380. "Complications due to Caesarean" - report by the Breeder

Toilet Training Your First Puppy in Singapore


The dam's tongue had turned deep purple under general gas anaesthetic before I could operate. Slow breathing rate. Was it too late? Had she died? The breeder watched from the top half glass door of the surgery room.

"Stop the flow of anaesthetic," I shouted to Nurse Anne. I disconnected the tube and blew air into the endotracheal tube connected to the lungs. Pressed the chest with my right fingers. There was breathing. The colour of the tongue was still deep purple. Emergency oxygen might be necessary. The dam blew breathing sounds of life into my right ear as I put the endotracheal tube end near my ears.

Stablised. The tongue turned maroon. Eye pupils no longer widely dilated as that would mean near death or in surgical anaesthesia. Breathing rates became normal.

On first cut, I nearly wanted to puke.

A foul stench. Like rotting meat in dark brown stools left in an enclosed air conditioned room. Big bubbles of gases popped out as dark brown yellowish fluid spilled out of the womb. A stiff Chihuahua pup enveloped by dark brown fluid. Decomposition had set in.

This is my 4th case of really stinking Caesarean. I put the dead pup into the towel and asked my nurse to take it away. Not to pollute the operating room air. Those must be gas-forming decomposing bacteria. How did the bacteria get into the 7th pup?

The first pup was born normally at 4 p.m the day before Caesarean. Enclosed in the water bag. The dam did nothing. The breeder broke the bag, swung and/or suck the puppy. It was normal delivery.

The second pup died just after birth. An easy natural no crying birth. The puppy just popped out. A beautiful big sized white Chihuahua. Much desired by the breeder. The breeder decided not to service the clients but to focus on the birth process.

The third pup died as the umbilical cord had strangulated him.

The fourth pup was pulled out by the breeder. It did not survive.

The fifth pup was the desired white colour. 2 cries. The breeder thought this pup would be OK. It died soon despite swinging the pup to get the water out.

The 6th pup did not come out after waiting 2 hours. It was 10 p.m. The breeder left the mother alone. A very dam. First birth but did not know what to do with the pups. Gentle and active. Much loved.


The next day, the 6th pup was born but had no head. The mother must have had bitten and swallowed the head.

The breeder felt a hard lump. He put his finger into the birth canal to check the status.

"Did you wash your fingers properly or wear a sterile glove?" I asked him on the 2nd day after surgery when I asked him to narrate the sequence of birth so that we could learn from the experience. I was there to vaccinate his puppies.

"I wash my hands with soap and water after the examination."

So, that might be a cause of introducing the gas forming bacteria into the womb. Or it could be due to other reasons. The 7th pup could have died sometime ago. This was a healthy plump dam. Should be strong and healthy.

"It would be better to have an elective Caesarean for 7 pups," I said. It was easy to be smart on hindsight.

"But the dam could give birth naturally," the breeder said. "Besides I don't know when she would be due."

"Was there milk in the dam?" I asked.

"Yes, for past 2 days."

"Did you take rectal temperature?" I asked. "Monitor every 3-6 hours. If temperature drops below 38 deg C and then rises, the birth will be due in 24 hours. So, Caesarean section would not lead to premature pups."

"I don't have any thermometer and I can't find any."

The breeder would stock up on thermometers.

I hope this episode would be useful to other Chihuahua breeders all over the world.

And to veterinarians.

What did the breeder's daughter write in the breeder's record of this dam?



Death due to "complications from Caesarean section."

She was not present at the Caesarean. When the dam dies after Caesarean, it was the fault of the veterinarian. So, the breeding community started telling each other how incompetent the vet was. It was the vet's fault.

I told the breeder's daughter. "The death was due to toxaemia. The dam died because the blood was poisoned by the gas-forming bacteria. Overwhelming large doses of poison. The dam went home but died a few hours later. I had told your father that the chances of survival were almost zero, from my experience. The dam had fluid therapy, antibiotics and oxytocin. But there would be kidney damage and maybe other organs being shut down by the poison. It was surprising that she did not die on the operating table.

The breeder signed, "I don't blame you. I saw the dam having breathing problems. She just looked at me, went to sleep and did not wake up after coming home. I don't feed her as Caesarean mums don't eat after surgery. You know, the Maltese dam is alive although the pup had died later."

In the Maltese case, the Caesarean was done after a few hours. More than 2 hours of no birth. The pup was distressed. It would not move but it did cry weakly on taking out from the womb.

Well, it was good to get a discussion with this breeder for the good of all dams and mothers. At $1,500 per pup, the total loss would be 7x$1,500 or $10,500. The value of the dam was much more.

For Chihuahuas with more than 4 pups, I would think that elective Caesarean would still be the best way. This was an unusual uncommon case though. Who would expect the 7th pup to be decomposed? Was the bacteria from the breeder's fingers?

