4027. A dwarf hamster scratches her ears and bites her body frequently. Why?

A very itchy dwarf hamster scratches her eyes and bites her body.. What to do?

16 Apr 2022.

In Dec 2021, I treated this hamster for the itchy body and ear. I had her shaved bald. The owner had no complaints. Hence, I was shocked to see the hamster so itchy and had dandruff on her ears today. Her back was soiled as she stopped grooming herself now. Hence the smell of urine. I had her clipped bald under anaesthesia and ears were irrigated to get the dirt and sand out of the canals. An anti-mite drop on her back of neck skin and medication to relieve itch and skin infections. Owner to look into home environment and hygiene too. I will wait and see for next 2 weeks. 

What were the causes?

1. Management. Hygiene of living environment. Pee anywhere.

2. Ear infections

3. Ear foreign bodies - sand from sand bath trapped inside the ear canals. 

4. Allergies?

5. Mite infections of skin and ears?   

UPDATES AT: (THIS WEBPAGE)

https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2022/04/4027-dwarf-hamster-scratches-her-ears.html

4026. Oro-nasal fistulas in an 8-year-old poodle with cavities

2022 CASE STUDY IN A POODLE

WHAT IS A CARNASSIAL TOOTH ABSCESS?

A carnassial tooth abscess, also known as oro-nasal fistula is an infection of the roots of this tooth. There are many causes of tooth root abscesses including trauma from a blow to the tooth (leading to tooth fractures), fighting, chewing hard objects, to bacteria from periodontal disease.

TREATMENT

A tooth root abscess is a very painful condition and needs to be treated as soon as possible. There are only two options for treatment of an abscessed tooth. One option is root canal therapy (endodontic treatment) which can preserve the structure of the tooth. The other option is extraction.

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Dogs do suffer from cavities or holes in the tooth as shown in this RARE case. The dog had fractured his upper right 4th premolar tooth some weeks ago.

Late detection of cavities in the right upper premolar 4 had resulted in bacterial infection into the nasal sinuses. As a result two large seeping wounds appear below the eye. 

MAR 12, 2022. The owner sought treatment of itchy skin said to be caused by house moving. Dr Daniel diagnosed the common medical condition known as oro-nasal fistula or carnassial tooth abscess. He noted the cavity in the fractured left upper 4th premolar tooth. 

Treatment: Dental scaling and a course of antibiotics as usual in such cases. The owner completed the antibiotics but the facial wounds had not disappeared. Why? The reason is that bacterial infection causing oro-nasal abscess is still present. X-rays of the nasal sinuses are advised. It is up to the owner to permit further tests to assess further treatment procedures. 

UPDATES AND OTHER CASE STUDIES WILL BE ON THIS BLOG:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2022/04/4026-oro-nasal-fistulas-in-8-year-old.html

2015 CASE STUDY OF ANOTHER DOG.
Oro-nasal fistula or carnassial tooth abscess is a COMMON dental condition in older dogs. A VIDEO OF A CASE IN 2015 is at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDODCySyijw

 TREATMENT

1. Root canal treatment must be done by the specialist. This is expensive and not available in Singapore. In human, this treatment can cost over S$6,000 in Singapore. 

2. Extraction of pre-molar 4 if there are deep infections in the root. This condition is also called carnaissal tooth abscess.  Dental scaling showed teeth lined with tartar and periodontal diseases. 

Carnassial teeth are modified molars (and in the case of carnivorans premolars) which are adapted to allow for the shearing (rather than tearing) of flesh to permit the more efficient consumption of meat.

What Are the Signs of a Tooth Infection or Abscess in Dogs?

• Oral discomfort or a toothache. Dental disease is painful! ...
• Bad breath. Dental infections frequently cause halitosis (bad breath). ...
• Drooling. ...
• Decreased appetite. ...
• Facial swelling.

4025. MYANMAR STORIES - MIGRANT (Video 2/2) WORKERS. Peninsular Plaza on Sat 9 & 16 April 2022, 1 pm. Low footfall

 

 

SINGAPORE MALLS - Peninsular Plaza, Sat 9 Apr 2022. 1 PM. No crowds of Myanmar shoppers or visitors.

MYANMAR CULTURE IN SINGAPORE IN APR 2022. 

Video showing parts of Peninsular Plaza on Sat 9 Apr 2022 afternoon. 

There is little footfall for the Myanmar retail shops compared to pre-Covid-19 Saturdays when the mall was overcrowded on Saturdays and Sundays.

Singapore has tightened foreign labour work passes towards the later part of 2016 onwards. This affected the livelihood of many workers in construction, retail shops that open 24 hours and supporting office staff in administration.  

Many Myanmar workers had to go home as their work passes were not renewed. Their remittance home did help their families financially when they worked in Singapore. But the Singapore Government set quotas for employers,  such as 1 work pass for 10 Singaporeans employed as evident by the CPF contributions. This quota was 1 to 3 some 8 years ago. As at 3 May, 2022, there is a "shortage" of workers when Covid-19 restrictions and travel have been removed with international borders open to tourism.  

SINGAPORE MALLS - Peninsular Plaza, Sat 16 Apr 2022. 4.43 PM. No crowds of Myanmar shoppers or visitors.

Migrant domestic workers are not be affected by quotas and they send back money to support their parents and siblings now that Myanmar has economic hardships.

 

In conclusion, the footfall of Peninsular Plaza is severely reduced. Many shops in the periphery of the mall e.g. maids, trading and others are closed down.

