Tick Fever

I was saddened today after a visit to Furry Pets (now at the Badminton Hall at Guellimard Road). Tiger's girlfriend, Win, also a westie, stays there in the day with her owner Tony, who owns the pet cafe cum pet shop. Win Win is now blind in one eye due to a bout of tick fever. Tony only realized something was wrong after Win failed to cross the road together with him, something she had never done before. By the time they discovered that it was tick fever after running blood tests, her retina had detached. She is merely 6 years old and now she struggles to get used to seeing out of just one eye. It was heart-breaking seeing her scratch her left eye, rubbing against her bed, not comprehending that there is nothing blocking her vision, that she has lost her sight. Her movement is slower now, and her temperament has changed to become more cautious and moody.




We have to be thankful that Win Win survived, as tick fever claims many doggy lives. I used to be under the impression that tick fever occurs only when there is an infestation and too many ticks attack a dog, resulting in a overdose of toxins in the body. I was wrong. Even one single tick can kill a dog!!




We as dog owners have to be vigilant against these pests. I used to take it for granted that dogs would always have ticks, and that as long as we run our fingers over our dog's bodies now and then, and exterminate the bloodsuckers, it would be okay. However, more than that, we can take active steps to prevent ticks. From my experience with dogs, I realize that some dogs were more susceptible to ticks than others. One way of prevention is to add a small amount of garlic to their diet. Another way is to avoid areas with long grass. And there is the obvious choice of tick collars and vaccinations. More importantly, give our pets good quality food that strengthens the immune system so that ticks are not so attracted to them. Kibble (dry food) like Pedigree does nothing except fill their tummies. 




In fact, kibble is just a convenient alternative to feeding the real food that our pets deserve. If possible, go for BARF diet. If you have time, cooked meats with rice and some vegetable is great too. If you really can't afford the time, at least go for a quality brand of kibble like Science Diet.

Here's a disgusting picture of a tick and what looks like a bean. It is actually a tick engorged with blood. I always kill them by pinching them between tissues and you get a gratifying "tick" sound followed by a splatter of blood. (yeah, yucks I know) 

I researched and here is how to remove ticks and some information on tick fever:



How to Find and Remove Ticks:



1. Get a pair of tweezers to grasp the tick at the point of attachement (i.e the head)



2. Do not squeeze tick's body as you do not want it to burst and spread its bacteria.



3. Pull tick straight out from skin without twisting. Some skin may also detach, but this is normal. There maybe slight bleeding.



4. You may want to squeeze the ticks between papers, like me, or just drown it in the toilet.



5. If the tick's head is still embedded, use the tweezers to pull it off if possible. If not, just leave it alone.



6. After removal, clean with mild soap and water. Apply a balm if desired. Keep an eye on this spot for the next few days. It should clear up. If not, please look for a vet.



7. A tick will never voluntarily detach itself. Do not use lighters, alcohol or other chemicals to remove ticks. They bring more harm than good.





TICK FEVER IN DOGS  

What are ticks? 

Ticks are insects. They attach themselves to an infected mammal (deer, sheep, dog etc) and feed by puncturing a vein, that is, it feeds on blood. 

In doing so, the parasite which is in the red blood cells, enters the tick. The tick then drops off and lays eggs which develop into a generation of infected ticks. Ticks are attracted to warmth, and so will attach to a dog (or other mammal) when passing. It will then have a blood meal, passing the parasite into the dog’s bloodstream in the process. 

  

"Here's another super gross picture of the blood-filled parasite. Can't wait to squeeze the life out of it."

The parasite invades the red blood cells, causing the body to recognise that they are different and therefore reject and destroy them. 

The ticks are most active when it is warm and wet (this means Singapore, ALL THE TIME!) 

Signs to look out for :

Early signs are trembling and shivering. Depending on the severity of infection the dog will refuse food and is reluctant to leave his bed. This can happen very suddenly. 

If you can see what colour the urine is (easier in males than females!), you will find that it is not the normal yellow colour, but brown in colour. This is the pigment from the red blood cells which are being destroyed. Also, the gums are paler due to the breakdown of red blood cells. 

Those of you happy to wield a thermometer will find the temperature is often as high as 104°F or 40°C. 

It is the rejection of the red blood cells which causes the clinical signs of lethargy, high temperature, discoloured urine (the pigments from the blood are excreted in the urine), yellowing of the skin, gums and around the eyes i.e. jaundice ( when the amount of pigment broken down cannot be excreted quickly enough), muscle weakness and even convulsions. 

If you suspect this disease, you must arrange for a vet to see your dog as soon as possible. 

Diagnosis:

A definite diagnosis can be difficult, as a blood smear (taken from the ear or a toe) does not always show the parasite. However the vet will use his experience, and as rapid treatment is the key to success, will often treat regardless of whether the parasite is found. 

There are blood tests to determine if there is a low grade infection, or to determine if the dog is reacting to an infection, but these take time to analyse and again, treatment is usually started before a result is obtained. 