There was warning signs of things not going well when the 2nd - 3rd pup were not surviving. The toxins had travelled in the mother's blood stream to kill off the pups. If Caesarean had been performed after the 3rd pup, it was possible that the mother would still be alive.

Not died due to "complications due to Caesarean". The breeder's daughter agreed that death was due to "toxaemia" and that the 7th pup was badly decomposed.

Now you know why I don't like to perform Caesarean surgeries for breeders as they might misrepresent. A veterinarian's professional reputation is easily damaged if this breeder told others that the vet operated but the dam died due "due to complications of Caesarean." When the real cause of death was toxaemia due to belated Caesarean section request from the breeder.

Follow up: 7 days later. August 19, 2006.

The first pup was bottle-fed 3 hourly by the breeder's daughter. It had red paws on day 2 when I saw it. Active and produce good orange brown stools. No long hours of sleep for her.

However, the breeder's daughter telephoned me to ask for amoxicillin antibiotics as recommended by her Australian breeder friend because the puppy had runny stools.

"It is not just giving antibiotics," I said. "Did you keep all equipment clean or did you change the management of the puppy meaning did somebody feed the puppy?"

"I kept everything clean," she said. "Mum took over the feeding earlier."

"So the feeding management or milk formula was changed," I said. "Observe for the next few hours and stablise the gut."

I did not hear from her for the next 24 hours. I presume this pup would be OK. For breeders, it is best not to do unclean digital examination of the cervix of the dams.

379. Excitation urination - Jack Russell wets her pants?

Toilet Training Your First Puppy in Singapore




"You must be a military person?" I asked the owner. "Your booming voice could have caused the Jack Russell puppy to pee everytime she greets you."

He nodded his head. "But she peed everytime somebody came to the house. And after barking at other dogs downstairs. We brought her downstairs once a week. She even peed after your old contractor walked into the surgery to do some measurements for your autoclave table top!"

The puppy peed on the consultation table too. Several drops here and there. After taking pictures, the chair had several drops too.

So, this was not a real case of submissive urination? Or was it submissive and excitation urination? Kind of wetting your pants when you are afraid and excited? Happens to female dogs only?

"Try and get her to meet more people," I said.

378. Big breeds in Singapore - expat housing

Toilet Training Your First Puppy in Singapore

E-mail enquiry from overseasKL wrote:

Ma'am:

I am considering a one- to two-year relocation to Singapore and would like to request your thoughts with regard to importing personal pets from the United States. Specifically, I am curious how difficult it would be to find rental housing which will accept larger dogs. I own a Shepherd mix (approximately 75 pounds) and a Coonhound (approximately 55 pounds). I anticipate my housing budget including utilities being approximately US$5,000.00 per month.

Your website, providing both real estate and pet information, leads me to believe you are the perfect expert for my question! I would also appreciate any insights you can provide with regard to Singapore animal importation requirements as well as living with larger dogs in Singapore in general.

Thanks very much in advance for any information you can provide.

Regards,
KL

E-mail reply
August 14, 2006 11.30 am. National Library, Victoria Street, 7th floor.

Judy has asked Manager Sharon to give you a list of properties for private house rent within your specifications and show you around if your company permits outside realtors. Some corporations do not permit and it is up to you to negotiate early if you want www.asiahomes.com realtors to service you.

I am Dr Sing, a veterinarian from www.toapayohvets.com
I will type a very quick reply to your doggy questions about Singapore on behalf of Judy.


HOUSING FOR LARGE BREEDS.
You need to rent a house with garden, preferably a bungalow or semi-detached with garden. Your budget is most likely sufficient for a semi-detached house in expatriate enclaves. This budget may also get you a cluster townhouse (communal pool but very small bedrooms, modern, 3-5 storeys) in the high class expatriate favoured residential estate of District 9 and 10

A bungalow in suburban areas may be possible at your budget but I doubt it as there is a big influx of expatriates coming into Singapore in 2006 and rentals have gone up while supply is very limited. 99% of landlords of houses permit dogs of various sizes.

CANINE LAWS. The Singapore Government has a 3-dog maximum per house. Since you have two, you are still law abiding. However, they need to be quarantined 4 weeks. You can visit them in quarantine station. They need rabies vaccination. I advise that you make sure they have updated their usual core vaccinations.

Distemper, hepatitis and parvoviral vaccines are fatal diseases for dogs. They are still around in Singapore, despite effective vaccination. Kennel cough vaccination is important for your dogs too as you may not be too happy when you find them coughing inside or after of quarantine if they get infected.

Dogs and puppies come from various parts of the world to meet at one place of accommodation, be they the quarantine or boarding kennels and not all of them are effectively vaccinated or protected.

