[AMA] I am a veterinarian. Ask me anything :D

[lycans]

Seen e vet n did a blood test. E vet also dunno what's wrong. He said prob an unknown virus. Need to ensure that my cat eats....He said can be warded for observation but nothing much they can do cos they dunno...I m like $&@^#^$_&

Standard blood tests are not very good at picking up pancreatitis unless they include lipase or TLI test. Even then you need the feline specific lipase test, not sure if SG vet pathology labs have the capabilities to run it or not.

Nevertheless, these routine blood test can rule out other diseases so are a good place to start.

 

[lycans]

Eh, how possible. Change vet ba. Ask from FB for recommend on vet who know cat well.

Bring the result to next vet and show them.

Vets are not all knowing gods, there are many things we don’t know and don’t understand. Do not doctor hop unless absolutely necessary, ask for a specialist referrals if need be. Now Singapore have vet internal medicine specialists, I know one working for Mt Pleasant at Jalan Gelenngang

 

[corliss]

Standard blood tests are not very good at picking up pancreatitis unless they include lipase or TLI test. Even then you need the feline specific lipase test, not sure if SG vet pathology labs have the capabilities to run it or not.

Nevertheless, these routine blood test can rule out other diseases so are a good place to start.

Thx a lot. We have been doing subcuts daily, giving her medication from e vet...But she's still listless n no appetite. Yesterday she kept jerking for awhile. This evening, she seem to have harboured breathing. Been crying n praying for her. She's a stray and has been with us for more than 5 yrs. She's ard 11 yrs old.

I m at my wits end cos e vet said we just have to monitor.

 

[corliss]

Apologies but my sis said from e blood test results, pancreatitis is ruled out but she has abnormal high white blood count. That's why need to monitor

 

[lycans]

Thx a lot. We have been doing subcuts daily, giving her medication from e vet...But she's still listless n no appetite. Yesterday she kept jerking for awhile. This evening, she seem to have harboured breathing. Been crying n praying for her. She's a stray and has been with us for more than 5 yrs. She's ard 11 yrs old.

I m at my wits end cos e vet said we just have to monitor.

I’m not your attending vet but judging by the symptoms you are describing, your cat needs a lot of supportive care which will cost a lot of money. Please consider the pain and discomfort your cat is going through and the fact that it’s an old cat, you may need to start thinking about end of life arrangements

 

[corliss]

I’m not your attending vet but judging by the symptoms you are describing, your cat needs a lot of supportive care which will cost a lot of money. Please consider the pain and discomfort your cat is going through and the fact that it’s an old cat, you may need to start thinking about end of life arrangements

Thx to all. Aft several rounds of vet visit n treatment, she just went to rainbow heavens. All of us r very sad.

 

[helkel]

Hi lycans

Thanks for starting this AMA! I have been periodically checking in and keeping up with the thread. But sometimes I zone out while reading the various posts... roll my eyes until.. Kudos to you putting up with some really silly pet owners lol...

(Ok I better stop and get off my horse before being flamed :X)

Questions! Sorry if they have been asked before...
1. Do you have an Aussie accent by now?
2. Nationality of your clientele? Angmo Aussies? Asian Aussies? Any fellow SGers who had migrated to Australia and decided to stay and be PR then Citizens there?
3. How many times do you come back home to visit?
4. Is the road to be a vet tough? The studies for example. All those "science" modules, hard anot?

 

[lycans]

Thx to all. Aft several rounds of vet visit n treatment, she just went to rainbow heavens. All of us r very sad.

Sorry to hear that, my deepest condolences. Sometimes letting go is the right thing to do

 

[lycans]

Hi lycans

Thanks for starting this AMA! I have been periodically checking in and keeping up with the thread. But sometimes I zone out while reading the various posts... roll my eyes until.. Kudos to you putting up with some really silly pet owners lol...

(Ok I better stop and get off my horse before being flamed :X)

Questions! Sorry if they have been asked before...
1. Do you have an Aussie accent by now?
2. Nationality of your clientele? Angmo Aussies? Asian Aussies? Any fellow SGers who had migrated to Australia and decided to stay and be PR then Citizens there?
3. How many times do you come back home to visit?
4. Is the road to be a vet tough? The studies for example. All those "science" modules, hard anot?

1) No, I don’t think so but when I come back to Singapore for holidays, people think I’m not a local. So I guess I did pick up some accent from Australia.

2) Predominantly white Aussies but you also get Pacific Islander, Asians, etc. Lots of Singaporeans around here are PR then convert to citizens, I myself am PR but may take up Aussie citizenship in future.

3) About once a year

4) It’s a medical degree so you need OP1 to get in, I found the degree easy and straightforward but your mileage may vary.

 

[girlzone]

Well, I just stick to the Hills k/d because I don’t feel confident enough to formulate a home cooked diet for dogs. There are websites like balancedit.com which is marketed at pet owners who want to prepare a home made diet for their pets. There are sections on the website on preparing food for any disease conditions in dogs and cats. However please be advised that you do so at your own risk and please discuss with your vet about what you plan to do first.

