9406Singapore pet health and welfare educational for animal lovers, excerpts from The Glamorous Vets, Singapore, sponsored by  AsiaHomes Internet.

Can you prescribe Viagra?


"Tail always down" complained Ms Susan Long, a traffic  policewoman.  "I can't go jogging with him at the Bukit Batok Nature Reserve nowadays as he refused to walk down the stairs."

Ms Long's companion was not able to walk down the steps to the elevator.  In addition, her handsome eight-year old terrier cross had a problem of not being able to wag his tale.  Despite the  hot and humid Singapore, this terrier had an excellent coat and looked much younger.

"Doc, do you think you can prescribe Viagra? If it solves the problem for men, it will help Tommy!" 

"Let me get some history of this dog first," replied Dr Melissa Chua. Viagra, a diamond shaped blue tablet had been in the headlines and was considered by the government for use in men with impotence problems. 

"He had constipation for over two weeks.  Two years ago, he had passed blood in its stools.  I had three veterinarians to check on him for his passing blood.  No kidney stones shown on X-rays," Ms Long said.  "Now he is reluctant to walk down the 14 steps from the apartment to the lift unless I whistle 'Majullah Singapura'.  Definitely not happy to climb up stairs".

In Singapore, most of the older Housing and Development Board apartments that house 90% of the Singaporeans do not have lifts stopping at every floor level.  Therefore, Ms Long and her dog had to walk down two floors to get to the elevator.  Her dog would rush down the stairs first.  

"Be warned that my dog bites," Ms Long advised.  The dog was muzzled as Ms Long lifted him gently onto the examination table.  Dr Chua pressed the spinal area behind the neck with the thumb and fore fingers of her right hand.  There was no pain response. The pressure was applied to the lower part of the spine. No problem. 

Suddenly, the dog gave a loud yelping sound.  There was an intense pain on palpation on the spinal area just above the tail and between the hips.
The dog's back went downwards.  A second application of the pressure reproduced the same reaction.  Tommy was going to bite as he was not happy.  

"There's pain on the sacral area," Dr Chua explained.  "It would be due to trauma or a intervertebral disc prolapse."

"Is there an injection to cure this?"

"As this is the first time, it will be best to rest the dog for the next three months.  A pain killer can be given but rest is most important."

"No more jogging?"

"The dog can become paralyzed if you continue to exercise him."

"How about his constipation?"

"Once the pain is relieved, he should be able to pass his stools." What would Ms Long do without her jogging companion?  Would the back pain recur?  The most important issue now is to give her companion a complete rest for the next three months.