Butter, a Factory Dog

Like the butter on our tables, Butter is a dog that appears ordinary but is actually indispensable and makes everything better. Butter belongs to a pack of four other doggies, each with their own distinct characters. Amongst the pack of four doggies, Butter seems nondescript and subdued. You would not normally pay him special attention as there is a mega hyper puppy and a super sweet and friendly young female dog in the same pack, both vying for your attention. However, you just need to spend some time with Butter and he would totally steal your heart. He is so handsome and sweet. Beneath his tough exterior lies a big softie who craves your affection.

Sweet Butter, with his wound on his left hind

During one of our recent stray feeding rounds, we noticed Butter limping. The sweet boy hobbled out to greet us despite being injured. He even stood still and smiled for us to take a picture of him with his wound. He did not appear to be in pain at all even though his wound was oozing blood. Such is the high pain threshold of stray dogs. 

A deep gash on his leg

We applied some medication for Butter but it did not seem to help much. Blood was still oozing from his wound, which was bigger than the size of a fifty-cent coin. His wound was on his left hind leg and his paws were not sore. Unsure whether Butter�s limp was a result of broken bones or pain from his open wound, we felt the need to send Butter to the vet for a check-up lest there were any broken bones to be mended. After forty-eight hours, the bones would fuse, by which time there would not be much we can do to help Butter walk normally again. Even though the lack of funds was a very real and nagging problem, we just could not bring ourselves to leave Butter with his open wound and limp. What if maggots start infesting his wound? What if there were broken bones to fix? These questions and Butter�s sweet face told us we just had to get Butter treated even though it was midnight and emergency hours charges would kick in. The sooner we got Butter treated, the better his chances of recovery and the less pain he would need to bear with. No Buts about it.

On way to Emergency Vet

Butter was on his best behaviour throughout his car ride to the vet and his time at the vet. He allowed his handler to take smiley pictures of him and the vet to examine him without a single protest. The vet on duty praised Butter too and kept commenting what a shame it was that no one could adopt Butter as he was such a sweet boy.

Fortunately, Butter�s x-rays revealed that he did not suffer any broken bones, probably just some sore muscles. After Butter had his wound cleaned and stitched up, he recuperated for a day at a volunteer�s home before being returned to the loving arms of his caregiver at the factory. The volunteer could not bear to let go of Butter as he was so sweet and gentle, but had to do so as she would be working the next day and there would be no one at home to look after him. Butter would just sit quietly in a corner and wag his tail whenever the volunteer approached him. He would lick her hands too. Such a sweetheart!

Butter at the vet

Butter has now recovered fully and can walk normally again. It has been said that a stitch in time saves nine. Indeed, the nine dogs in Butter�s factory have all benefited from Butter�s wound being stitched up timely. 

Wound stitched nicely

friends welcomed him with waggly tails when we returned Butter to the factory. As we speak though, Butter�s vet bill of $1700 remain unsettled. Would you kindly help us with his vet bills please? Your kind contribution would allow us to butter more loaves of bread for the many more strays waiting to be saved out there. Butter says thank you! *hugs and kisses from Butter*

Good boy, Butter <3

Written by: Weiling

How Your Dentist Can Save Your Heart?

Poor oral hygiene could risk your heart health!
Many studies have proved how not taking proper oral care could hurt your heart a great deal. This may not sound a warning signal to many but don�t take it lightly, as you just can�t ignore the health of your teeth and gums. If you did, it might have some serious repercussions on your overall health.   

If you still think that poor oral hygiene can only make your smile dull and ruin facial aesthetics, it�s time you smelled the coffee, saw the bigger picture and consulted the dentist. There is a strong connection between your oral hygiene and heart disease. And this is something you just can�t ignore.   

Also read: Blood shot eyes: Causes, symptoms and treatment

There are several dental problems that have a negative impact on your heart. And most of them originate from poor oral care. In fact, lack of brushing, flossing, tongue cleaning on a daily basis could push your health down a lot. So, be better prepared!

Here are some of things not ignore ever when you have dental problems -

Get your root canal done at the earliest

Did you know that those who need a root canal are nearly three times more prone to acute coronary syndrome? Well, this means there will be triple the risk of clogging of the heart arteries that can cause a heart attack.

