| The cat
with the golden eyes The housemen doctors were puzzled by this case of a thirty-year-old public health veterinarian hospitalised for observation of an undulating fever. On a day, Dr Kirkland might have no fever and  when they left he had high fever and
chills. He appeared normally when they did their morning
visits. Malaria was suspected as he had been travelling to Batam in Indonesia to inspect pigs. The malarial parasites in the body do cause fever and chills. Yet his blood examination showed not one protozoan parasite and this vet had undulating fever characteristic of malaria, a first diagnosis owing to its common occurrence. Three days ago, the assistant to the veterinarian had noticed that a six-year old female stray cat living around the vicinity of the Jurong pig abattoirs had golden yellow eyes or more precisely, the sclera or eye white had turned a brilliant golden yellow to match its iris colour. The ears were discoloured golden too. The small animal veterinarian was consulted. This cat has severe jaundice. What was the cause of this widespread yellow discoloration of the body systems? It had a varying fever too. Could Dr Kirkland be having the same illness as this stray cat? Blood tests taken from the cat showed spiral wriggling bacterial organisms under the microscope. Yet, no other cats were affected. As they were strays wandering all over the neighbourhood, it would be correct to say 
that those seen did not have golden eyes. Dr Kirkland thought he could be suffering from leptospirosis since he worked at the slaughter house. Yet this was a very rare public health disease in Singapore. Dr Kirkland should not self diagnose as he was a doctor of four legged patients, not a human doctor. Three days of suffering continued. Yet the doctors were not coming up with a diagnosis. "Test the blood for leptospira please," Dr Kirkland suggested. He was a strong active person able to withstand a systemic infections. But not for too long as the damage to his kidneys would kill him. The hospital doctor took a blood test which revealed he had leptospirosis. He was probably the first veterinarian or patient in the past twenty years to suffer from this disease as the doctor had not thought of this possibility. Antibiotic injections eliminated the bacteria and the veterinarian lived a many years. As for the stray cat, it was treated and recovered to continue its hobby of catching rats. Leptospirosis was an occupational hazard, both for this cat and the public health veterinarian.
"The cat with the golden eye" educational stories are part of the BE KIND TO PETS COMMUNITY PROJECT, supported by asiahomes.com |
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PAYOH VETStoapayohvets.com Date: 01 March, 2011 |
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