VET CASE. IS THERE HOPE FOR THE OLD VOMITING AND ANOREXIC SHIH TZU?
Dr Sing Kong Yuen, BVMS (Glasgow)
23 Jan 2023.
"No hope of him living longer," the patriarch saw his old companion weak
and hiding in the corner of the living area, beside a standing fan.
"Vomiting and not eating. This is not the first incident. The dog is
old. Let him eat what he wants!"
But the young adult daughter WhatsApp me on 10 Jan 2023 as her pet had
been under my care during puppyhood. I advised the IV drip treatment
with medication. Dr Daniel put him on IV drips and medication at Toa
Payoh Vets for 3 days. Blood test showed he had a very high total white
cell count and increase in neutrophils - a bacterial infection of the
blood which can be treated with antibiotics.
The first 15 seconds of this video shows that the old dog lethargy and
hiding in a corner after vomiting. "His urine smelled bad," the
patriarch said that my nurse had also mentioned this to him. "His urine
was never smelly!"
As at 23 Jan 2023, the 2nd day of the Chinese New Year, the dog is
active as evident by his following the wife everywhere and barking
loudly. He would bite the patriarch when given the crushed medication
mixed with water and given via the syringe. "Three people must restrain
him," the patriarch said. "Otherwise he would spit the tablets out or
bite me."
This male 15-year-old Shih Tzu had bitten his mother-in-law once as well
as the family members. The family members love him to bits, especially
the patriarch who would stop his Grab ride-hailing business to bring the
sick dog to Toa Payoh Vets whenever he was sick.
"No hope" was his way of teasing his wife and daughter who would always
seek prompt medical treatment for the old companion.
Some owners would
not seek veterinary treatment again. This dog was alive on Chinese New
Year which fell on 22 Jan 2023. He would have had died of septicaemia
with bacteria and toxins causing organ failure and leading to death.
UPDATES AT:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2023/01/4565-old-dog-vomits-again-no-hope-of.html
VIDEO AT:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urVIQ4Zn9u0
-----------------------------------
VIDEO TIME LINE:
0:00 - 0:15. 10 Jan 2023. Vomits. No
appetite. Lethargy. Lies in the corner.
0:16 - 0:25
23 Jan 2023. Full recovery. Eats Hill's K/D diet if sprinkled with
fried luncheon meat. Barks and follows wife around. Needs 3 people to
restrain him to give medication. Bites. Spits out tablet.
0:26
- 1:49 Pre-10 Jan 2013 video shows him eating ravenously and
active after earlier treatment at Toa Payoh Vets. He has kidney and
bladder stones, hence he is on Hill's K/D diet.
01:50 - 02:30.
I did a gait analysis test confirming his right hind leg swings out
when he walks. He has slight lameness on his right hind, but it is
not affecting his quality of life. He had a long period of right hind
dew claw tumour that was not operated for some months and wore an
Elizabethan collar 24/7 to prevent him licking the RH dew claw.
I
excised his dew claw and he does not need to wear the collar.
02:31 to end. Video shows the normal stance and behaviour of
the old dog pre-10 Jan 2013. Attentive, barking for attention, poops
on the floor (poo marking) but the family loves him very much.
VIDEO AT:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urVIQ4Zn9u0
----------------------------------------------
9 JAN 2023. Vomits. No appetite. Hides in a corner. Lethargy.
Smelly urine. What to do?
Kidney and bladder stones
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