HEAT STRESS. Don't let your dogs go out from 11 am - 4 pm if possible and provide shade and plenty of water. They will acclimatise.

I hope this e-mail answers your queries sufficiently. Let me know if you need more info. Best wishes.

377. The Siberian Husky uses the apartment's cul de sac

Toilet Training Your First Puppy in Singapore

The couple in their fifties were proud of this Siberian Husky living in an apartment. Thick coat and no skin problem for the past year after consulting me for skin problems when she was a puppy. Now she was coming in for her vaccination booster.

Not all Singaporeans want to keep small breeds.

"So how did you toilet train her?" I asked.

"The corner apartment has a small corridor," the man said. "She just uses that area as her toilet."

That was a good idea. The Husky considered the whole apartment as her living and eating area and would never eliminate inside. Big breeds eliminate a lot. So, it is important that they do it outdoors. Responsible owners do pick up the poop and wash the tiled area as neighbours might object to the smell.

376. The Golden Retriever uses the apartment toilet

Toilet Training Your First Puppy in Singapore

Fortunately I am able to converse in Mandarin as there are more Chinese Nationals owning pets. This young couple consulted me on skin problems with their Golden Retriever puppy. Elbows were red and a circular patch of hair loss presented on the forehead. Nothing serious.

TOILET TRAINING

The puppy was trained in the bathroom. He liked the floor tiles and disliked newspapers. So, he just went to eliminate in the bathroom. That was good as it was easy to wash away his pee and remove his poop. The couple said there was not much hassle in getting him house broken this way.

*375. Follow up 1 year later - Pom (Blog No. 7). Diapers and accidents

Toilet Training Your First Puppy in Singapore


Sunday, Aug 18, 2006

The more than one-year-old Pom clung tightly to his owner's shoulders as he came in for his annual vaccination. He looked much like his younger days.



So, was the toilet training successful?

"We confined him by blocking him in a small corner at the kitchen, but he barks a lot and wanted to get out. So, we did not confine him as he wanted to be free. After 3 months he eliminate on the diapers (puppy training pads).

"Now he goes to "diapers" and the tiles at the corner of the kitchen floor. The smell of "diapers" attracted him to pee on them, so no newspapers are used."

"Maybe he like the soft touch of the diapers (puppy training pads)," I was surprised that he could not be paper-trained on newspapers. "Was the vinegar:water mixture effective in toilet training?"

"The vinegar:water mixture did not work," the lady said. "He still peed on the floor in the living and dining areas of the apartment."

"Actually the mixture worked to neutralise some floor tiles," I said. "Dogs have very sensitive noses. You probably had some left over urine smell."

Reasons could be the mop being used was not thoroughly rinsed.

"He still has 'accidents', occasionally by peeing near the main door and another door. He pees a few times but poops twice after meals, per day."

"These are not accidents," I said. "He was urine marking. Does he urine marking home furniture and trees and lamp posts outdoors?"

"Yes," his lady owner said. "He pees on table legs and near the main door and another door."

In this case, he was behaving normally as a male dog. To the owner, he seems to pee a lot. But he was urine-marking. It was good to know he was much loved, diapers or no diapers. Each dog behaves differently. Puppy training pads are good solutions used by many apartment owners in cases where newspapers were not effective.

The following blog was published one year ago is reproduced below:

Monday, August 15, 2005
7. The Pom poos on the tiles only

"When I put the newspapers below him, he poops a bit and ran to the floor tiles in any part of the apartment to complete passing his stools," the tall Chinese lady said when I asked whether the Pomeranian has had been toilet-trained. In Singapore, most puppies are paper-trained as 80% of the population lives in apartments.

Most 18-week-old puppies should be paper-trained. He was sick and that was why his toilet training was delayed. This Pomeranian was soiling the whole apartment. The mother had to clean up after him. If this goes on, the whole apartment will smell strongly of dog's urine. When he grows up, his stool volume will be more and he may not be tolerated.

So, what's the solution?

The solution lies in knowing the daily schedule for the puppy.



1. Feeding. He is fed twice per day in the living area. Water is freely available from the water bottle. He is home alone from 10 a.m to 5 p.m.

2. His sleeping area is a wire crate with a wire flooring and a pee tray below. Early morning, he will bark loudly to be let out to do his business outside the cage. This is good. No puppy wants to soil its own den. In the evening, he will be let out of the crate. He will play a while and goes to the floor tiles to pee and poop, ignoring the newspapers.

Why does he ignore the papers? The paper has no toilet training aid smell nor urine smell. The whole apartment has strong urine smell for him and that is why he goes to the same area to do his business.

What can be done to change his behaviour?



1. In the morning after he barks, put him in a playpen (enclosed area). Newspapers with some urine smell are placed inside the playpen. Praise him when he does his business. Reward. Repeat the same procedure in the evening.

