Rappie

The options provided to Mystiqview are quite normal. The majority of dogs that dislocate a coxofemoral joint do end up having a femoral head ostectomy (regardles of whether it is a GP or specialist performing the surgery) due to the severity of the damage to the joint capsule and surrounding tissues including the muscle attachments. Replacing the femoral head into the acetabulum under general anaesthetic is always attempted, however in my experience is usually pretty unrewarding. Recovery of function from an FHO is usually very good with adequate after care.

That's excellent news Kirislin :) The few of those I've seen have taken a couple of weeks to resolve, so just keep that in mind. They do go away though :thumbsup:

I've not heard of any failures in that time frame, but it is certainly possible in the first 6 weeks or so and possibly the last month or more - though mostly in cases where I have used it specifically for chemical sterilisation the effect has been longer than the implants typical period of action (6 or 12 months). Since it suppresses the production of testosterone and this in turn inhibits production of sperm, and it's a long term suppression rather than the a daily pill the effect is chemical sterilisation, rather than a 'contraceptive' as such. There is more information on the Peptech website.

Generally I'd recommend waiting a minimum of 4-6 weeks after the end of the season before desexing. There's no great difference if you wait longer as long as it's done before the next one.

It works in a different way - by blocking the release of hormones and is primarily used for sterilisation of males rather than females (though can be used in females). It is very effective when it is active but there is some variation in the time to maximal efficacy and the length of action.

Generally tumours of the eye are treated by enucleation but you would need to speak to an opthalmologist about whether there were any other options. Is there any involvement of internal structures of the eye? If the red area only affects the cornea and appeared acutely, it is possible that it's a stromal haematoma rather than a tumour (although obviously without examining the eye in person it's very hard to make any comment).

The cases of Q fever in vet clinic staff that was reported last year was at a practice reasonably local to us. All the vets have already been vaccinated but our practice has now made it a policy that all other staff are also tested and vaccinated. We don't do a lot of breeding work but see enough whelping / queenings / pregnant speys for it to be a concern. If we happen to have un-vaccinated volunteers etc on the premises at the same time as a caesar or whatever they will be asked to leave the premises.

Excellent news :)

Many of those symptoms can be secondary to pyrexia alone but I would certainly consider something like a polyarthropathy or meningitis as a possibility. I have seen several little dogs that have a high temperature secondary to pain alone. The lipase level doesn't mean very much alone, it would have more weight if it was the spec CPli that was elevated but it can reflect inflammation or dehydration and doesn't necessarily have any reflection on the pancreas itself (so much as the gastrointestinal system in general). Low creatinine may mean nothing except that the patient is an Iggie with poor muscle mass, we more commonly see a low urea in association with liver disease. I would do even a basic in house urinalysis even if the dog is on IV fluids, though it is much more useful if done prior. You really need to assess the renal parameters in association with a urine sample - preferably on paired samples collected at the same time. Edit to add: In immune mediated disease like meningitis / arteritis the reponse to steroids is generally pretty rapid. Diagnosis is often based on clinical signs and ruling out other disorders because a positive diagnosis usually depends on a CSF tap (which can be non specific as well). In the case of polyarthropathy diagnosis, then positive joint taps (high WCC in joint fluid) is diagnostic but it depends on whether there is any effusion present).

Well at times other than Christmas most of us wouldn't have an immediately accessible stash of vodka in the clinic, no matter how much we thought it would be a good idea :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: Other forms of alcohol such as IV infusions are pretty hard to come by so oral administration is the most convenient option. I did once watch an episode of All Saints though, where the 'rogue' bad boy doctor had to treat a case of ethylene glycol toxicity. He went to the bottle shop and came back with a case of Wild Turkey, not vodka. Thought that was a novel twist, lol.

It may be a sebaceous cyst, which can be treated conservatively but may recur intermittently. Surgery to remove it will be curative. It is important to discuss what the estimate for surgery actually includes and whether your FIL discussed alternatives with the vet. I don't mean this as a criticism but when people are feeling stressed they will often stop listening after hearing a dollar figure without then determining what it is actually for. I've had more than one abusive phone call from a relative saying that I had refused to help their pet for less than "$x", when really the conversation was that for "$X" we could do everything necessary, but there were alternatives for $Y, $Z and that monitoring was also an option..... $1000 is a realistic figure for doing 'the works' - which might include pre-operative tests like cytology, hospital, blood tests, anaesthetic, IV fluids (if these are charged for additionally), surgery time, theatre fees, suture material (if individual packs are used), surgery time, post operative pain relief or medication and histopathology. There could be things included in the estimate that can be negotiated such as not immediately sending a lump for histopathology, or not doing blood tests etc. The pros and cons of each need to be discussed with the vet, but before making a decision based on price, find out what is included first

It's great there is mutual respect and trust, but that is not what is expected by the various state practitioner's boards. Every time there is a bulletin or newsletter distributed there is invariably a reminder to fully discuss treatment options, outcomes and expected costs, maintain thorough clinical records and obtain informed consent prior to any treatment or procedures, because yet another practitioner has been hauled before the board based on a client complaint. Even if they have actually done nothing wrong, if evidence of these things cannot be produced or validated they will still receive at best a warning, if not a fine.

