102. "Buy a new dog!" the daughter said.

I can remember this dog. He bit me towards the end of surgery to remove his lip and face wart. So did groomer Mark who had also been bitten last year. Now the tumours had regrown and are bigger. Much bigger than last year. The girl's mother wanted surgery now as the dog kept pawing the tumours and they bled all over the floor.

"This must be the oldest English Cocker Spaniel in Singapore," I said. "Cocker Spaniels seldom live past 12 years of age. He is overweight and may not survive anaesthesia this time, so you have to take the risks if you want to operate."

We did not talk about the cost of surgery.

"Just buy a new dog!" a young girl of around 12 years old suddenly interjected. Mum was shocked at this discard the old and buy a new one consumerism. She was shell-shocked at the young girl's remarks, so was I. She responded: "It is my obligation to get him treated."

What happened to this little girl? Why did she said to get rid of the old dog? He can still eat and walk. Sometimes he leaked urine.

"He coughs at night last year," the mum said. "Like old people. I presume it is normal for old dogs to cough at night."

"It is not normal for old dogs to cough at night or at any time," I advised and checked his heart.

"Why don't you just use gas anaesthesia like the last time," the mum recalled. "No tranquilisation injection. He survived."

"OK," I said. I put the dog on antibiotics so that the wounds would heal well. The surgery would be next week.