The basis of treatment is an injection which kills the parasite, and this can be repeated after several days. The injection is often painful, so be prepared. 

Occasionally antibiotics are also given, and supportive therapy such as a drip or anti vomiting drugs can be useful. Other than that, lots of tender loving care, to persuade your pet to recover is the most valuable tool. 

So hopefully after you read this, take a moment to run your fingers through your pets bodies to get rid of those vermin. 

Mirror Mirror on the Wall, What a Way to Fall

My mirror was broken by my little 4-year old student last week. She had knocked it over since it was not attached to the wall, but leaning securely against it. We had been waiting for her dad to pick her up and he was late by 15 minutes. Outside, her 13 year-old sister was waiting at the sofa.

Anyway, I was barely in the toilet for ten seconds when I heard a loud crash and then crying. Discarding whatever I intended to do, I dashed out to find my mirror shattered and the little girl sobbing away. I checked her out immediately and was relieved to find that she was only bruised on the shoulder. Apparently, she had been running about, playing with my dog when it happened.

The father who came to learn about it offered to compensate me. So I went off to get my new mirror at $199. When I informed him of it, he turned the tables on me and said that his daughter was lucky to get away unscathed from a major mishap, and that since there were young children coming to my place, I should ensure their safety. So since he had offered to pay, he will fork out $50 in compensation.

When I told my friend about this, she went, "Typical indians". I have nothing against Indians as a race and some of my very good friends in JC were Indians. I admire their gift of the gab, their family unity and their energy. However, it does seem like when it comes to money, they tend to be really calculating. I have had other unpleasant brushes with them in the past involving money.

I thought that yes, while I should be partly responsible for the incident, at best, the father should have offered to halve the bill with me. This mirror is 2m high. If his daughter didn't knock it with enough impact, it would never have fallen by itself. It was a good thing that my dog didn't get hurt, or that it didn't destroy other pieces of furniture in my place. Secondly, the father was late. Thirdly, the elder sister should be keeping an eye on her little sister. And besides, I had to clean up the mess, make a trip to dispose of the mirror, and choose a replacement, transport it back, all for a little girl's mistake.

Anyway, I choose not to nit-pick with him. If he thinks that's fair enough, I have nothing to say. And here's my new mirror with an imposing silver frame. Check out my other blog for pictures of my old mirror, with artistic crack lines.

One Community Walk @ Ponggol Park

In conjunction with YOG (Youth Olympic Games),  85, 000 people took part in a morning walk on 25th July, Sunday at 730am. Genecia Luo of InQueenz formed a Beauty Queen/Manhunt team of which I was a part, to support the event.

Here's us arriving in the morning at 7am. I had to wake up at 530am to get ready. It was a zzzz struggle, as I am definitely not a morning person. Nor a sporty person. The 3 of us took a photo while we were fresh, and me, barely awake. Incidentally, Tiger got the honour of being the only canine participant there.

Doing mass warm-ups... apparently, even though it was only a 2.2km walk warm-ups were recommended. (er, isn't walking itself a kind of warm up already?) My motor coordination skills are not fantastic so I was fumbling along trying to follow the actions. And dang...couldn't find my track shoes in the morning frenzy so I settled for my most comfortable wedges instead. Hehe, no one noticed but I felt rather out of place in them, and my soles smarted a bit after the walk, but other than that, it was bearable. 

Tiger patiently watched the action, secretly glad that he doesn't have to do them too. So...what's in his bag? Haha, as usual, plastic bags for his poo, and mommy's handphone and car key. Might as well be useful since he got to go out. Unfortunately, his stamina isn't fantastic, so for the last 20 min of the walk, I ended up carrying him and his yellow load. That was a biceps workout for me. This pooch weighs 8kg hor!

We were featured on the news! Tiger is famous!! 15 secs of fame. Ok make that 1 sec of fame. Cheap thrill, but it's always fun catching ourselves on TV.

Some photos with Minister of Foreign Affairs George Yeo. He really liked Tiger, saying "Cute dog" and "This is a really good dog!" along the walk. I was positively beaming from ear to ear when I told Mr Yeo I trained Tiger personally.

This is the whole team after the walk. Bet Genecia is sweating pailfuls of sweat. She was wearing tights under her track pants, and a tee under her tracksuit. Plus the long hair! How uncomfortable it must have been. Already, my long hair seems to be sticking to my skin and that was fairly irritating.

As you can see, we were all slightly sweaty at Bliss Cafe, where refreshments were served. This cafe is quite a tranquil spot. It is a great place to hang out close to nature, just beside the reservoir. They seem to be always crowded at night, according to a friend living close by.

This looks like a nice pic, but we were all very sticky from perspiration and it wasn't cool standing so close. Hold your breath everyone. Note to self: Need to soak that sash in detergent.

Raine had her virgin attempt at hosting this event. She was so upset cos some jerk told her that she was like a "blank piece of paper" onstage. On the contrary, I thought she did rather well for a novice. We had to give her lots of assurance. Poor girl felt so lousy after that until someone else complimented her on her effort. I could see she was close to tears by then, touched by his kind words. 


