3947. A pug has thick mucoid right eye discharge (Part 1) and abnormal waking up at 3 am (Part 2)

PART 1

Tuesday, 22 Dec 2020. Consultation

PUG, MALE NOT NEUTERED, 7.5 kg, 38.1 degrees C

Right eye had a gluey discharge with a brown spot. The worried owner phoned me today as she had not seen me since last year. I treated her pug for corneal ulcerations of the right eye some 9 years ago in 2011.

Her father would buy the Hills R/D food from us. The pug had a trim weight of 7.5kg. Had serous discharge from both nostrils.

Visual examinations from her handphone were not very clear.

On 22 Dec 2020, I saw the pug at the clinic. 

1. Thick gluey mass on right eye with a brown spherical lump of 3 mm across. Totally dry eye. 

2. Bad breath. R U Premolar 3 was loose and dead, at Periodontal Disease stage 4.

Had groomer do the dentistry every 3 monthly as no anaesthesia was required but the groomer did not inform her about the 2 loose and dead lower incisor teeth which also needed extraction. 

3. Hard spherical lump at about 80% of the golf ball in the bladder area or benign prostate hypertrophy. No pain on palpation. Urine is said to be normal.  

TREATMENT

Under anaesthesia, I irrigated the eyeball, cleared the sticky matted cornea of hairs and debris. I applied fluorescein eye stain and saw four superficial cornea ulcers. These ulcers caused pain in the pug.  Then I extracted 3 loose and dead teeth.

The owner is happy to see the eyeball is now clear of junk and matted hair. She will apply artificial tears a few times a day. Antibiotic drops for 7 days.

CONCLUSION

9 YEARS ago, if the owner had accepted my advice to do a cosmetic surgery called right facial fold resection, the pug would not have had eye irritation from the hairs of the corneal fold. 

After years of irritation and infection, the tear glands dry up. Hence, now the right eye is a dry eye and needs daily care.

 

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PART 2

Dec 29, 2020 consultation with Dr Sing Kong Yuen

3 days after the dental extraction and eye cleaning, the dog exhibited agitated behaviour early at 3 am - barking loudly, wandering and not wanting to sleep. Some sneezing heard by owner a this time. 

For the next 2 days, also the same waking up early at 4 am and barking.

As at 3 Jan 2021, still wake up early at 4 am but not so restless and little barking. The owner is tired out. 

This behaviour from 25 Dec to 29 Dec 2020  of early rising tired out the owner. The owner sent me a video on 29 Dec 2020 as follows:

I examined the dog on 29 Dec 2020. No heart murmurs but irregular heart beats. Serous mucous discharge from both nostrils. 

My consultation video with the owner on 29 Dec is as follows:

 


X-rays - enlarged heart

       - lungs with fluid?  

Blood and urine test results pending.    

Dr Daniel prescribed:
Rimadyl, doxycline, Iron capsule, neurobion, 500 ml normal saline bottle for dry eye flushing and Hyaline eye drops to keep eye moist. 

To stop wearing e-collar, chloramphenicol eye drops and owner's dry eye drops for people. 

  

4 Jan 2021. The owner reported that the pug did wake up at 5 am yesterday but then went back to sleep without being agitated or barking. The owner reported that the Hyaline eye drops were excellent as it was oily and the dry eye did not dry so fast as before.

CONCLUSION. It is hard to know what caused this abnormal behaviour 3 days after anaesthesia, dental extraction and eye cleaning. The pug still eats and is otherwise normal. Could it be pain somewhere and/or the wearing of the e-collar affecting his sleep?

 

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3946. Girdling roots

 A tree is girdled when something is tightly wrapped around the trunk or stem. A stem girdling root circles or partially circles the base of a tree at or just below the soil surface.

Stem girdling roots choke off the flow of water and nutrients between the roots and branches and food produced in the leaves from reaching the roots. They can also compress and weaken the trunk of a tree at or above the root collar flare (the junction between the trunk and the main roots) causing it to lean and lose its stability. Girdling roots may girdle other roots, but there is no known harm in this. Trees having stem girdling roots suffer a slow decline in health and a premature death.

