Sunday, April 12, 2015

1165. Toilet-training. I asked. I aCross-bred pup from K9 Missions no longer anaemic

Sunday Apr 12, 2015

TOILET TRAINING FOR A 2-MONTH-OLD PUPPY

Stray puppy, female, cross-bred,  rescued by K9 Missions, Singapore.
Duration: Around one month of toilet training.

1. Commercial Dog Pee pads 3/day put outside the Crate
2. Does not like pee tray.
3. Sleeping, eating and drinking area inside the Crate
4. Poop after eating 2-3 X a day but not always on the pee pad. Prefers corner with privacy away from the owners' view.
5. Success is 50% as the dog does not want to poop onto the pee  pads.








The couple brought in the 3-month-old female cross for the 2nd injection of Imidox injection.
"How is the other sick sibling?" I asked as K9 Missions had mentioned that there was a sick sibling last time and had checked on this puppy recently.
"He is fine after treatment."
This puppy is now pink in gums and had gained weight. Active. So, it is good news. I gave her the 2nd jab of Imidox 0.75 ml for 7.5 kg bodyweight. 0.3ml IM and 0.45 SC. The puppy should recover.

TOILET TRAINING.
"How do you toilet train her?" I asked as it was already one month of living in the apartment.
"This timid puppy is the smallest in the litter and would take her food to eat in a corner, away from the other 5 siblings."
I guess she was bullied.
"Successful in peeing on the pee pad but not successful on pooping," the husband said.
3 pee pads are used per day. The puppy would poop on the pee pad if needed to be.
"But she would wait till we are not around before she would poop," the husband laughed. "Somewhere away from the crate which has the water and food bowl and the bed. She would poop elsewhere in a corner."
"This puppy valued privacy," I said. "It is what she did before adoption."


1164. Toilet-training a 4-year-old dog



EMAIL DATED APR 12, 2015
Dear Judy,

I need help with training my 4 year old dog to do his business at the right place. When he was a puppy, our family was not sure of how to train him and so many people had many different ways of teaching or scolding him that I believe he got confused and didn't learn it well. We later moved to another home and it got worse! As a male (but neutered), he started to mark places like our sofas, mats and even beds and we had absolutely no way of stopping him that my father decided to confine him to an area for good.

I have been very busy at work and next week, my father is travelling for 1 week so I have decided to take a week's leave and train him proper. I am unsure of how to do it; should I get a pee tray with walls or without since he lifts his leg while he pees, or should I get a belly band etc. I noticed he responds quite well to clicker training and I plan to implement that while training him.

So far, my plan is to get a pee tray (please advise on whether I should get one or not, and should I get one with height or without) and then soil it with his own pee so that he can smell it but should I click it when he sniffs it or when he steps on it? I am not even sure if he will want to do his business there or not!

Please help!

Thank you so much and I truly appreciate it that you're posting useful information to guide dog owners!

Amanda H.


REPLY DATED APR 12, 2015
I am Dr Sing Kong Yuen. Thank you for your email.
1. Your dog is 4 years old and therefore will need more than one week to toilet train him, unlike a 3-month-old puppy.
2. Your home is full of urine smells. Neutralise the smells.
3. Confinement to an area is still important. Pee tray with walls will be needed.
4. Belly band is not a method of toilet training but to prevent him urine-marking by some dog owners.
5. Urine marking is due to belated neutering. When did you neuter him?
6. Your clicker is meant to replace verbal cue. Therefore, click when the action is desired (e.g  stepping on the pee tray to pee). Give a food treat reward.
7. One alternative is to take him downstairs twice or thrice a day and use clicker training.   

Thursday, April 9, 2015

Pregnancy Diagnosis - X-rays v ultrasound



A tricolour young female Pom X looking like a minature Sheltie was mated by a male Poodle.
One lateral X-ray view of the Pom's abdomen is sufficient. The ultrasound scan is an alternative if the owner is worried about radiation to the puppies. However, one X-ray is not known to harm the puppies. In ultrasound scan, much depends on the expertise of the vet interpreting the scan. Some vets cannot ascertain the number of puppies when there are multiple ones and would give a report as "four or five" puppies. For the X-ray, the number of spinal columns will show clearly. In this case, there are 2 and therefore 2 puppies.      


Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Follow up on 8-year-old Pom with non-stop coughing




Apr 4, 2015

No more coughing since March 28, 2015 when the Pom was continuously coughing. "Coughing ceases completely on the 3rd day,"  the lady owner said that there was much less coughing after the heart medication was prescribded by me.

But the dog had vomited late at night the past 3 nights and was inappetant. The dog was lame on the hind leg, having jumped down from the sofa. There was some pain in the left hind hip but nothing serious.

I had X-rays taken. The young lady owner remarked that the heart looked "better" as compared to the earlier X-rays taken by the other vet on March 28, 2015. "Less swollen"


COMPARE TO X-RAYS ON MAR 28, 2015 BY THE OTHER VET  WHEN THE DOG HAD NON-STOP OR FREQUENT COUGHING BEFORE CONSULTING TOA PAYOH VETS







A rabbit had feasted on cardboard boxes













After checking on the teeth and finding them normal wear and tear, I asked: "Did the rabbit eat wires?"
"No," the lady said.
"He eats cardboard boxes. I have just shifted to a new apartment."

Moving to a new apartment, the rabbit feasted on the cardboard boxes. The slim young lady said that he passed sticky stools of small amount and was not his usual active self.

I felt the stomach distended with a soft mass. The rabbit was given drips but still did not pass much stools. I asked the owner to X-ray the rabbit the 2nd day and the X-rays showed stomach impaction.  Full of cardboard pieces!  No more free roaming without supervision now!

Follow up: Fever, anaemia and leucopaenia in an adopted puppy

Mar 28, 2015
A X-bred puppy was rescued by the Canine Missions 8 days ago and adopted 8 days ago.
She was female, 2 monthsold and was anaemic and had no appetite for 3 days. Temperature was 39.9C. 2 siblings had passed away, 2 were OK and 1 had become lethargic. E canis Ab, Heartworm Ag, Lyme Ab and Anaplasma Ab were negative. Babesiosis was suspected.




HAEMATOLOGY.

March 28, 2015.
Hb  4.5  (12-18)
Red cell count 2  (5.5 - 8.5)
Total white cell count  4.5  (6-17)

N  56% (60-70%)          Abs 2.52 (3-11)
L  27%           Abs 1.2
M 17%           Abs 0.75

PCV 0.14  (0.37-0.55)
Platelets  less than 10 (200-500)
Imitox was given IM. IV drip, baytril and Vit K1. Doxycline 100mg at 1/2 tablet/dayfor 6.4 kg puppy for 21 days.   The puppy was active, had a good appetite for the next few days and came on Apr 4, 2015 for review.




HAEMATOLOGY.

April 4, 2015.
Hb  10.6  (12-18)
Red cell count 4.6  (5.5 - 8.5)
Total white cell count  11.7  (6-17). Back to normal.

N  35.9% (60-70%)          Abs 4.2 (3-11)
L  53%           Abs 6.2
M  9.7%           Abs 1.14

PCV 0.34  (0.37-0.55)
Platelets 259 (200-500)

Negative for Dirofilaria immitis antigen, Ehrlichia canis antibody, Borrelia burgdorferi antibody and Anaplasma phagocytophilum/Anaplasma platys antibody.

Babesia blood smear was not done.

The puppy was active and had put on weight from 5.8 kg to 6.4 kg on April 4, 2015. 





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