lifetime because of this problem,” she points out, “although it can have a little bit of resorption on other roots that may not require treatment.”

Regarding the clinical signs of tooth resorption, she says: “Loss of appetite might occur if the crown were to break off from a single tooth. In that case, the cat could be off its food for a significant amount of time — 24 to 72 hours, say. But in general, the condition has to get to an extreme level before the cat stops eating.

Instead, if there are several resorptive lesions in the oral cavity, one of the first signs would be that the cat starts swallowing its food without chewing it or that it suddenly develops a preference for soft food.” 

A cat may clearly indicate that it is experiencing excruciating pain when it bites down on an affected tooth or if the tooth is touched by a veterinarian’s probing fingers or examining tool. At the same time, chronic toothaches are not among the condition’s most salient clinical signs.

A more reliable indicator in this regard is a cat’s behavior while eating. Says Dr. Rawlinson: “The owner may notice that the animal’s appetite appears to be normal but that it tilts its head and tries to chew on just one side of its mouth. If it is eating kibble, it may try to swallow it without chewing, or the food may fall out of its mouth.”

The best way of confirming the suspected presence of the condition, she notes, is by means of a full-mouth intra-oral radiograph. “I recommend that a cat’s teeth be visually examined by a veterinarian annually,” she advises, “and that they be x-rayed if a resorptive lesion is suspected.”

If veterinary examination reveals the presence of tooth resorption, Dr. Rawlinson points out, the only effective treatment will entail extraction of any affected teeth.


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Periodontitis

Gingivitis untreated. Plaque and tartar caused inflammation and destruction of the gums, exposing the root surfaces of the tooth and causing loose teeth. 3 teeth were extracted - LUPM1, LUPM2 and RLPM2. The cat has 30 teeth.

Incisor 3x4 = 12
Canine 1 x4 = 4
Premolar 3 x2 = 6 for upper jaw
                2 x 2 = 4 for lower jaw
Molar 1 x 4 = 4

Owner towel brush the teeth sometimes twice a week

The cat is 7 years old.

In the past 2 years, the cat prefers the tuna fish rather than dry kibbles. Likes carrots, mashed potatoes, beef pieces (bak kwa).and milk.

 

Has excellent appetite.

No annual vet examination of teeth. 

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ORIGINAL FILES

 

3298. An anxious dog needed grooming

Jan 1, 2019
Email to Toa Payoh Vets

We recently moved to Singapore from Ireland with a highly nervous Maltese/Yorkie cross called BB. He’s a sweet doggie except when being groomed. In Ireland, our vet had a groomer working in his practice and he provided sedation so that BB could be groomed with minimal distress and the groomer was not bitten!

Is this a service you provide?

Apr 15, 2019
The groomer was most anxious about being bitten by this dog. The dog was under mild sedation
"Groom the head first," Dr Daniel advised Clara and asked our assistant to help her.
"Not to worry," I said to Clara. "We can top up with isoflurane gas if the dog is still anxious! Ensure that the owner tell you the type of cut he wants for his dog."


The groomer came to Toa Payoh Vets but she usually grooms dogs in her home. .

The dog was groomed head first. Photo shows the muzzle being removed at the end of grooming. The owner was most satisfied with the job done by her.
 

Dog bites are an occupational hazard for groomers and vets.

3297. Myanmar has a future for this 30-year-old singleton.

He worked as a logistic firm but business is downhill. Construction business in Myanmar booming like hot cakes. Why is he not there? Invest overseas. Invest in China too. In Indonesia.