Clearly, you must never leave a cavity left untreated else it might worsen leading to deep decay. Root canal is needed in cases where someone develops a root tip infection either in the pulp or in the tissue of the tooth�s center.  

Must read: 8 teeth whitening methods that gives the best result

Get bacteria from your mouth removed as soon as you could
If you have tooth infection, there is always a possibility of the bacteria spreading to other parts of the body. So, naturally, the bacteria can reach to your heart and cause infection. This level of infection might turn serious in cases where someone�s heart is already damaged due to heart disease.

Consult the dentist even if you don�t have a heart problem

The bacteria from tooth infection is also very harmful to those with no history of heart problems. In such cases, the body often reacts to the bacteria and tries to fight it off by initiating inflammation in the system. And you should know that too much inflammation is often associated with the development of plaque in the blood vessels and arteries. Which can damage the heart a lot.          

Dental problems may lead to stroke 

Not taking proper oral care may lead to dental problems where most of them involve bacterial growth in oral cavity. With bacteria, there is always a chance of body producing inflammation. This can this create blood clots which is often responsible for stroke or heart attack. 

Also read: 8 simple ways you can take proper care of your heart

Get regular dental cleanings and examinations 

There are no symptoms of root tip infection. People who suffer from it can�t feel pain. This problem can�t be spotted unless an x-ray is done upon the patient. This is why you should visit the dentist at least once every 6 months and get cleanings and examinations. Only then can you expect tooth decay problems to be spotted early and right treatment be started to minimize heart problems.  

Ask the dentist about right techniques of brushing and flossing 

Even if you have got done dental implants Manhattan, you should still ask the dentist about right techniques of brushing and flossing. The same holds true for fillings and gum treatments. After all, unless you know the right way to brush and clean between the teeth, your oral health can never reach an optimum state for sure.  
   

Donut�s Roller Coaster Ride

The past several weeks have been quite a roller coaster ride with Donut.

Watch her latest update here.

Sweet as she is, she is still in the midst of being domesticated

During last month�s review at the vet, we were told that Donut�s x-ray results didn�t look good and we were told to consider that dreadful decision of putting Donut to sleep. We weren�t deterred, however, and brought her for a second opinion. Sadly, the outcome was more or less the same and that set us back quite a bit, though not enough to give up on Donut, of course.

We then started her on acupuncture sessions for a couple of weeks, including a week of special treatment by a famous acupuncturist flown in from Shanghai by a kind rescuer. The sinseh, Dr Jin, believed strongly that Donut will one day walk again as long as we keep up with her treatment and exercise her legs. Over the past week, we saw great improvement � Donut was able to walk, albeit hobbling a little, on her own! All is not lost for dear Donut!

Acupuncture for Donut as the accident damaged her sacrum and caused her anus to remain open all the time

What a cute Donut smiling during her acupuncture

The acupuncture sessions were also to help Donut�s anus close. During her hit & run accident, her nerves were damaged, thus she is unable to close her anus and poo flows out almost continuously. Acupuncture sessions have helped some.

In the early stages, Donut needs 2 acupuncture sessions per week

Last week, we brought Donut for her review again, this time with a different doctor. The doctor explained that Donut�s injury is known as ventro fracture of sacrum , meaning that the sacrum nerves that control her bladder are severed. She will always need someone to express her bladder and to make sure there is no blood or very strong fishy smell in her pee as that usually means she's down with Urinary Tract Infection (UTI).

While the condition is the main reason why Donut cannot control her pee and poo, the vet did mention that there could be some sacrum nerves left which is why her anus is closing up after the acupuncture sessions. Her diarrhoea condition has also improved though there were times we found fresh blood at her anus area. Fortunately, this is only superficial and not due to a bigger problem like piles. The doctor recommended probiotics and flax seed oil for her and prescribed a cream for application.

This is SHIOK!!

One positive news from this review was that the ventro fracture of sacrum has nothing to do with her walking/hobbling. The problem with her movement lies with her dislocated right hip. A femoral hip resection surgery has been scheduled on 19 March to correct this condition so that her hips wont sway so much when she walks.