The appearance of a tree trunk will be affected by a girdling root. Usually tree trunks flare out where they enter the ground. The root will prevent the collar flare, sometimes the trunk may get narrower and appear flattened or sunken. The threat depends on the size of the root and the amount of the tree’s circumference affected. It is almost impossible to predict if a developing girdling root will cause problems for a tree. However, if a tree has girdling roots it is more likely to have problems than one without them.

The causal factors may be genetic or cultural. At the end of this article is a list of trees that may be more prone to stem girdling roots. Cultural practices that may cause girdling include poor growing practices or poor planting techniques.

Most tree roots are in the top 6 to 24 inches of soil and grow out from the trunk in a spreading manner. Cultural practices that can adversely affect this natural root pattern include: (1) Planting in a hole that is too small so the roots can not easily spread out. (2) Planting container grown trees that have roots growing in a circular pattern. (3) Planting a bare root tree by twisting roots to fit into a small hole. (4) Leaving wire baskets, burlap and any part of a container in the planting hole. (5) Piling mulch against the trunk of a tree (creating a mulch volcano).

The most common theory of the cause of stem girdling roots, is that they develop as a result of trees being planted too deeply. When root systems are buried, less oxygen and water is available. The roots will grow up towards the surface of the soil and tend to encircle the trunk. The more deeply buried the roots are, the fewer the roots available for the tree to become established.

Symptoms and Diagnosis

Symptoms of stem girdling roots include: (1) Scorch, early fall color, early leaf drop, damage on one or two branches. (2) Abnormally small leaf size. (3) Excessive twig dieback, the appearance of large, dead, leafless branches (stagheading). (4) Thin appearance to the crown, overall stunting. (5) Little or no trunk taper at the collar. (6) Leaning (7) Susceptibility to environmental extremes and other biotic problems.

Many of these symptoms can also be characteristic of other causes, such as drought or nutrient imbalances. A plant disease diagnostic laboratory cannot identify this problem. The only sure way to determine if a stem girdling root is the cause of a problem is to examine the root system and its relationship to the tree trunk.

Integrated Pest Management Strategies:

1. Inspection. Carefully inspect the root system at the time of planting. Remove any girdling root on bare-root plants. Cut away the wrapping on balled & burlapped plants, check for girdling roots and natural root flare. Cut through any circling roots of container grown plants in a few places.

On mature trees, if any of the symptoms appear, examine the root collar by probing into the soil near the trunk flare with a stiff wire to find the depth of any stem girdling roots.

2. Planting. Dig planting holes 2 to 3 times as wide as the root ball, with sloped sides and no deeper than the root ball. In heavy clay soil dig the holes shallower than the root ball by at least 3 inches. Make sure there is no soil above the root flare. If there is soil above the flare, very carefully remove it down to the flare. Apply mulch no deeper than 3 inches and never against the trunk of the tree.

3. Ongoing care. Make sure to water a newly planted tree regularly and water any tree during drought periods. Avoid using fast–release fertilizers, they may burn tree roots. Reduce environmental stresses on established trees and add nutrients if it appears there is a deficiency. Periodically examine the root flare to make sure it appears normal. If stem girdling roots are present, gently remove the soil until you can find the root collar flare. This may need to be done by a certified arborist.

4. Pruning. Stem girdling roots are commonly removed by using wood gouges, saws or pruners if they have caused minimal stem compression. If one has caused extensive compression, removal treatment must be careful not to damage the stem. Such roots are frequently left in place when they cannot be removed safely. Again, it may be necessary to consult with a certified arborist.

5. Removal. If stem compression from a stem girldling root is more than one third to one half of the stem circumference, removal of that tree should be considered because the tree’s stability is compromised.

3945. Nature stories. Epiphytes on tree trunks

The term epiphyte describes a plant which, like a parasite, grows on a host, but unlike a parasite, takes no nutrients from the tree itself and relies on nutrients from the air, falling rain, and the compost that lies on tree branches. Their epiphytic way of life gives these plants advantages in the rainforest, allowing them access to more direct sunlight, a greater number of canopy animal pollinators, and the possibility of dispersing their seeds via wind.

 

Epiphytes are found throughout rainforests, but exist in the greatest abundance in the so-called cloud forests which exist at the fog-laden elevation of 3,300-6,600 feet (1,000-2,000 m). Epiphytes belong to 83 families, of which the majority are ferns and flowering plants. Some of the better-known epiphytes include ferns, lichens, mosses, cacti, bromeliads (over 2,000 species), and orchids.