2. The puppy will associate the newspapers as toilet area in time.




3. Vinegar:Water = 1:1. Spray mixture on all floor tiles to neutralise the dog urine smell. Wipe clean. (Various dog books recommend 1:1, 1:3, 1:4).

4. Later, open one side so that the Pom can rush into the toilet area (newspaper).

5. Later, put newspapers in living area an kitchen.

She promises to let me know in 2 weeks if the recommendations are successful.

374. The Shih Tzu walks onto poop to drink and eat

Toilet Training Your First Puppy in Singapore

WB = water bottle
FB = feed bowl

I advised against the 3rd vaccination as this Shih Tzu was very thin, at 1 kg. Now she was 1.7 kg but still thin.

"He has good appetite after you gave him the deworming medicine. But he does not eat all at one time.

"You could have distracted him," I said. The couple was working. So, distraction at feeding time would be normal. The puppy was stronger and heavier. But the spinal bones could still be felt protruding from the back.

How much to feed?" the couple in their late thirties asked me.

"There is no formula," I said. "Feel the spinal bones. If you just can't feel the sharp edges, then he is about the right weight."

"The puppy is very clean," the lady said. "Sometimes, after midnight, he would bark to get her newspapers changed."

It is good that the puppy sleeps alone in her playpen.

I asked about the layout of the puppy's den. Surprisingly, the towel bed was placed distant from the feed bowl and water bottle. The elimination area was between the bed and the feeding bowl which is left all day with food. This is important as the Shih Tzu did not finish his feed within 15 minutes (due to distraction).



"There is a dirty area for the puppy to get to his food," I said. "The puppy would prefer a clean eating and drinking area." A new layout was given in the lower figure of the photograph.

For this owner, the puppy is the child. So, they did not complain much when I said that the sponsor of the vaccination card (for free vaccination) had started to dishonour any card being presented. The sponsor would not reimburse me for vaccination now. They wanted the best for their puppy and paid for the vaccination without fuss.

373. How the Schnauzer got his yellow whiskers?

Toilet Training Your First Puppy in Singapore






Surprises come if you are observant. The white Miniature Schnauzer X Jack Russell came for his annual vaccination. He was the big sized over 14 inch tall Schnauzer. No trace of Jack Russell blood.

"Let me know if he is healthy," the young couple in their late twenties said.

He was healthy. Only that he had bright deep yellow strands of "whiskers" on both sides of his nose and even his front paws had a few strands.

"Is he licking his urine?" I asked the gentleman.

"His urine is dark yellow, but I don't see him doing it."

A mystery. The left and right half of the face had almost identical amount of yellow whiskers. How did the dog do it? It is as if he had make up.

"A few months after being bleached white by the groomer, the yellow colour returns," the gentleman said. "The groomer does not know what is the cause."

Is there a clue somewhere? How could he get symmetrical yellow markings on the face?

It certainly looked like yellow urine stains.

"He does rub his face on our dark brown sofa," the lady said.

"Is it fabric and has the colour faded after his rubbing?"

"It is a fabric sofa but the colour does not get rubbed off" the lady said.

He is a very clean dog. An unusual habit of pooping 5 times per day if the owner is at work but twice during weekends when the owner is home. He poops outside the newspapers but pees onto the papers.

"Could he be eating stools and getting his whiskers stained?"

"No," the owners were confident that he did not have coprophagia.

He does not lift his leg to pee unlike other male dogs. He pees 4 times per day when he is home alone but 2 times when he is with us during weekends. He will just go to the newspapers to pee in private.

"He pees dark yellow urine but we don't think he plays with his urine. He may flick off the newspaper but not dirty himself," the lady said.

Any clues from his pee elimination habit? Apparently none. I still think it was urine stain. If there is a close circuit video camera, we may know the answer. But it was not practical to suggest.

Could it be genetic? Bright yellow whiskers sprout due to his Jack Russell inheritance? But Jack Russells don't have yellow whiskers. However, mixed breeds are hard to rule out such a possibility. I did not mention this.

You see, the roots of the yellow whisker hair are white. So, the owners did not think that the colours were inborn.

"Any chew toys that stain his whiskers?" I asked. "Even then, how do the whiskers on both sides get more or less equally stained?"

"No," the owners said.

"Well," the lady laughed. "There is a brown hot dog chew toy which is now in bits."

Could this hot dog be the culprit? The owners said they will e-mail to me a picture of this hot dog. If the hot dog is removed, will the whiskers go back to white colour?

My hypothesis is that he is stained by his urine when he is home alone. The colour really looks so much like the urine stains I had seen in other puppies and sick dogs. How did he do it? Did he do it on purpose? Or is it his habit of chewing the colours from the brown and yellow hot dog toy? Why then are his lower lips and chin white?

The mystery still continues.