Yesterday, Monday,
Mar 19, 2012, at 10pm, I received a phone call from
Clare who had cared for a Maltese, Female, spayed, 5 kg,
7 years old, in her apartment. The dog was Ok but
started to pant non-stop for the past 48 hours. The
owner was overseas and she had to get veterinary
attention.
"The dog may be having a heart attack," she said to me.
I drove down with Dr Daniel who had just completed his
REA lecture on advertising at Toa Payoh Hub. We waited
some time for Clare to come.
After the physical examination by Dr Daniel, I examined
the dog and asked Dr Daniel: "What is the cause of this
continuous panting? Is it a heart attack?" My assistant
Min was helpful in suggesting that the dog's mouth be
closed while his heart was being auscultated. An old dog
like Min and I would know that.
"No," he said. I agreed with him. "So, what is the
problem?"
"Pneumonia," he said. "Yes, the right lung sounds were
harsh."
"What to do?" I asked.
ABC is the usual standard operating procedure taught by
the vet professors.
A=Airway
B=Breathing
C=Circulation
The dog's tongue was cyanotic. "Check the rectal
temperature again," I asked Min when he showed a 39.4
deg C in the thermometer. It was again 39.4 deg C. A dog
that had panted non-stop for 48 hours should show a much
higher temperature. Yet, she did not. She could eat.
"Drank lots of water," Clare said. "But otherwise,
passed normal stools and had appetite."
So, what causes the sudden-onset pneumonia?
"Kennel cough," Dr Daniel had elicited cough reflexes
from the throat.
"It is possible," I said since this dog was boarded by
the busy groomer who would have such viruses. "But the
dog has regular vaccination," Clare said. But what type
of vaccination? She did not know. Kennel cough
vaccination is usually not done.
"It is possible that the virus has attacked the lungs,"
I said. "I need the blood test and the X-rays."
In the meantime, what to do?
"Oxygen therapy. That is for "A" of the ABC for
respiratory distress lecture by the professors. Did the
dog need oxygen now? I didn't agree.
"It would be better to reduce this incessant panting as
the heart will fail if it continues," I said. Sedative
diazepam rectal tube was given. Lasix was injected IM. A
drip was given. Tolfedine and baytril with pred.
The dog's panting rate reduced by 50% after half an
hour. The groomer went home quite relieved. At 8.20 am
today, I checked the dog. She was panting much less.
More observations needed to be done and the blood
results should be known.
Tips for Dog Owners
The best time to spay your dog is 2 months after the end
of heat
TOA
PAYOH VETS