Dragon scales tree which has the Latin name Pyrrosia piloselloides is an epiphytic plant.

This is the most familiar fern found on urban trees and is regarded as the pioneer epiphytes (Wee, 1984). Older trees are sometimes totally engulfed by their circular fronds, leading to its common name as of Dragon's Scale. The fertile fronds are markedly different being very narrow and elongated. The sori runs along the sides of the blade margin.

 

The fronds of this fern are almost circular and "pasted" on the trunks and branches of trees. Sometimes, they are oval in shape. Some Dischidia species like D. nummularia and D. major are similar, but their leaves are oppositely arranged.

Fertile fronds are narrow and much more elongated.

A tree trunk covered with the Dragon's Scale Fern.

Circular fronds is the typical shape.

3944. A Singapore rabbit has a large jaw abscess in 2018.

 2018 RABBIT JAW ABSCESS

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Standard Operating Procedures for the treatment of rabbit cheek abscesses Dr Sing Kong Yuen, BVMS (Glasgow), MRCVS 31 August, 2012   TOA PAYOH VETS   Be Kind To Pets Veterinary Education Project 2010-0129

1027. SOP for rabbit cheek abscess at Toa Payoh Vets   The following will be the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for rabbits with cheek abscesses with effect from Sep 1, 2012 1. Examination of the mouth for overgrown incisors and molars. Record of size of abscess  2. Advise X-rays or record AMA (Against Medical Advice) if the owner does not want it. Record which cheek tooth is affected and whether there is osteomyelitis of the jaw bone. 3. Sedation and clipping away the hairs 4. General anaesthesia gas using isoflurane gas via mask 5. Open the mouth to check for overgrown molars   6. Make a long skin incision in the ventral part 7. Lance the abscess 8. Irrigate the abscess 9. Post-op stay and treatment to express more pus, for 3 days 10. Review in 3 weeks   11. Take images of pre and post-surgery if possible (see example below).  It is important that the vet advises X-rays as part of provision of a high standard of care. If the owner rejects the advice, this should be recorded in the case sheet. ---------------------------- Singapore rabbit with right jaw abscess X-ray

3943. A Yangon rabbit has a bloated abdomen

 

Rabbit bloat is life threatening as it will kill your rabbit if you do not seek veterinary attention promptly. 

The main options for treatment once at the vet include emergency surgery to relieve the obstruction or high levels of fluid therapy and pain relief (as well as other supportive treatments).

Spasmogesic, enema, big dog's urinary catheter to release the gas

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BLOAT AND GASTROINTESTINAL BLOCKAGE IN RABBITS

1. What causes bloat and obstruction?
2. Why is bloat a serious condition?
3. What does bloat look like in a rabbit?
4. How does your vet treat bloat?
5. Follow up care

6. Prevention

BLOAT AND GASTROINTESTINAL BLOCKAGE IN RABBITS

1. What causes bloat and obstruction?

Bloat is the distension of the stomach and intestines with gas and fluid. A very serious health problem of rabbits.

Causes
1. In many cases, a mat of fur ball. Long-haired rabbits or those housed with long-haired rabbits have a higher risk of getting this problem.

2. Inadequate dietary fibre.

3. Sudden change of diet.

4. Ingestion of foreign material like carpet, cloth fibers, rubber or plastic which block the gut.   

2. Why is bloat a serious condition?

The rabbit cannot vomit or belch. So the stomach cannot empty. It fills with saliva and stomach secretions, dilating the stomach till it prevents blood flow to vital organs like the kidneys. 

Gastrointestinal obstruction is the most common cause of sudden unexpected death in healthy rabbits. Death occur rapidly without treatment.

Unless the condition is caught early, the prognosis is guarded, even with medical care.

   

3. What does bloat look like in a rabbit?
Suddenly stop eating and defaecating. Very tired or lethargic. 
Progressing to hunched posture, tooth grinding, weaker, not moving, lying down often in a stretched out position.   

4. How does your vet treat bloat?

Laboratory tests
Abdominal X-rays or multiple X-rays to see if the obstruction is moving
Aggressive supportive care including powerful pain medication and fluid therapy to get the obstruction to pass.

Most rabbits require exploratory surgery. 