I think you should get more info from your vet. What stage is it at now?

Thanks for the reply. My dog has passed away peacefully at home last Tuesday. To all pet owners out there, do spend time with your pets so that you won't live with regrets when it's time for them to leave us. For the very least, I feel that I have done what I could and gave her a happy and good life while she was with me.

 

[helkel]

Thanks for the reply lycans. I read in a scmp article that the ratio of vet to pet in HK is 620:1 vs USA's 3000plus to 1 and SG is like 2000plus to 1. Those are big differences! How's Aust figures? Do you handle a big load?

*edit Was your OP1 calculated based on GCE Os or another OP test was administered? Did you have a science background in Sec sch?

Sorry about your pet, corliss. I hope you and sis and family stay strong over this. And girlzone so glad to hear you are in this current positive frame of mind You are so right, spend time with loved ones be them humans or animals so to have no regrets when their time has come to leave us. I admire your strength in acceptance and wish to also be the same when its time for my own ones. Thanks for the reminder to continue giving mine a happy and good life!

 

[lycans]

Thanks for the reply. My dog has passed away peacefully at home last Tuesday. To all pet owners out there, do spend time with your pets so that you won't live with regrets when it's time for them to leave us. For the very least, I feel that I have done what I could and gave her a happy and good life while she was with me.

Sorry to hear that. My condolences

 

[lycans]

Thanks for the reply lycans. I read in a scmp article that the ratio of vet to pet in HK is 620:1 vs USA's 3000plus to 1 and SG is like 2000plus to 1. Those are big differences! How's Aust figures? Do you handle a big load?

*edit Was your OP1 calculated based on GCE Os or another OP test was administered? Did you have a science background in Sec sch?

Sorry about your pet, corliss. I hope you and sis and family stay strong over this. And girlzone so glad to hear you are in this current positive frame of mind You are so right, spend time with loved ones be them humans or animals so to have no regrets when their time has come to leave us. I admire your strength in acceptance and wish to also be the same when its time for my own ones. Thanks for the reminder to continue giving mine a happy and good life!

I dunno about Aussie figures, never really bothered. The load depends on where you are at, some poorer socio-economic area i dont see alot of cases but those that come in is usually severe preventable diseases like tick paralysis or parvo. The more wealthier areas I get to see more patients and those cases tend to be more mundane age related ailments

OP1 is for those high school students in queensland, australia the highest possible tier. It would be like scoring AAA in A levels in Singapore. I took science my whole life so yes.

 

[yubibi]

Hello, this is my second question in this thread.

Is it safe to bath my dog with fleas and tick shampoo (im using ADAMS) once every week?

 

[lycans]

Hello, this is my second question in this thread.

Is it safe to bath my dog with fleas and tick shampoo (im using ADAMS) once every week?

It's safe but not good, you will strip the essential oils from their coat

 

[yubibi]

It's safe but not good, you will strip the essential oils from their coat

Ah ok. Also, another question:
I tried feeling around the area where my dog's testis are supposed to be,but i couldn't feel anything at all. Only smooth surface. (100% confirm male). I also couldn't see any surgical scar as well so im confused whether he is spayed or not. Since i cant feel any testis, is it safe to assume he is spayed?

 

[No use for a Name]

How do we dilute Chlorex for dogs?
If the product stated 1% or 0.5%
Just pour water to mix?
Do we need to use smth to stir & mix?

 

[lycans]

Ah ok. Also, another question:
I tried feeling around the area where my dog's testis are supposed to be,but i couldn't feel anything at all. Only smooth surface. (100% confirm male). I also couldn't see any surgical scar as well so im confused whether he is spayed or not. Since i cant feel any testis, is it safe to assume he is spayed?

Could it be already neutered? In some parts of the world, after desexing the vet will tattoo the ear. I am not sure whats the go in Singapore on how the local vets identify animals that have already been desexed.

Worse come to worse, it could be bilateral cryptorchid which is kinda rare....

 

[lycans]

How do we dilute Chlorex for dogs?
If the product stated 1% or 0.5%
Just pour water to mix?
Do we need to use smth to stir & mix?

I just use tap water. Follow the instructions on the product.

 

[ipod baby]

Neurological problem

Hi, my dog of 9+yo recently was diagnosed with neurological issues. Eversince in mid Jan this year, he suddenly starts to walk with head tilted then follow by walking unsteadily and wobbly..

Yesterday, he couldn't really eat but today he's slightly better but still not very stable. Its really heartbreaking for me cos vet mentioned that if his conditions deteriorate I have to make decision to put him down. I really don't want that to happen.. every day whenever I see him I will cry.. it's too much to bear...

He is still able to wag his tail whenever I call out to him...but he can't move and his eyes are shutting on n off...

I really hope for a miracle and hoping someone can advise me further.

I really thank you from the bottom of my heart...