I look so puffy-eyed in this picture. At first I thought it was because I only had 4 hours of sleep, then later on I realized it was my undereye allergy getting worse. It was growing into a larger patch and was starting to itch. Unable to take it anymore, I went to the doc yesterday to get it checked out, and he gave me a jab, an eye wash, eye cream, scar cream, tablets and made me poorer by $170. Sigh, and I don't even know how something that started as a small spot under my eye would grow and swell and spread sympathetically to the other eye too. Worse thing is I was scheduled for a shoot a Nu You and even makeup couldn't hide the red swelling. I hope the DI (digital imaging) is good. Told my friend he better do a good job for me :p 

Last photo with a YOG volunteer in bright orange shirt, in my opinion, the worst colour to wear. Why do all these gahmen people always have such bad taste when it comes to tee-shirts??! I mean, how many people actually look glowing in orange? Almost everyone looks sallow. The only benefit I can think of is that team members can recognize their kind from ten km away in this neon tee. :0

Pets

Took these along the way to Komala's a East Coast Park for some delicious Masala Thosai. I am totally behind these notices to pet owners to pick up after their pets. I do. I bring along small plastic bags whenever Tiger goes out. You can be eco-friendly by using those plastic bags the supermarket provides when you buy fruits. 

And Tiger has a new teddy! My gift to him to for being such an angel.

And here is Super. He was so cute. I put in a toilet roll for him to play about. Instead, he decided to put his head into it to sleep. Hedgehogs are nocturnal and they try to avoid the light. His sister Sonic is a grumpy fella who edges him out of the hut all the time, so here he is, fast asleep.

A Funeral

Half my day was spent at a distant relative's funeral today, including a visit to the Mandai Columbarium. It was sobering spending the last 2 nights with the bereaved senior citizen who has lost a husband, and a middle-aged single daughter who has lost a dad. It was a sad case. The three of them had each other, and now they only have each other. The old folks used to spend 24/7 together, day in day out and their only daughter sacrificed her lifelong happiness out of filial piety towards them, so as to support her aging parents.

I haven't attended that many funerals before, but of those that I have, I have never encountered a family with such vehement outward displays of grief. Over the 3 nights of wake, the daughter was a pillar of support for her grieving mom who appeared to be unable to control her tears. She would whisper comforting words to her mom and hug her close whenever the elder woman tried to charge towards the coffin with loud sobs.

Today after the short memorial at the void deck of a HDB flat, as the coffin was lifted into the hearse, there was loud bawling. I looked towards the old lady who was screaming at the top of her lungs for her beloved husband. Beside her was her daughter, howling even louder. This went on for nearly ten minutes non-stop as they followed the hearse's slow crawl out of the carpark. Even though I wasn't close to the deceased at all, seeing them this way made me want to tear as well. When we took them into our car to send them to the columbarium, their loud sobs filled the vehicle for another ten minutes. It was quite unbearable hearing the repetitive strains of grief and sorrow pouring out so intensely and forcibly right behind me. I compelled myself to tune out by thinking of other nicer things.

The end of the funeral was the most affected as the bereaved women had to be restrained and held as their beloved was pushed out. Relatives and friends didn't know how to console them as they shouted "papa I love you" at the coffin. It was a traumatic moment.

We were led to a viewing hall next where all present could view the final moments of the deceased. It was a very mechanical process, very unfeeling, very perfunctory. An empty room came into view. Then a machine with wheels was set in place. The coffin was positioned in front of the machine while workmen pressed some knobs to get the engine working. A few seconds later, the coffin made its slow journey towards a wooden wall, which opened to reveal a furnace hatch. The coffin reaches its destination, it is lifted high enough to fit into the hatch, hatch door opens and coffin is pushed in. Wooden wall closes. The end. The crowd hug each other for comfort and strength to carry on. There was a struggle between mother and daughter for the framed picture of the deceased. They wept so much they had to be helped out. It was a moving scene.

It must be very heartbreaking to see the body of the person you love treated in such a impersonal way, especially since you know that at that very moment the door closes, flames are engulfing his body, burning the person who you once hugged and kissed to charred bits. This is the most terrible moment when a loved one dies -- when you know that there is nothing to hold on to anymore. Except ashes. That is the saddest part about cremation.

I attended a burial last year. In contrast, the process was much easier to deal with. Family and friends gathered around the coffin in the hole surrounded by freshly-dug soil. Prayers are said. Each one said their piece. Flowers were thrown and finally the soil is thrown over, spadeful by spadeful till nothing remains to be seen. Knowing that your beloved lies just beneath, resting peacefully with all his little mementoes beside him, makes a huge difference to the living. It will not be ashes that you come to visit. It will still be him inside. Unfortunately in land-scarce Singapore, nothing is ever permanent. A burial might mean another traumatic exhumation in 30 years, a disturbance of the dead, if we are lucky enough to be alive then.