5. Follow up care

Post surgery - need to monitor the rabbit very closely to make sure the gut begins to move. Stethoscope to listen to the rabbit's intestinal tract for movement sounds, palpate the belly gently. Observe appetite and faecal output. Recovery after 3 days appear to have a good prognosis for a complete recovery.

6. Prevention

A diet with appropriate fiber levels, maximise hay and minimise pellets to move the fur balls.

Regular grooming and hair clipping of long-haired rabbits. 

 

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Rabbits have a complex gastrointestinal (GI) tract, particularly when compared to other species like dogs and cats. A rabbit’s GI system has been designed so that they are able to get the maximum amount of nutrients they can out of any of the foods they eat. They even re-eat some of their faeces (a process known as caecotrophy) to allow them to re-process nutrients that weren’t absorbed the first time through! 

Unfortunately, due to the complexity of their GI system they are prone to developing problems. Many of these are easily treatable however some are life-threatening. 

Today’s article looks at one of the most serious conditions that rabbits suffer from – gastrointestinal bloat. What is it? 

Gastrointestinal bloat generally occurs when there is a blockage in the GI tract, most commonly in the early intestine. Rabbits are unable to vomit or eructate (burp) effectively meaning that the only way that food (and other items ingested) can leave the stomach is through the intestines. 

When food is broken down in the stomach both gas and different types of liquid are produced, leading to more stomach contents than just the food that was first ingested. 

When an intestinal blockage occurs, this process keeps continuing leading to the stomach becoming enlarged or bloated. 

If a blockage occurs in the intestines there is now nowhere for the stomach contents to go, which leads to the stomach becoming enlarged or bloated. 

In some cases the stomach can become so enlarged that your rabbit’s whole abdomen looks and feels like there is a large balloon inside of it. 

As the stomach enlarges it compresses a number of blood vessels which lead to your rabbits blood supply network being disrupted which can become life threatening very quickly. The stomach also can get so large that it ruptures. 

What is it caused by? In most cases the blockage is caused by a combination of hair and food that has been ingested by your rabbit. 

This hair/food combination forms together to form a small ball that is called a trichobezoar. 

Other foreign items can also be ingested by your rabbit and cause blockages; in one of the cases we have seen a small pebble was to blame for the obstruction. Carpet fibres, plastic can cause this obstruction. 

What are the signs to watch out for? Rabbits that have a complete gastrointestinal blockage will generally go from being perfectly normal to very sick and not wanting to move within a few hours. 

They generally won’t want to eat anything, will not be moving much (often sitting in a hunched position) and their abdomen will feel bloated and painful. 

If your rabbit is showing any of these signs getting them to your nearest rabbit vet as quickly as possible is very important. How is it diagnosed? In many cases your vet will be able to have a fair idea that your rabbit may be bloated from examining them and palpating their abdomen.

In most cases radiographs (x-rays) will be taken to assess the severity and treatment options. Taking a blood glucose measurement (which involves taking a small amount of blood from your rabbit) can also often help to confirm the blockage.

Is it treatable? This condition is life threatening and in many cases it will kill your rabbit if you do not seek veterinary attention promptly. 

The main options for treatment once at the vet include emergency surgery to relieve the obstruction or high levels of fluid therapy and pain relief (as well as other supportive treatments). How do I prevent it from occurring? 

This condition is difficult to prevent completely. However ensure that your rabbit has a good diet with at least 70% hay and less pellets and that they are regularly brushed or shaved (to minimize hair ingestion) does help to minimize their risk. 

long-haired rabbits to be brushed daily
rabbits staying with long haired rabbits to clean the environment of hairs.  

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Sheep bloat

It’s important to know that sheep can bloat on hay too, especially risky is a sudden change to hay that is heavy with alfalfa and/or clover. In making any changes to sheeps’ diets, always make the changes slowly and gradually.

 

The only thing different about the bloated ewe’s environment that day was that it was early May; she was not on pasture and her hay had not changed. The temperatures had been in the 40s with rain. That day the temperature had suddenly soared to the 80s and the sun came out. I believe it was the stress of the sudden heat wave that put her rumen into distress.

 

 genetic proponent to bloat.

 

n readily fermentable carbohydrates as is found in grain concentrates. Occasionally, it can happen when animals are changed to lush pasture after being on over-grazed pastures.” (Lawson, pg 121)

 

Treating Sheep Bloat

Treatment of bloating sheep consists of measures that will stop the formation of additional gas and will assist in the removal of the gases already present.

