"How was he toilet-trained?" I asked as this Maltese lapped up all attention. This was a case of paper-training in a confined playpen which can't be unhinged. The playpen has a door unlike most cheaper playpens sold at Singapore's pet shops. The newspapered floor area was 100% at first, reducing to a corner. The Maltese was given commands and praises to use the papers.
"How long does it take to paper-train him?" I asked.
"We can't remember. It was 3 years ago. A few weeks" the wife said.
The Maltese was coming in for neuter. Although not all undescended testicles become cancerous during old age, the owner heeded my advice to get the undescended testicle removed. Just in case they are not aware of the growth of the hidden under the skin undescended left testicle in later years.
I thought this would be a simple routine neuter. What is so difficult about neutering a docile Maltese that never bites and that looks as strong as any Maltese can be.
Gas mask 8% knocked him down fast. He was not the aggressive type so it was much easier to anaesthesize him.
I put in the endotracheal tube to connect the gas to his lungs as is my normal routine. It is best to intubate all dogs I always advise young vets. In this case, the dog stopped breathing and the tube could deliver emergency oxygen if required.
Anaesthetic complications do happen and intubation is important just in case of emergency. In this routine neuter case, gas mask will do. But it is hard to predict which dog will stop breathing. I would expect this Maltese to take gas mask anaesthesia with no problem. But he did stop breathing. Know what to do as there is not much time before death occurs.
The dog recovered well and the owners were most happy. Their e-collar was loose and had to be fitted so that the dog would not pull it out of the neck and lick his skin incision. Pain-killers are given as a routine in 2008. Just in case the dog licks the wound.
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