There are many threads about this very topic in the archives so it would be worth doing a search. We offer pre-anaesthetic testing for all patients undergoing a general anaesthetic and strongly recommend it for patients over 7-8 years of age. In other cases we may determine that a full blood profile is more appropriate and do this several days prior, or that a minor biochem is sufficient but not negotiable. In the majority of patients, the blood tests indicate the patient is fine and do not change our treatment but it is not uncommon for us to find some change that either affects our choice of medications, treatment protocols or makes us decide to delay a procedure. I don't agree with the thought that the vets should decide and just do what is needed. Just because a particular vet has done thing a particular way without complications for 40 years does not necessarily mean that what they offer is on par with currently accepted standards, but maybe they are. Pet owners need to make informed consent for treatment and procedures. We have the ability to test on the spot, therefore everyone is offered that option. If you don't wish to do it, or can't afford it then we don't do it - but the vets make informed treatment decisions based on the information that is, or is not known. Most of the clinical decisions we make have some degree of financial basis - it is very rare to be given a blank slate and be genuinely told to do 'whatever it takes'.

Dogs make up the majority of patient numbers in many suburban practices - I think ours is about 70%, the rest cats with a small % of pocket pets. I'm almost finished a Masters but if I get bored after that I will consider doing my Memberships in canine medicine. I spend a lot of time dealing with angry cats (the downside of doing further study in animal behaviour!) but if I limited my practice to dogs only there would be no itty bitty kitties

It should heal eventually, the result just wont be as beautiful as if it were sutured under GA. The main issue with this kind of injury on floppy ears is that they are easily flapped and scratched and this can dislodge blood clots and disturb healing - sometimes it can help to bandage the ear to the head for a few days to get things started. Otherwise keep it nice and clean and keep flies off - I wouldn't try to pick scabs etc off as they would be useful, concentrate mainly on ensuring there is no actual dirt or debris stuck to the wound.

The type of reaction you describe is one that I have only seen with cats that have ingested topical flea products (usually due to the base liquid), or indeed any other type of product that tastes nasty including accidentally chewing a worm tablet and some other oral liquid medications. It looks quite dramatic but is not harmful. Advantage is not absorbed systemically so aside from local reactions like burning or itching it should be very unlikely to cause a systemic reaction from being applied topically. The active ingredient also has no effect on mammals. It doesn't mean it is impossible that reactions can occur some other way but I have only really seen that reaction from either grooming another cat, or from scratching where the product is applied then licking the foot. It can take several hours for the area of application to dry completely.

Depends on what is included. Charged as a standard GA with fluids and pre-anaesthetic blood tests, it could come to that. We have a 'discounted' set of charges for dentistry that has a lower base price but even that with a blood test and a set of full mouth rads (if required) would be about $480 and any extractions and subsequent medications would be additional.

Correct - though cats will sometimes have a vestigal one!

Do dogs have a clavicle (collar bone)?

The benzodiazepine drugs can cause temporary loss of learned responses and loss of inhibition (which is most significant in cases of aggression). I only really prescribe alprazolam as an adjunct treatment in cases of severe separation anxiety or storm / noise phobias and although I warn owners about the possible side effects I do my best to avoid giving to any dogs with a history of aggressive behaviour. It can occasionally cause a paradoxical excitement as well which I always warn owners about. I always recommend giving trial doses prior to actually needing the medication and very rarely prescribe drugs just to 'settle' animals down.

If you are going to proceed with a spey, then taking a liver biospy at the same time will not add much time / pain / stress to the procedure. Doing a surgical biopsy (as opposed to an ultrasound guided TruCut biopsy) means there is good visualisation and the chance to ensure that there is no bleeding from the biopsy site. It also allows a much better sample to be collected. A CT might still be required to identify an intra-hepatic shunt, however a biopsy would still be recommended.

There are a couple of different approaches but the cases I have treated have either been with topical steroid creams, or a combination of doxycycline (an antibiotic with immunomudulating effected) and niacinamide. Reducing sun exposure is also important.

The prescription drugs are required to treat the mites but if there has been a recurrence then it's important to assess underlying causes. Certainly general health plays a part and trying to achieve optimal health with reduce the risk of relapse, but depending on the age and breed there may be some kind of underlying medical problem that needs to be further investigated (often hyperadrenocorticism and entire reproductive status). I have come across a couple of dogs that achieve 'negative status' for mites but require life long (but sometimes intermittent or only a few days per week) treatment with ivermectin to prevent relapses.

The species of lung worm are different in the dog and cat - the one being discussed as being of concern to both dogs and people is Angiostrongylus cantonensis. Never eat snails or slugs as a party trick - neural angiostrongylosis can be fatal in people and can be a cause of neurologic disease in dogs. It's not uncommon in the Northern Beaches and surrounding suburbs in Sydney. (Lung worm in cat is caused by Aelurostrongylus abstrusus - which is a completely different species and can be a cause of chronic respiratory disease.)

The risk with liver disease is not so much with the anaesthesia (as in going to and staying asleep) but with the drug choices before, during and after the procedure. The main consideration in these cases is either eliminating or reducing the dose of drugs that are metabolised mainly by the liver, as they have the potential to have either a more profound effect than expected, or potentially interact with other drugs due to prolonged clearance times. The main drugs of concern are those used for premedication (so using reduced doses of opiod drugs and avoiding others like medetomidine) and and post operative pain relief (using opiod drugs as opposed to NSAID drugs which are the most common choices). Maintenance of anaesthesia is typically with isoflurane gas only so the premedication will affect the level of gas flow required during the GA but the depth of anaesthesia can be changed quite quickly. The brachycephalic component does require extra management and it is a good idea to ask your vet how they will approach that, they should be happy to discuss it with you.