Missing her days on the streets and her stray friends 

Her previous surgery and aftercare has taken a toll on our budget and we need to raise funds again for her surgery next week. The surgery is estimated to cost about $3000 and she would have to be warded for a couple of days for recovery, which will add towards the total bill. If you would like to help in any way, financially or otherwise, please email us at hopedogrescue@singnet.com.sg.

Written by: Shi Hua

Varicose Vein Treatment To Prevent Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

For a long time, doctors at varicose vein treatment centers have observed an association between patients having varicose veins and a propensity to develop deep vein thrombosis (DVT), i.e. dangerous deep blood clots. Furthermore, there have been published research reports showing a statistically significant correlation between varicose veins and DVT. However, the sample sizes used to gather data for these previous studies were all rather small. The small sample size involved in previous studies cast a slight doubt about the association.

All of this changed on February 27, 2018 when the world's first large scale study proving a strong correlation between varicose veins and DVT was published! Making it an even more significant study, the work was published in the well respected and peer reviewed Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). This research is the strongest evidence we have to date that varicose vein treatment can literally save lives by reducing the chance of developing DVT, as well as other dangerous diseases (see below).


The research was published by a panel of eight Taiwanese scientists from Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University. The large scale study involved 212,984 patients with varicose veins and another 212,984 patients without varicose veins who served as the control. The source for the data was the claims database of Taiwan�s National Health Insurance Program so the data can be trusted as it all would have been supported by competent medical reports and screened for accuracy. The claims were made over a thirteen year period from January 1, 2001 through December 31, 2013.


None of the patients included in the study presented with any evidence of DVT when they initially made their claim. The patients in the group with varicose veins were all at least twenty years old and had a mean age of fifty-four and half. A little over sixty-nine percent of the varicose vein group were women with just over thirty percent being men. The control group was selected to be extremely close in age and gender ratio to eliminate these two variables as factors in the study. Thus, the large scale study was designed well.


The elapsed time before the follow-up looking for DVT (dangerous deep blood clots) was 7.6 years. The results were remarkably clear and statistically highly significant! The group that had varicose veins had a whopping 5.3 higher chance of having DVT than the control group! Furthermore, the researchers also discovered a significantly higher incidence rate in the varicose vein group for both pulmonary embolism (PE) and peripheral artery disease (PAD), 1.73 percent and 1.72 percent respectively, although the study was not designed to exclude other potential factors for the development of these correlated diseases, such as smoking and weight gain (obesity).


This is the first large scale study that clearly demonstrates why people with venous disease should receive varicose vein treatment as a life saving procedure. All too often, varicose vein disease is not taken as seriously as it should be. Insurance companies often resist in paying for varicose vein treatment procedures like sclerotherapy, endovenous laser ablation, radiofrequency ablation, and ambulatory phlebectomy even though these procedures have been long established to prevent deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and peripheral artery disease! The new study should make it abundantly clear to anyone who should try to claim otherwise!


Pulmonary embolism (PE) is when a deep blood clot dislodges, travels to the lungs, and becomes lodged there. This is a life threatening event that requires emergency life saving procedures and a careful full time critical watch over a patient. While peripheral artery disease (PAD) is not usually life threatening, it is still considered a very serious disease. In fact, it can shorten one's lifespan significantly due to complications that can lead to life threatening events like heart attacks and strokes. When you think about the fact that a relatively simple thirty minute varicose vein treatment can prevent these life threatening diseases, you have to wonder why some people still consider varicose vein disease "benign" or even "just cosmetic."


Deep vein thrombosis is known as a "silent killer" since most people who have these dangerous life threatening blood clots don't even know they have them. However, if you are evaluated at a good varicose vein treatment center like Metro Vein Centers, you'll be able to find out if you have one or more of these dangerous deep blood clots. You'll also be able to find out if you have varicosity in deeper veins that you can not see from the surface of your skin. Just remember that many varicose veins, including some of the most serious, cannot be seen through the skin because they are too deep.


At Metro Vein Centers, you can have some of the best vein experts in the country do a duplex ultrasound to see not only inside your legs but actually inside your deepest veins! To set this up, just call one of their locations. Good luck to you! We sincerely hope you do not have a deep blood clot or hidden varicose veins. However, if you do have them, it's far better to know about them so you can receive varicose vein treatment to alleviate the dangers.