Very low footfall compared to pre-Covid years esp. 2016 to 2018 when the whole mall was packed with Myanmar people on Saturdays. Workers from construction, technical and administrative sectors met. On Water Festivals, big crowds of young Myanmar residents in new dresses sat on the grass of St Andrew's Cathedral to celebrate and socialise. Now, the grass is vacant and the retail shops are practically deserted on weekdays.

Many shops in the inside of the mall - hidden from traffic flows - were trading, administrative and some are embassy (e.g. Nepal) offices. Most had closed down. The embassy is still closed due to Covid-19 pandemic curbs.     Travel agencies to Myanmar. One or two still in business but in smaller rental shops. 

MORE INFORMATION AND UPDATES AT:

https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2022/04/4025-singapore-malls-peninsular-plaza.html

4024. Home grown chillis, brinjals, lime, lady's fingers images

 

4023. NDCS. Tooth filling of cavity of RU Premolar 14 with 20% of structure left

 1 Apr 2022. 

"Not likely to be retained," a dentist in NDCS had advised extraction. My RU Premolar 14 had a big filling done in Jan 2022 by a previous dentist, now resigned from NDCS. That filling lasted 2 months till it fell off yesterday.

"Please do not worry, I understand what you said," I thanked her for taking the trouble to fill the big cavity again. "Too large, insufficient bone to anchor this filling," she said. I knew she did an excellent job as she took much trouble and time to fill up the cavity. She is around 30 years of age, a committed professional of NCDS.

No more eating nuts and hard food on this filling which is still present as at 16 Jun 2022. This filling covered over 80% of the tooth which had fractured and dropped off, leaving a big crater like a volcano. Professional advices from an experienced NDCS dentist were also to extract it. 

4022. Dr Chee Hoe Kit, Senior Consultant, NDCS. Periodontist. 24 Mar 2022 visit.

 

Dr Chee Hoe Kit is a clinician with National Dental Centre Singapore (NDCS) since 2005 and is presently a Consultant in the Periodontics Unit of the Department of Restorative Dentistry. His current main research is on periodontal health and its impact on diabetes mellitus. He has spearheaded the new dental clinic within the Diabetes & Metabolism Centre at Singapore General Hospital to screen diabetic patients for periodontal disease as part of their annual assessment for diabetes complications. 

In 2009, Dr Chee was a Clinical Fellow in the Department of Periodontics, University of Washington School of Dentistry in Seattle, USA, under the SingHealth Health Manpower Development Plan award.-He focused on the subject of ‘Periodontal Plastic Surgery around Natural Teeth & Implants’ and ‘Guided Bone Regeneration’ and since then he has been involved in clinical teaching and supervision of Periodontics Residents from the National University of Singapore. He regularly contributes his dental knowledge and skills by giving Continuing Dental Education (CDE) lectures in NDCS. Aside from a busy institutional practice in NDCS, Dr Chee is also a faculty of the Singapore Healthcare Improvement Network.

24 Mar 2022 treatment

1. Review of sensitive gums and gum disease. Record in details the sulcus depth. 3 mm

2. Dental Scaling and polishing.

3. Dental education of patient - thorough gum treatment. Regular maintenance - flossing and dental brushing
4. Solution for gum disease prevention and assessment compared to 2 years ago. Two molar fractures extraction

5. Research trials - periodontal health and its impact on diabegte mellitus with Univ of Groningen, The Netherlands.  HbA1c 5.7 v 5.9. 

dental treatment - sensitive gums bleeding gums gum abscess 
dental scaling
dental education
Advice to preserve fractured molars  gum sulcus <3mm,   extraction not necessary now. 

4019. Redhill Close and Galaxy Theatre - history

Curtains are down for Redhill Close Estate as 

demolition of the blocks will be completed
by end of 2022. Occupants had been given new

residences in Bukit Merah in 2011. 

Front view. Note common corridors are on floor 3, 5 and 7
only. The arched facades were not present on the 
original Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT) flats built in 1955. 

Back view. Residents in the 1950s would drop a rope with a tethered basket and 

money inside to pay and carry up sweets or food from itinerant 
hawkers, clicking their sticks to announce their arrivals

Galaxy Theatre was part of low red hills and pig farms
opposite the SIT flats (left) in the 1950s. 

HDB took over the functions of SIT (Singapore Improvement Trust)
to build public housing. An HDB 4-storey mixed use development
with residences upstairs and commercial units on the first floor
  

Redhill Close was an SIT project.
It is one of the oldest housing estates in Singapore


www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets have some images

of Redhill Close estate. 

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Curtains are down for Redhill Close Estate as 

demolition of the blocks will be completed

by end of 2022. Occupants had been given new

residences in Bukit Merah in 2011. 

Front view. Note common corridors are on floor 3, 5 and 7

only. The arched facades were not present on the 

original Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT) flats built in 1955. 

Back view. Residents in the 1950s would drop a rope with a tethered basket and 

money inside to pay and carry up sweets or food from itinerant 

hawkers, clicking their sticks to announce their arrivals

Galaxy Theatre was part of low red hills and pig farms

opposite the SIT flats (left) in the 1950s. 

HDB took over the functions of SIT (Singapore Improvement Trust)

to build public housing. An HDB 4-storey mixed use development

with residences upstairs and commercial units on the first floor

  

Redhill Close was an SIT project.

It is one of the oldest housing estates in Singapore

www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets
have some aerial view 

of Redhill Close estate. 

MORE INFORMATION AT:

https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2022/03/4019-redhill-close-and-galaxy-theatre.html