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HOW YOUR PUPPY
CAN LIVE LONGER?
Dr Sing Kong Yuen,
BVMS (Glasgow), MRCVS
Excerpts from "How Your Puppy Can Live Longer?" by Dr Kong Sing
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"Female
dogs are better," experienced dog owners
will say. "No spraying of urine onto the walls, like male dogs."
Most Singaporeans live in apartments as Singapore is a city.
Therefore, female dogs are better appreciated. Castration at 6
months of age or earlier may resolve this problem.
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INFORMATION FOR PET OWNERS
CASTRATION OF
A MALE DOG AT TOA PAYOH VETS
WHAT TO EXPECT
The veterinarian removes the two descended testicles of the male
dog. This is called castration. It is a major surgery.
WHAT TO
DO BEFORE
Make
appointments 6254-3326 for surgery. The dog must be healthy
and not obese. He is active and has an excellent appetite.
Should have his last vaccination less than 12 months ago. No food
and water in the morning. Bathe the bitch the night before and clean
his private parts and lower abdomen thoroughly.
Bring the dog in at 9 a.m. No food and water in the morning. Make
sure the dog has passed motion and urine. He has no ticks or
skin diseases.
WHAT TO DO DURING
The dog is given a tranquiliser and a general
anaesthesia using gas. The skin in the midline, above the scrotum is
incised. The testicles are removed from the scrotum. If there
is only one testicle in the scrotum, the other one may be under the
skin or inside the abdomen. In this case, the owner will be
informed. Pictures are shown below.
WHAT TO DO AFTER
The owner takes the dog home at around 5 p.m. Make
sure that the dog does not jump and run around for the next 7 - 14
days. The wound is covered by a plaster to prevent licking. Check
the wound daily for signs of itchiness. Replace the plaster on day 5
if necessary. If not, remove the plaster on day 10. The
stitches on the skin will dissolve after 14 days and there is no
need to return to the surgery for stitch removal. Consult the vet
promptly if the bitch irritates the wound or is not feeling well. |
CASTRATION PROCEDURES FROM 2005
AT TOA PAYOH VETS
In 2005, absorbable sutures, antibiotic powder and a plaster are
used in dog castration at Toa Payoh Vets. An Elizabeth collar may or
may not be necessary. Some owners are concerned about the length of
the skin incision. They compare and contrast with other
friend's bitches spayed. They prefer short incisions.
Whenever possible, the shortest cut is made as in this case.
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shortest incision is made after locating the undescended testicle.
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After removal of the the undescended testicle and the descended one
inside the scrotum, the skin is stitched. Antibiotic powder will be
put on the dried wound area. |
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plaster covers the wound for the next 10 days. It may be replaced
earlier if the bitch feels itchy. Consult your vet at Toa Payoh
Vets. |
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UNDESSCENDED TESTICLE.
What should you do when the puppy has
undescended (retained) testicles? Two testicles should have descended into
the scrotum by the time the puppy is six months old. Yet, there will
be cases when the testicle has not descended.
The risk of the retained testicle becoming cancerous when the puppy is
older is present. You may not be aware of the growth as you seldom
check an older dog. The cancerous growth can be as large as a hen's
egg by the time the dog is over 10 years old. The probability of
developing a cancerous testicle is high if it is not descended into
the scrotum.
It may be sensible to get the retained testicle removed by your veterinary
surgeon when the puppy is 6 - 12 months old. If the male dog has
unsociable behaviour such as urine spraying to mark his territory, bites
people when unprovoked or guarding its feed bowl, mounting on people's
legs and barking non-stop, it may be best to get him neutered early.
This webpage:
www.asiahomes.com/singaporerealty/0607hunting_bigdining.htm
Extracts from the
Asiahomes.com Book: How Your Puppy Can Live Longer
Dr Sing Kong Yuen, BVMS (Glasgow), MRCVS.
Buyers interested in this book, email to
judy@asiahomes.com
Article
contributed by: Dr Sing Kong Yuen, Veterinary Surgeon, Toa Payoh
Vets.
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TOA
PAYOH VETS 