I keep on hand bottles of “Bloat Gard” that I purchase commercially. This is one that I like the best because it’s ready to use and all I have to do is catch the suffering sheep and get them to swallow the bloat remedy-giving them the entire bottle.

There is also another product that requires pre-mixing before administering. And there are also many different home remedies for treating bloat. Be sure to consult your sheep books or your veterinarian. They will recommend other methods that may include forcing a hose down the gullet and in extreme emergency situations, a hole can be made in the rumen to let gases escape.

Mike Neary, Extension Sheep Specialist at Purdue University published an article that is on the internet at http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/sheep/articles/pasbloat.html. He recommends the following:

“Treat bloated sheep with care. The build-up of pressure in the rumen can actually cause a partial collapse of the lungs. Furthermore, blood from the body is forced out of the body cavity to the extremities and can cause a form of acidosis. Thus, stressing these animals complicates the situation.

“If animals can be caught, use a stomach tube to help release free ruminal gas. Also, mild agitation of ruminal contents can aid in the release of the trapped gas bubbles. Mineral or vegetable oils can be used as antifoaming agents and help release gas. Treatment with commercially available anti-bloating agents can also be done at this time.

“Some people will actually use a rumenotomy (puncturing the rumen-located high on the left side of the lumbar region in severe bloat cases) in severe, life-threatening situations. This procedure is not for the weak stomached, as the pressure will result in the expulsion of a significant amount of the rumen contents. Also, the area will need to be cleaned and sutured after the rumenotomy is performed.”

I would never wish any shepherd to experience the death of a beloved (or not so beloved) sheep from bloat. I hope that you never have to see what bloat looks like. But do try to recognize the symptoms of healthy ruminating sheep so that you are able to also recognize signs of ruminant distress. And keep on hand some remedies so if an emergency should arrive, you can quickly react and hopefully save an animal.

 

 VIDEO OF RABBIT WITH GASTROINTESTINAL BLOAT 

20 Dec 2020. SUDDEN DIETARY CHANGE can cause bloat in rabbits

. A Yangon rabbit has gastrointestinal bloat---Dietary change. One week ago, somebody recommended a better brand of rabbit food. The owner switched to the new brand immediately. 

Her 30-month-old male rabbit's abdomen swelled up like a balloon. He was hunched in pain, lethargic and had a high fever (40.1 degrees C). X-rays showed the intestines filled with gas and some bubbly fluid in the large intestines. 

Diagnosis is gastrointestinal bloat due to a sudden change of diet. This is a life-threatening condition. Dr Thein Tun Aung of the Royal Asia Veterinary Surgery, Yangon discussed this life-threatening case with me.

 I advised a small dosage of Spasmogesic (0.1 ml in 1 ml of normal saline), to alleviate the gastrointestinal cramping. Give subcutaneious fluid therapy and antibioitcs. An enema (of soap and water or other types) via a catheter. To aspirate the contents from the rectum via the catheter or forceps to reduce the faecal and hair impaction in the rectal area.

Video link of rabbit after 30 minutes after SC Spasmogesic injection. https://youtu.be/2a3tEunh0Qw The video shows the rabbit with less bloat and pain after one Spasmogesic injection. It had more energy and wanted to hop off the table. 21 Dec 2020.

Update 48 hours after the Spasmogesic injection. The rabbit was active. Passed out watery stools with no occult blood.

The owner who surfed the internet, found Royal Asia Veterinary Surgery for a second opinion as her rabbit had a much distended abdomen. Now she is very happy with the outcome.

Spasmogesic is effective in relieving stomach and intestinal cramps especially in race horses from my experience at the Singapore Turf Club. It relieves intestinal cramp and brings down the fever in horses within half an hour in impaction colic .

MORE INFORMATION and X-RAYS ARE AT: https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2020/12/3943-yangon-rabbit-has-bloated-abdomen.html

VIDEO LINK: Rabbit gastro intestinal bloat due to sudden change of diet Video link https://youtu.be/2a3tEunh0Qw

 

 

 

Rabbit gastro intestinal bloat due to sudden change of diet

Video link

https://youtu.be/2a3tEunh0Qw

 

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