I gave Max his first puppy vaccination and he was 6 years old now. Over the past 2 years, his owner had used another veterinarian. Vet 1 had X-rayed him, taken blood test and given Max furosemide medication. Vet 1's blood test indicated liver malfunction. Max had no fever during my first house-call but he just would not eat and laid down. He just would not stand up and walk.
Max was a big breed and overweight at 80 kg but he had never been sick for the past 5 years when I was the family vet. A family vet becomes a friend and seldom charges fees. For some reason, the lady decided to use the services of another vet from Max's 5th year onwards and I lost touch with him.
"Max had a sore throat," the lady said during my house-call. I discovered all the submandibular, axillary and popliteal lymph nodes were enlarged 20x. I told the owner that Max had lymphosarcoma but she did not want any treatment.
The next 21 days were extremely stressful to everyone - the family, the caregivers, my vet assistants and myself. I visited Max practically every day and some evenings knowing that there was not much hope as Max's fever became uncontrollable and he would not want to stand up, except to go to the nearby bathroom instead of going to the garden. His abdomen swelled and I had his bladder catheterised for the next 15 days to permit urine to flow out in a urine bag.
Vet 1 and one acupuncturist did house calls and prescribed medication. I was not informed but my vet assistant discovered this and was very upset as medications could conflict and kill Max. This was not the first time that an owner would seek second opinion and since she was under great stress, I did not want to bring forth this matter.
I presumed that the owner was worried that I might recall my veterinary assistant and my services and abandon Max. We were giving drips practically 24 hours a day for the 21 days Max was alive. She never wanted Max to be hospitalised in other places but to be treated at home.
It is OK to seek other opinions but conflicting drugs just would not help Max. Vet 1 was aware of my treatment as I recorded the drugs in a book in the house for the owner and I knew she would get other vets to help her. It would be in the interest of Max to be given written records so that other vets would know what was happening. Of course, my vet assistant did not connect my purpose of recording my treatment as I did not explain to him the rationale. He was an extra-ordinary Vet Technician who really loved veterinary medicine and surgery passionately. He was very unhappy with the behaviour of the owner and wanted me to abort the case. Such are the realities of life of Singapore owners seeking various outside opinions and internet information. I did not lose sleep over this behaviour as no person can know everything. However, in the final 3 days before Max died, the lady asked me to go to Max's room and informed me of the treatments given by Vet 1.
I gave I/V drips, antibiotics, anti-fever and ensure that urine catheterisations were properly done. Max would pulling off the drip set. He just would not get up to eat and his fever would return again and again when the anti-fever medication dose was ineffective.
On the 7th day, the owner rushed home from work as Max had collapsed. I was called and rushed to see him after my MRI scan for my left hand tissue growth at the Singapore General Hospital. That was why I remembered this date. The owner took out her sceptre and paraphernalia to administer the last rites. I left the bedroom where Max looked like he was in his last breath dying to give the lady privacy to administer her rites.
But Max still lived on after another IV drip. Another 4 days later, Max was well enough to walk to the garden to pee as he had not walked much except to the nearby bathroom. The lady was extremely happy. She stood up from the dining table and hugged me with grateful thanks. Was there light at the end of the tunnel? Sadly, no. Max did not stand up after that and his fever raged on like a bush wildfire out of control and flamed by strong winds.
Were there other vets or specialists in Singapore to treat Max in the house? I don't now as the owner did her own arrangements. By the 18th day, Max started to vomit. He vomited more and collapsed. His fever was uncontrollable. He passed away on the 21st day overnight. I had left the house that night and had a premonition that it was Max's last night. Grieving had to be in private and I left the lady alone.
I sent my condolences via text message after 2 days as my assistant told me that Max had passed away. The owner messaged back to thank me and say that Max received a good sign from Heaven on his day of death. I could not figure out what she meant and did not ask further as I was no longer the family vet. That was 4 months ago.
2 days ago, I met one family member and enquired what happened. On performing the last rites prior to cremation, Max was wrapped in a white cloth. "Blood appeared and stained the cloth red. Lots of blood appeared on Max's bedroom floor too. It is a good blessing from Heaven - the sceptre of blood," the family member told me.
I was no wiser as to what he mean. I know what a sceptre is. There are jade sceptres in Chinese religious beliefs but a sceptre of blood? What does it mean. I did not probe further. However I believed in his description as I had seen blood appearing out of thin air previously. As to the significance of this paranormal event, I don't know. It is incredible but true. The lady's business is booming even in the midst of recession. I believe she is prospering. She does not practise clairvoyance commercially. I leave it to the reader to provide their own interpretation of the paranormal phenomenon.
P.S. The flower is for Max. A very gentle Golden Retriever who always dashed to the front gate whenever I came for house-calls or visits. As a pup, he mouthed my shoes and hid them. Thereafter, I put my shoes high up during house-calls.
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